When I was 5 or 6, I watched Old Yeller and became obsessed with the movie. My parents has recently divorced, and I lived with my mom. About that same time, coyotes started showing up in NY, and we would hear them howling at times, which excited me, but also scared me a little. Well, I went to bed on Christmas eve, and when I woke up on Christmas morning, it was still dark out. My mom was still asleep, but I snuck out into the living room...I just wanted to see if Santa had came and if there were presents under the tree. What I saw instead, coming towards me in the dark, reflected from the lights on the Christmas tree, were two glowing eyes.... I screamed. In my mind... there was a coyote in the house and it was coming to get me! My mom woke up of course at my scream and turned on the living room lights. It was then I saw "Old Yeller" in the living room, with a note tucked under her collar certifying she came straight from the North Pole. Best Christmas ever. For the next 13 years that dog was my constant companion!