X is for Xenophobe

I dare say this was the most difficult letter of this ABC-along (my Y and Z are chosen, and I get a pretty easy pass with the Z!). I racked my brain, searched the internet for X words. Nothing seemed appropriate so I took a BIG leap, and I give the xenophobe in my life:

I know, I know, I hear you - Carly, that is your dog Jimmy Ray. How does that fit? I told you I was taking a leap here. Jimmy Ray is quite possible the polar opposite of Zosia. Zosia is a ridiculously outgoing dog. She is not scared of anything or anyone. She's quite the social butterfly. She makes best friends with anyone who comes to the house. Jimmy Ray, well, he had a rough start in life. Jimmy Ray came to us through a local rescue. He spent the first year of his life penned in a garage with 4 other beagles - all the same litter. The owner was a trucker. His elderly father was supposed to come by to feed and water the dogs, but often forgot. One night during a thunderstorm, the dogs escaped and a caring neighbor gathered them up and went to talk to the owner when he returned. He agreed to turn over the dogs to the rescue. Thankfully he wasn't physically abused, but the neglect and lack of any socilization as a pup resulted in making Jimmy Ray very scared of anything unknown. It took him several months to even start to come near Jake & I. He's come very far in the time we've had him (nearly 2 years!), Zosia has helped him come out of his shell. However, he's still scared of strangers. He's small and cute so everyone wants to pet him when we're out and he tries to flatten himself to the ground or hide behind our legs. So there - Jimmy Ray is scared of strangers, so that makes him a xenophobe! (But he's a cute one!)