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Lulu (formally, Lulabelle)
Personality | Unbridled Exuberance. Joie de Vivre x 11. Accidental Comedian.
Nicknames | Puppy Bop. Missy Bop. the Bopster. Show Pony. Supermodel. Cray-Cray. Lu-lunatic. Puppy Monster. Gorgeous Gorgeous (delivered in a Long Island dialect). Floppity Bop (when running). Sleepity Bop (when dreaming). Patron Saint of Baby Opossums. Best Friend.
I found Molly in early 2009 on Petfinder. It was early in my house hunt and she was recently sprung from the infamous Harris County Animal Shelter after escaping the horrors of a "well known puppy mill." Skinny, ground down teeth, and full of heartworms, intestinal worms, and neurosis. But, this picture -
Who wouldn't fall hard???
Totally worth buying a house & yard for.
She liked her new yard.
Our first weekend. Still wearing her rescue collar.
She inspired at least a couple of dozen nicknames. A few favorites...Doodles, Snuggle bug, Sweetie Bird, Monkey, Drama Queen, Puppy magic, Puppy dove, Molly of the hounds, Little bit, Jelly Queen (prone to passive displays of jealousy).
A repeat mother before her rescue, her maternal nature welcomed two 3 week old orphaned kittens in 2012 - but, she probably wasn't counting on them sticking around. Ezekiel (aka Bubba, Gumption, Catmandon't, Major Whitesocks, Malfeasance) and Berserkr (aka Ber, Kitty Bot, Tiny Monster, Fussball, Mayhem), with their littermate smackdowns, compelled my pacifist mamma dog to break up their up their 'fights' on the daily, running and yelping into the mix and then dutifully checking each kitty before returning to bed - often two or three times in a row when they were in noncompliant moods.
Those soulful doe eyes. They inspired numerous moon-faced admirers. And more than a few proclamations of love from strangers.
Proud hound dog.
Friend of bunnies, kitties (sometimes reluctantly), and all manner of orphaned or injured birds and lost dogs brought through her turf over the years.
Likes | Belly rubs and chewies. Strolls along Buffalo Bayou. Sundays with Grandpa. Thanksgiving turkey scraps from Grandma. Car rides. Attention and affection - always. The beach. Baying at opossums in suburban Dallas. Lounging in bed on the weekends. Long hugs. Crossing her paws like an elder stateswoman. Patrolling her yard. Rolling around in St. Augustine grass.
Regarding belly rubs | she enjoyed running in front of me outside and performing a dramatic Hollywood 'faint' that ended with her belly up and blocking my path. If I failed to submit to her subtle queue and stepped over her, she would jump up, run back around the front of me and perform the 'faint' again. I never ignored her a second time.
Regarding hugs | she was an insistent hugger. It was part of the routine after returning home from work or any lengthy outing. She would stand in my path and gaze intently at me with those doe eyes and all sorts of verbal protests until I knelt down and held her. She'd rest her head on my right shoulder and tell me about her day - groaning, whining, sometimes scolding (especially if their had been a thunderstorm) - all the while, leaning all of her weight against me, occasionally throwing me off balance. After 1-2 minutes I would stand back up and she was ready to go outside. Those hugs were the peak of my day and probably what I miss the most.
Regarding turkey | one year a Greenberg Smoked Turkey was shipped to my house for the holidays. I let Molly out that evening, unaware that UPS had delivered it two days before the tracking schedule. After more than an hour, I went to check on her, as she usually scratched the front door within 15 minutes. There she was, front paws wrapped around either side of a giant 25" box with "Greenberg Turkey" stamped across the sides, dutifully chewing a cardboard corner with her less than stellar teeth. I caught her just before she pierced the outer plastic. denied. I still laugh anytime I think about all the people who drove down my street that hour and saw this hound dog chewing on the "Greenberg Turkey" box. I wonder what she thought of that heavily fragranced box magically appearing in her yard.
Beach puppy.
Dislikes | Storms. Trips to the veterinarian. Squeaky toys. UPS trucks - something about the sound of those engines filled her with the most adorable rage - even from blocks away. The driver could hear her from the street when she was in the house; he was smitten with her anyway - that deep, angry bay coming from such a small, feminine hound. "Your guard dog", he always said with a laugh. If only she knew who brought her that Greenberg turkey.
Dislikes were often met with an inimitable 'snarl', savant level pouting, and in the case of the vet's office lobby, wedging herself between my back and the back of a wood slat bench - stained cherry red, as if it were designed to accommodate her intentions of concealment. Her pouting was so committed that it took several months of doting by my father to regain her affection after he showered too much attention on my cat. She left the room, curling up by the back door when he came over - every Sunday afternoon, for months on end - until he finally won her back.
Thank you to everyone who gave her love and hugs, asked about her well-being, and helped treat her illness. Special thanks to Tamara and Buzz Shelby, for rescuing this little gem and bringing her into my life. I had 20 pets growing up - 7 cats, 6 dogs, 3 birds, 2 guinea pigs, a fish, and a hermit crab in colllege. All of them were special. But, number 21 was my soulmate.
Molly, your special personality, difficult history, and eventual struggle with kidney disease deepened my patience, resolve, and commitment. You made me softer and more grounded. My goal was to give you a home longer than you were confined to a cage; we achieved that goal more than twice over.
Here's hoping your spirit landed in a place with accessible turkey, frequent belly rubs, and endless sandy beaches. And zero UPS trucks.
Love forever,
Mommy
Born: 2006 (best guess) - Rescued: January, 2009
Adopted: July 3rd, 2009 - Left this world: May 23, 2016
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