The names Dixie and Seb might not mean anything at all to the masses but to Susan Murphree and Susan Green they mean the world.

Dixie and Seb are two mixed breed pups that were rescued from animal shelters and are now are at the heart of their homes.

Dixie came to the Murphree home during a time of need and in hopes that she would be able to cure an “ill.”

“We had two dogs, Sal and Orphan Annie, and they were so close,” Murphree said. “When Sal died, Annie wouldn’t eat or do anything. She was in depression. Tom and I decided that Annie needed another companion so we went to the Troy Animal Shelter. When Dixie saw us, she actually ‘talked’ to us, so we knew she was the one.”

Murphree said, for a long while, Annie was not accepting of Dixie.

“But Dixie aggravated her so much that she came out of her depression,” Murphree said. “Now, they are good friends.”

Seb was a temporary resident at an Atlanta animal shelter when he was rescued by Green.

“Seb is a mixed breed and I say it’s mixed with love,” Green said. “And, that’s the best kind of mix that you can find. Seb has had positive effect on me. He has changed my attitude and made me a softer me. He has taught me to take time to smell the grass and that it’s all right to stretch when I wake up.”

Green said pets can have a calming effect on people, and she is proof of that.

“Pets are used in nursing homes because they bring a calmness and peacefulness to the residents,” she said. “Seb has had that kind of effect on me. I pick him up and a wonderful feeling comes over me. He is mixed with love.”

Murphree and Green said, based on personal experience, shelter animals make great pets.

“Dixie is the best guard dog that we could have,” Murphree said. “She lets us know if anybody comes near the house. We’ve had two shelter dogs and they haven’t had any physical problems. Mixed breeds seem to be healthier than dogs that are purebred. And, too, they are so happy to have a home that they seem to love you more.”

At the Pike Animal Fur Fest on Saturday, shelter animals will be available for adoption.

“If you’re looking for a good dog that has a lot of love to give, the shelter is a good place to look,” Murphree said.