My Louie. He is the first dog that I have personally owned. He is a dachshund mix (I'm not sure what he is mixed with - the animal shelter where he was adopted from couldn't tell me, and my vet wasn't sure). He weighs about 23 lbs. I adopted Louie in December of 2010 from Animal Allies. He was about 4 months old when I adopted him.
Adopting Louie
On a snowy Thursday in December, I stopped by Animal Allies after work "just to browse." I planned to move to an apartment in Minneapolis the following spring, and I wanted a dog to bring with me. My only must-haves were that the dog be a male and smallish in size.
When I walked up to the glass window of a room with some dogs in cages, a little black dog perked its ears up and wagged its tail. It was so adorable! Floppy ears, big brown eyes, and the perfect size. I walked in and read the paper sign on its cage door but it didn't reveal any details about the dog.
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| Photo taken between the bars of the cage Louie was in at the shelter. |
Sensing this cute little dog's desirability, I walk-ran up to the front desk to ask about it. He was a male (yes!), he didn't have a name (yes! No "Fido" to overcome), and he was available for adoption (awesome!). I immediately asked to take him out and meet him. I called my good friend, Amy, and asked if she would come to the shelter and meet this little guy with me. She was free and came to meet me.
We got a playroom and they brought this squirmy, jumpy, excited little pup in to meet us. He was even cuter in person! And hyper! He bounced around the room, running between my friend and I. He was so happy to be out of that cage. The moment I knew he was meant to be mine was when he jumped onto my lap and laid his head in the crook of my arm. Amy commented about how perfect he was for me. We were definitely a match. I told the shelter staff lady who assisted us that I definitely wanted to adopt him. He had just come in from the pound the day before and didn't have a name assigned to him* so I got to name him Louie. And he was mine. <3
*The story was that he was a stray that someone found and brought to the pound...which is total crap. He was in excellent health - a good weight and a shiny coat. It was winter in northern Minnesota, and no small dog like that could ever be a stray, not even for a few minutes outside in that weather! Whoever surrendered him to the pound really missed out on a great dog!
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| All of his accessories, toys, and treats were picked out with the utmost TLC. |
My mother and I went shopping for doggie supplies before I picked him up (he had to be neutered before I got him). We picked out all his accessories and toys with utmost care. We thought long and hard about what to buy. We had discussions in the middle of the dog toy aisle about "whether or not his tiny mouth could pick up that size tennis ball."
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| First night at home. He still had that puppy belly. |
When I drove Louie home from the animal shelter, he didn't make a peep. My mom and I kept gushing about how tiny and cute he was that first night (we were used to the size of our former 90 lb golden retriever). I took Louie around my parents' house and he ended up peeing in the basement. But that was okay, he was a newbie (and who could stay mad at that face?).
Louie lived at my parents' house for about 3 1/2 months. I visited him every night after work, and often fell asleep with him on the floor towards the end of the evening. Despite the fact that my mother was with him all day (she worked from home), he was my dog. He was always ecstatic to see me when I arrived. Louie helped fill the void that I had from the loss of our golden retriever, Petey, the year before.
I was surprised by how much my parents took to him. Especially my dad. He'd talk to Louie and let him sit in his lap, and even play with him. My dad didn't interact too much with our previous dog. My mom did and still does treat Louie like a grandchild. She worries about his well being ("Make sure it's not too cold for him...make sure he's comfortable there...make sure he stays warm enough...."). It's really very sweet. I suppose since I don't have kids, Louie and Dexter are kind of furry grandchildren for them (I heard somewhere that dogs as grandchildren are a popular thing now). I think Lou helped fill their dogless void as well. And I know for sure they think highly of him because he is allowed on the couch.
A great dog
As my vet said, Louie is a great find. He has been pretty healthy (seasonal allergies aside) and has a calm, friendly temperament. Louie rarely barks and is usually pretty chill once he gets over his ten minute excitement of meeting new people. He is puppy pad trained and housebroken, depending on where we are. He doesn't chew unnecessarily and obeys well. He isn't food-obsessed but he will do tricks for treats.
Louie loves to play fetch and catch, but he is also happy to be a lap dog. Except for when my little niece starts plucking at his eyeballs, he is good with children. He is sociable among other dogs, and had a good report from the one day he attended doggie daycare.
I really couldn't have asked for a better dog and am looking forward to years and years of fun with him, because as Amy said: "Dachshunds don't die." <3
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| His favorite spot at my old apartment was at the window overlooking the alley. |
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| Romping around in the back yard at my parents' house. Louie loves being off the leash. |
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| Loving that window seat at the old apartment. |
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| Louie on his first birthday. He was so excited to wear his party hat. |
Louie Facts
First Name: Louie is named after my paternal grandfather, Louis. When I knew I would get another dog for sure, I brainstormed dog names for days. I suddenly thought of my grandpa, and the name "Louie" seemed just right. I also asked my family members if it was okay to apply our grandpa's name to my future dog. They were cool with it.
Middle Name: Bartholomew (sounds even cooler in Italian: Bartolomeo)
Nick Names: Lou, Loosh, Ooshie, Loubie, Loushka, Loushkie Bits, Shkie Bits, Boob, Boobaloo, Louis Boobaloo, Bert, Lart, Cutie Boy, Goober, Booberteedo, Booberteeds...really, he only gets called "Louie" when he's in trouble (:
Favorite Foods: peanut butter, soy beans, green beans
Favorite Activities: walking/running, playing fetch, playing catch, sleeping in sun spots
Favorite Toy: Nyla bone
Vice(s): if left alone in the presence of his own poop, he will eat it
Hates: wearing clothing/costumes/harnesses
Loves: licking peanut butter out of the kong toy
Funny: he has been known to fart and then look around confused, as if to think: "Who did that?"
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| Obligatory festive autumn posed photo. |
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| Goober. <3 |
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