Pets and Peeps: Sealed With A Lick

The People: Cindy Powell of Decatur.

Pet's name, nickname, age and breed: I had a name in mind. It was Tupelo Honey after the Van Morrison song.  But when my fur child picked me and I brought her home, she just didn’t look like a Tupelo.  So I started at the top of  the alphabet and went through names until I got to “L” and it hit me, she looks like a Lolly!  More so as in “Lolly Lolly Lolly get your Adverbs here” from the “Schoolhouse Rock!” segment I used to watch on Saturday mornings as a kid.  Her name has since evolved into Lollykins, LaLa, LP and her country name Snuffa Jean.  She is an 8-year-old lab/shepherd mix.

How I met my pet:  I first met Lolly in Rocky Face, Ga., with my parents who live in Dalton.  My dad is a housepainter, and his painting partner’s dog, a full-blooded chocolate lab, had a litter of puppies sired by Mr. MUTT, aka one of three mystery dogs who hopped the pen when the parents were away. I drove to meet my folks and go meet the two remaining puppies.  I said to myself the first puppy to give me a kiss would be mine.  My mom and I took turns holding the pups and I noticed when my mom held one, it would wiggle and smoother my mom with kisses.  And the one I was holding just dangled listlessly in my hands staring all around but not at me!  Each time we traded pups, the pup my mom held went nuts with affection towards her. Finally I said, OK, the first one of you to give me a kiss is mine.  And with reluctance and I'm not totally sure was even a kiss but more her sticking her tongue out at me, Lolly managed to reach my nose and the rest is history, or herstory.

I love it when my pet does this: She loves to bring me one of her toys to show me when I get home.  Not to grab and toss for her, but just for me to acknowledge how pretty her toy is. 

I wish my pet would stop doing this: Eating my friend Becky’s cat Oliver’s cat poo.  It’s like she’s a pig in a truffle patch!

What my pet eats: Besides cat poo, she loves her Oijen fish formula dog food, especially with chicken broth on it, and she loves her bully sticks which by the way smell atrocious!  So anything stinky she loves!  She has a canine refined palette. 

What people say about my pet: That she’s shiny and sweet!  And No Jump! 

Most exciting moment with my pet: Going to St. George Island and playing fetch in the ocean.  She can swim out past the breaking waves to get her tennis ball, and she body surfs back in, it’s the most amazing thing to see!  My friend Terry calls her Lifeguard dog after witnessing this event.

How my pet has enriched my life: She makes my “house a home” although I live in a condo -- same difference. 

If my pet could talk she would say: “I’m pretty!  I don’t know what that means but mommy says it to me all the time, so it must be a part of my name.” A close second would be, “Did you feed me? I don’t think you fed me.”

Patch would like to know about your dog, cat, snake, lizard, monkey, llama -- whatever kind of pet you have. If you're interested in being profiled in Pets and Peeps, email Ralph.Ellis@Patch.com.

You can also read other Decatur Patch pet stories at the Pets Topic Page.