Just a quick video to show off what a genius-wonderdog Lollie is. I taught her this in about three minutes last night, after our evening walk. It’s incredible, how fast she learns.
Also- notice how her butt and back legs subtly slide backward as she sits in concentration. Think we should get her some rubber booties for traction?
In the spirit of helping Lollie find her forever family, we thought it would be smart to spend a little more effort sharing what makes her so very adoptable. Although there are endless adoptability factors we could list, we’re going to try to make this a weekly series so we don’t overwhelm you too much.
Lollie loves to snuggle. Sitting, standing, laying down; on the bed, on the floor, in the car, in the yard (ok, maybe not in the yard); morning, noon, and night; in a box or with a fox; with or without a pillow and blanket. She will gladly drift off to sleep covered up with a blanket in her room after a long walk, or curl up with her face in your lap as you read or watch a movie. She has a knack for finding the softest possible spot to lay and curling herself up into an impossibly small jellybean shape, with her nose tucked under her back paws, which are extended over her face in a diver’s full-pike position. Sometimes, her little paws and nose twitch while she sleeps, as though she’s dreaming of running through a field, chasing Max the rabbit.
After a long, long weekend out of town, we are picking up both wonderdogs tonight. We can’t wait to get them back home! Lucky Chick has been boarding at his grandparents’ house with his best friend Tex the lab, and Lolita has been boarding at the vet’s so they can look after her as she recuperates from her spay surgery. The vet told us this morning that Lollie is doing great and everything is healing up nicely. Naturally, the receptionist lit up at Lollie’s name (just like everybody does) and offered many enthusiastic words of love and admiration for our little girl.
Her stitches will have to wait a few more days to come out, but soon enough she’ll be rid of le cone de shame and back to her regular routine!
Lollie has plenty to be thankful about this Thanksgiving, not the least of which is her recent reincarnation as a spoiled house pet. But rather than continuing to focus on her sad past, Lolita would like to share the three things she is most thankful for: butt-scratches from her fostermom, her sweet dance moves, and her excellent taste in music.
Concentration is scarce among the Fosterfamily today, because our little wonderdog is at the vet getting spayed. In keeping with MCHS rules, our own values, and of course logic and reason, Lollie is putting the smackdown on pet overpopulation.
For today’s entry, I’d like to share a snippet from a poem that we stumbled upon while vainly searching for our fosterblog on Google (no luck finding it, by the way). It’s called “Walking the Dog,” by Howard Nemerov:
Two universes mosey down the street
Connected by love and a leash and nothing else.
Mostly I look at lamplight through the leaves
While he mooches along with tail up and snout down,
Getting a secret knowledge through the nose
Almost entirely hidden from my sight.We stand while he’s enraptured by a bush
Till I can’t stand our standing any more
And haul him off; for our relationship
Is patience balancing to this side tug
And that side drag; a pair of symbionts
Contented not to think each other’s thoughts.
There is more, but the poet’s musings turn to poop scooping, so I thought I’d refrain 😉
Send well-wishes to our darling foster wonderdog while she undergoes surgery today!
Excuse the very shoddy quality of our first Lollie video. Just wanted everyone to see how cute she is in action, while attempting to conquer a stalk of celery, learning how to eat dog food out of a gatorade bottle (which, by the way, she learned in about 15 minutes. amazing.) and practicing “sit,” “down,” and “go get it.”
We especially love her funny habit of tucking her right elbow/shoulder under her body when she does the “down” command.
Lol and me: a self-portrait.
Who knew that some dogs have to learn to cuddle?
From day one, Lollie Wonderdog was full of love and energy. But she had no idea how to express herself or direct her excitement. Her main forms of expression were a trotting pace around the house or yard, back and forth, back and forth; and a constantly flapping tongue—licking the air, but always pointed in the general direction of your face. Come to think of it, I should post a video of this phenomenon.
A few weeks have passed now, and we have taught Lollie to redirect some of her energy into productive things, like going for walks, solving treat-filled puzzles (kongs, Gatorade bottles, etc), and learning new commands. (Have I mentioned what a fast learner she is? It’s amazing how quickly she picks up new things.) But until a few days ago, she still didn’t know how to express affection.
You can imagine that my heart dissolved into a little puddle of goo the other night when she quietly walked over and plopped her 55 pounds of pure muscle into my lap, and rested her sweet face against my chest. As my hands stroked her still-skinny side and her mystery-scarred face, she slowly closed her eyes, looking oh-so-content.
I swear, this dog could melt anyone’s heart.
Lollie is a girl scout too.
If there is anything in the world cuter than Lolita herself, it’s Lolita hanging out with a girl scout.
The other day, Lollie Wonderdog and I went back to her home base of MCHS to be interviewed by ABC 7 for Tuesday’s 5 o’clock and 6 o’clock news. Well, also at the shelter was a troop of girl scouts who had done a wonderful project for MCHS, baking doggie treats and hand-making rope toys out of denim. These little ladies were cute as can be, and once they heard about Lolita’s sad story, they all wanted to come say hello. As always, Lollie Wonderdog was a perfect gentlelady– planting slimy little kisses on sweet girl scout cheeks and sitting calmly to bask in the affection. In fact, Lollie was so impressed with the girl scouts that she is thinking about joining a troop herself. She thinks she would look great in a green vest and a cute plaid skirt. Girl scout cookies, here we come!
Tune in to tomorrow’s ABC 7 DC news at 5 and 6pm to see Lollie’s major media debut!
Lollie turns out to be a huge media darling, and last week’s wonderful story in the Examiner was just the beginning. This Tuesday night between 5 and 6:30pm, she is going to be on DC’s ABC nightly news! Tune in to see our pretty foster-girl interviewed by the news team and hear her rags-to-riches story.
As if that weren’t enough, she will be featured in a video presentation at tonight’s MCHS Love Ball — the Montgomery County Humane Society’s annual gala.
She’s going to take ’em by storm!
adopt me!
Lolita’s body betrays her past life as a mother. The curve of her back hints at multiple litters, probably one too soon after the last. If our little girl’s background is any indicator, at least some of those puppies have been sold or gifted into sad lives at the hands of irresponsible owners. Some may be abused, some may be bred, some may end up in the shelter. At the shelter, they may be adopted, or they may not be. And the sad cycle continues.
Lollie is no longer a contributor to the pet overpopulation problem, though. This morning her vet initiated the background bloodwork and tests for her spay. If all goes well, she will have surgery next week.
At the risk of preaching to the choir, I feel the need to state the obvious: having a dog “fixed” is good for the dog, good for the owner, and good for society. A sterilized dog is calmer, less aggressive, and less likely to roam than an intact dog. In fixing your dog, you are taking a stand against the senseless death of 3.7 million animals in shelters each year due to overpopulation. If done while they are young, spaying female dogs significantly reduces the risk of various types of cancer, as well as uterine infections. In males, neutering reduces the chances of testicular cancer and other tumors. Having your pet fixed is a total no-brainer.
Through two simple tactics, we can end the pet overpopulation problem. First, if your animal isn’t fixed, go get it fixed. Immediately. Second, adopt your next pet from a shelter or rescue. Our shelters are full of beautiful, gentle, lonely souls looking for love and a second chance. Just look at Lollie.
Love and a Six-Foot Leash 