Gab, Bec and a little Lucy Lou

I am fortunate, both of our daughters have grown up with an appreciation of the critters that we share the Earth with.  They are not fanatical tree huggers; but instead have grown to respect living creatures.  Recently, each of them has done something that I do not know if I would have done, but each speaks to their character, values and ability to make choices.

Rebecca has long been a fan of all animals.  For years, she has pretty much avoided posting on Facebook, which, as a parent, I am glad that she does not have a need to share every activity with the world.  About a year ago, she started to share animal-friendly pictures and video clips.  I am not talking about simple cute and cuddly furry animals, but animal survival, celebrating their freedoms, and respectful of them in their habitats.  She has a good conscious when it comes to this.  She recently become the vice president of the Students for the Ethical Treatment of Animal club at her school (Go Bec!) and decided to become a vegetarian based on the treatment of animals slaughtered for food.  From my point of view, the meat has always appeared magically on the plate and I do not ask any questions.  I applaud her thinking to come to her conclusions to do her part.

Gabrielle, on the other hand, while she likes all critters, generally will run the other way when it comes to insects, large wild animals and the tiniest of snakes.  Last week, while driving to her student teaching position, she came across an animal in the street walking in odd circles.  As she slowly pulled closer, she saw that it was a skunk with something on its head.  She pulled over and waited for the cars behind to pass.  As she sat and watched, she realized that the skunk was in a distressed state and in danger of being hit by a car.  She took action – Gab got out of the car, walked up to the skunk, reached out, removed a yogurt cup (Go Gab!) from the skunks head, and quickly backed away.  The skunk, in a state of confusion, ran under Gab’s car, then after a few minutes, composed itself and trotted off.  I applaud her quick thinking to save a creature most of us would run from.

How were we able to raise such conscientious children?  I think that this is what I can refer to as the Lucy Lou effect.  We adopted Lucy Lou six years ago, when she was a scraggly, longhaired rescue dog.  The girls understood that they were responsible for caring, feeding and walking her.  There was love in the air, as Gab and Bec spent hours sitting, petting and tending to Lucy Lou, learning what it takes to care for and live with a four-legged friend.  Caring, minding others and learning what it means to become responsible not only for themselves, but for another has transpired.  Okay, I did not do this deep thinking and analysis beforehand, but am glad it happened, glad the Lucy Lou effect occurred and glad to see the positive impact (butterfly effect) on our children.

A Tail of Two Dogs

Five years ago, there was a change in the Zeiler household with the addition of a new family member – Lucy Lou.  We adopted Lucy Lou after three years of not having a dog.  She was perfect for our family.  She was estimated to be two years old, house broken and well mannered.  We all fell in love with her.  While she brought positive energy to our family, Bec (who took the loss of our previous dog very hard) really fell in love, and made sure each day included Lucy-time.  When the girls are away at school, Debbie and I send semi-daily photos.  Running daily errands, she happily went with Debbie for a ride.  She has even made it to TV!  The cool thing about her, her demeanor, her attitude, was that when you took her for a walk around the neighborhood, everyone knows her.  Walking at the park always garnered compliments.  She has even been to visit Gab at college, to the delight of Gab and her friends.  Everyone knows Lucy Lou (she has been a featured topic for me as well).

And then came Sadie…Sadie is my mother-in-law’s dog.  She was adopted as a puppy and came with  The girls quickly started referring to her as “Sadie, Sadie, Crazy Lady.”  For my mother-in-law, she fit the bill, as she became her constant companion.  As the perfect lapdog, Sadie would sit on her lap while watching TV and sleep in the bed with her.  Lucy Lou and Sadie got along great together and were inseparable.  They would play together and hang out together, always happy for that play date.  When it was time for Sadie to go home, like the little child that cries about not wanting to leave, she would not let my mother-in-law put her leash on.

all of the energy of a dog her age.

Last December, that all changed…When my Debbie’s mother got sick, Sadie stayed with us.  We hoped this would be a temporary situation.  As things have turned out, she is here to stay.  At first, it was like living with Ricochet Rabbit – always in motion, always looking for attention, always in your face.  Sadie does not have the same cuteness factor as Lucy Lou.  One of the girls told the story where they were out and someone saw Lucy and comment on how beautiful she is.  And then, Sadie’s head popped into the picture and the lady said, “and then there’s you.” 

Like humans, the dogs have distinct personalities.  Sadie is the hyperactive child that constantly needs attention.  Because of this, when you move, she comes running over thinking that it is time to play, or when you give attention to Lucy Lou, she inserts herself in front so that she gets petted.  Lucy Lou, on the other hand, is more laid back.  She will sit there looking at you, waiting for you to acknowledge her before she comes over for attention.  When she is done, she walks away.  They do have one common thread – they are both rescue dogs that have been “adopted.”  You never know what baggage they will bring into the relationship.  With Lucy Lou, her background seemed a bit sketchy, but she ended up being a perfect fit for our family.  We, in essence, are Sadie’s second family.  As I am writing this, I have noticed that she has begun to become a part of our family and starting to meld into our routines.  She is still quirky, but, heck, who isn’t.

Two Tired Best Dog Friends

Lucy Lou

Eight years ago, our daughters watched in horror as our four year old Alaskan Malamute, Oreo, was hit by a car.  Gab was in shock, Bec cried for days and Debbie refused to drive by that spot for years.  I was ready to get a new dog right away.  I am not sure why, but maybe because I grew up with two dogs (a Norwegian Elkhound, Holly, and a German Shepherd, Tippy).  Bec looked up at me and asked through her tearstained faced, “How could you have another dog after going through this before?”  It broke my heart, as Oreo was very much a part of our family.  When we first decided to get a dog, we researched options as a family, visiting pet shops and breeders.  Part of the deal in getting a dog was that the girls had to be responsible to take care of the dog, otherwise it would end up being my pet.  The girls agreed, and did take care of Oreo, and Oreo was a constant companion to Debbie in both the house and when they went out.

The Pros and Cons of Dog Ownership:

• Pro – teaches responsibility for our children (they must commit to helping)
• Con – having a dog takes up your free time
• Pro – unconditional love
• Con – they are dependent on you
• Pro – they greet you at the door when you come home long after your children stop doing so
• Con – you cannot just go away for a weekend, until you find a someone / a place to watch your dog
• Pro – they are by your side through the good time and the bad times
• Pro – they make you feel good
• Pro / Con – you become emotionally invested in your dog

Five years ago, my Mother-in-law had a Pug, Irving, and was at the doggie park when she met a woman that fostered dogs.  At that point, I had already started looking to adopt a dog and was looking online (petfinder.com) every few days.  The rest of my family was also beginning to feel that it was time to have a new dog.  My mother-in-law called that a foster mom had a cute dog with her and we should come and meet them.  We went and met the dog – a mutt.  This dog had been abandoned and abused before being found in a muddy pen in the south and brought north to find a forever family.  We fell in love with this cute, funny and happy looking dog.  After filling out some paperwork, there was a home visit / interview to make sure there really was a match.  Lucy Lou came to our home for a visit and has stayed here ever since then.  That was five years ago this upcoming week, a great addition to the family, and, in the words of Gab and Bec, “she is perfect!”