Want to Meet All 32 Dogs From Hope In Every Raindrop?

***Spoiler Alert***

Make sure you’ve read Faith In Every Footstep and/or Hope In Every Raindrop before you go any farther!

The history of the Carolina Gray.

Before we get to the dogs, I want to first discuss the breed. The breed that Kyle Walker raises in Hope In Every Raindrop is known as Carolina Grays, and it is a fictional breed that is a cross between a Gray Wolf and Carolina Dog. However, the characteristics and mannerisms of the dogs are based on my experiences with Carolina Dogs.

When you view the pictures below, the best example of a Carolina Gray can be found in Mingo, who was proven by Dr. Anderson and DNA testing to be one of the oldest and purest black Carolina Dogs alive. (Unfortunately as of writing this Mingo is no longer with us.)

I do not believe it has been scientifically proven, but the real Dr. Anderson, the one that actually raises Carolina Dogs in Bishopville, South Carolina once told me that he believed the longer black coat of some Carolina Dogs came from mating with Coyotes and Wolves in the surrounding area.

In addition, Mingo’s owner (who now lives in Indiana) has often believed that he mated with local Coyotes on several occasions. So, while a Carolina Gray is fictional, it is based on some facts.

Where do Carolina Grays come from?

Most Carolina Dogs have what is called a short coat or seal coat, which is essentially very thin hair, and they are typically ginger (or tan) in color with a slightly lighter undercoat. The below picture is Dr. Anderson with a Carolina Dog (I believe her name was “Girl”).

There are several features to immediately notice:

• The “hook” or “whip” tail (which has a lighter underside used for signaling when in deep brush in packs)
• The triangular shaped face
• The pricked ears
• The coat color and length

This is your prototypical Carolina Dog that is believed to be a descendant of the Australian Dingo and/or Korean Jindo. I’ll show you a photo of each so you can compare.

First, the Australian Dingo.

And, now the Korean Jindo.

See any similarities yet?

The theory is that the Carolina Dog crossed over into North America via the Bering land bridge (or Beringia) as the oldest dog breed, descendents of pariah dogs (such as the Jindo). This is a popular theory that has been supported by the likes of National Geographic. But, as I mentioned above, Dr. Anderson also had a theory (or at least a thought) that wild Carolina Dogs were mating with Gray Wolves. Hence, the color change, the thicker coat, etc.

Here is what an eastern Gray Wolf can look like (typically they are more grayish-brown, but can also be black or white).

Remember how I said Mingo was the best representation of the fictional breed, Carolina Gray?

Well, here’s Mingo.

A Carolina Gray is a fictional breed. But, if you were to cross a Carolina Dog with a Gray Wolf, would you end up with a dog like Mingo? Perhaps, perhaps not. Ultimately, the origin doesn’t matter much, because regardless of where they come from, all dogs have the rare ability to be absolutely amazing.

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