Meet Crosby, Our 2026 Heart & Sole Cover Model

Some dogs come into our lives exactly when we need them most. For Crosby and his family, that couldn’t be more true.

In September 2019, Nancy and Bill lost their beloved Sheltie, Gracie, at just three years old. Gracie had faced serious health challenges from the beginning, and after losing her, they were heartbroken. Another dog simply wasn’t in the plans.

Then 2020 happened.

As the world shut down and life suddenly looked very different, Nancy and Bill began thinking that maybe there was room in their hearts—and their family—for another dog after all. Before long, a shy little Sheltie born on St. Patrick’s Day caught their attention. They had already settled on the name Crosby, though his March 17 birthday briefly put “Paddy” in the running.

On May 16, 2020, Crosby joined the family. And as Nancy puts it, while Crosby may not be a rescue himself, “during COVID, he rescued us. It goes both ways.”

Five years later, Crosby has grown into a delightful dog with no shortage of personality. Like most Shelties, he’s a talker. He’s also extremely food-motivated and always on alert for a treat—or anything that might happen to hit the kitchen floor. Every morning begins with his daily ritual of sharing a banana with his dad, Bill.

He’s also a self-proclaimed “Velcro dog” who wants to be right in the center of his pack. If his family dares to leave the house without him, Crosby will howl for a solid 20 to 30 seconds, just to make sure everyone understands that someone very important has been left behind. At night, he spends about half his time tucked between Nancy’s head and the headboard, occasionally delivering a paw or two to the face for good measure.

In Nancy’s words, he is simply “all fluff and personality.”

And this isn’t Crosby’s first time in the spotlight. Some local beer lovers may even recognize that handsome face from his first official “cover model” gig: gracing the label of his very own beer from Rejects Beer Co., Cosmic Crosby’s Comet NEIPA. So really, posing for Heart & Sole is less of a career change and more of a natural next step.

Nancy, Bill and Crosby have been longtime supporters of the Potter League and the Heart & Sole Walk for Animals. For them, the Walk is about more than a day out with dogs. It’s an opportunity for people to connect with animals, come together as a community and celebrate an important part of what the Potter League is all about.

And why did Nancy think Crosby would make the perfect Heart & Sole cover model? Her first reason is pretty straightforward: “He’s gorgeous. I might be biased.”

Her second says a lot more about what Crosby represents. His story is a reminder that the relationship we share with animals is never one-sided. We care for them, love them and make them part of our families—and somehow, they have a way of giving us just as much in return.

For Nancy and Bill, that dog is Crosby: talkative, treat-obsessed, banana-sharing, unapologetically attached to his people and, of course, exceptionally photogenic.

We can’t think of a better pup to lead the way for this year’s Heart & Sole Walk for Animals.