And this is her. She is from a shelter in rural Virginia. Doesn’t she look like she just stepped off the set of “Deliverance?” And yet she’s a big silly doofus. We named her Dolly because it’s just such a ridiculously appropriate name for the goofball. She is respectful of my cats to an almost humiliating degree; she literally bows down to them when they walk by. Even they seem embarrassed for her. They tell me she is six, but I think she’s younger given the goofy puppy behaviour she’s been exhibiting in the three days since we’ve had her.
To whit:
1. She has totally ripped through a brand-new box of Tampax, apparently just for entertainment purposes, and strewn them all over the house.
2. She has huge feet that she trips over.
3. When you take her for a walk and you want to go in the opposite direction from where she wants to go, she just lies down on the pavement and rolls over on her back.
4. Ditto when she runs into kids. She melts into the pavement in bliss.
5. She is a hog who is obsessed with food. Tonight I caught her practically inside the dishwasher licking plates and utensils. I have also twice caught her on her hind legs trying to get stuff off the counter. She succeeded once and had a bag of coffee in her jaws that I pried out.
In short, she is a funny hound dog who makes us laugh. Even the cats seem amused by her, and they’ve never been around a dog. Dolly just gives up a big mellow goof vibe, despite what sounds like a hard life — heartworm infection, a hunter who mistreated her, a burn mark on her side, a miserable rural life. She’s living on Easy Street now.
October 6, 2009 at 9:39 pm
This story is very tender and wonderful. I love Dolly!
But still, if you decide you’d like to trade her for our dogs, I’m sure we can work something out. (Two for onesie!)
October 7, 2009 at 10:10 am
I’m first in line for Conor!!!
October 7, 2009 at 12:13 am
You’re going to have to fight me for her, Skinneh.
October 7, 2009 at 3:16 am
It’s great that the cats like her. Sounds like a comfy household.
Now can someone tell me how to break my cat of his new habit of flopping down and dozing between my keyboard and screen? Tony, I love you, but…
October 7, 2009 at 5:56 am
S: God, my female cat does that too. You just have to keep removing them until they get tired of trying.
October 8, 2009 at 3:12 pm
Well, it’s been a year…
October 7, 2009 at 8:23 am
Such a sweet post! Watch out for the food stealing, though. My parents had a (very large) Dalmation who had to have surgery because he got into the trash and tried to eat a corn cob! The cob plugged up the “exit” from his stomach like a cork! He also could spot a donut box from fifty paces and would reach across the counter to pull it towards him and push the top up with his nose. And then there was the time he ate a whole bag of apples that was on the porch….
October 7, 2009 at 9:33 am
she’s a peach!! I love her!!
October 7, 2009 at 10:09 am
Awwww, a Black and Tan!! That’s a very nice hound. I’m so glad she has a new home and a loving family… :)
October 7, 2009 at 10:13 am
Aw, cute pup!
“Tonight I caught her practically inside the dishwasher licking plates and utensils.”
My parents’ black lab does that. She cannot bear to see anything with a speck of food taken away.
October 7, 2009 at 10:17 am
Your dog has boobs!
October 7, 2009 at 1:20 pm
Hello, Dolly!
October 8, 2009 at 8:41 pm
She’s got jugs and she likes to flaunt them!
October 7, 2009 at 12:13 pm
Aw, touching story… I’m welling up here.
October 7, 2009 at 6:54 pm
Better a brand new box of Tampax than the alternative, I say.
I love her. I love you. The two of you together? Perfection. The only way I could be happier would be for Dolly to be MY puppy.
October 8, 2009 at 1:38 pm
So adorable! I want a doggie!
October 9, 2009 at 1:19 pm
Aww, she is a doll! Look at her sweet little face!
October 9, 2009 at 4:48 pm
She is also a hilarious goofball hound, she really is. I had forgotten how funny hounds are. My aunt always fostered foxhounds when I was growing up and I truly had forgotten how much goofy, lazy, ridiculous personality they have. She is a scream.