Stealth Fur and Nose Art

This old girl has dried my tears, and caused a few too. She was there for the worst expereinces of my life, and the best. She gave me strngth when I thought I'd falter, and reminded me that I was worthy of love, even when I couldn't see it myself. She's been a part of my life longer than I've had my kids, and nearly as long as I've been married.

Craigslist Find

Shortly after my wedding in 2009, my now ex-husband and I moved into a duplex with a beautiful back yard. I'd never in my life lived without a dog, and that sense of security and companionship was missing. He worked nights, and I was a full time college student.

We decided that adding a young dog to our family would ease my anxiety and loneliness, and bring a little more love into our home. We searched and searched, looking at shelters and newspaper ads to find the perfect dog. We knew that we wanted a rescue mixbreed, and we knew that our new addition needed to be a medium sized dog.

We'd nearly given up and settled on waiting until a pup from my mom's litter was old enough to bring home. As a last ditch effort, I searched once more on craigslist, and found a darling pup up for adoption from a family that said they "couldn't afford another mouth to feed" and were "expecting a third child".

Under Nourished and Scared of Her Own Shadow

I'm not sure the full details of how she was kept before we took her home, however, I couldn't leave her there. She was docile, and scared of every little sound. Her fur was rough, and her scalp dry and itchy. She wouldn't eat if you stood in the same room, and flnched every time you moved quickly, or picked up a magazine or newspaper.

She never once got nippy or agressive around food. When we emailed the previous owners to get more information, they told us that she really only ate when the kids dropped food, or she found something to munch on outside while she was tied out for bathroom breaks. Further, they informed us that she was "up-to-date" on vacines and had been spayed.

Lies and Neglect

Within a few weeks of moving into her new home, she started to warm up to us, and get comfortable. She had a healthy appetite, so long as you didn't stand near her while she ate. She'd clean just about anything off the floor that dropped, and tended to nibble snacks off of low laying plates.

Lola was a bit over a year and a half when we got her, and we shortly discovered that every piece of medical information we'd been given had been false. Withing the first month of her making herself comfortable, she became very ill.

She couldn't eat, couldn't drink, lacked the strength to make it outside for the bathroom, and failed to respond to basic attempts to get her healthy. We rushed her to the vet, and discovered she hadn't given any of her puppy shots.

Parvo and Medication

She had developed a bad case of Parvo, one of the first illnesses most dogs are treated to prevent. Because of her previous abuse, we were unable to get her to take her medications. We were trying to save her life, and she was terrified to take the medications available.

Apparently, most of a dose is better than nothing at all, because we were able to open the tablets and pour the powder down her mouth. In a week or so, she regained her strength and began to recover.

Natural Emotional Support Animal

It would turn out that Lola had a natural knack for sensing emotional tension and helping her people. She helped me through countless nights alone with anxiety and PTSD terrors.

She sat by my side through late-night study sessions, and soothed my fear and exhaustion as I worked through it all while my husband worked. She comforted me and reminded me to eat and take care of myself after my sister's death.

She began to notice symptoms leading up to my debilitating migraines, and ould alert me in time to take preventative medicines. At no point was she trained formally to take on this role, and yet, she was a fantastic service animal.

Becoming an Older Sister

In 2012, we welcomed our first child. She stood by my side through the entire pregnancy. When we brought the baby home from the hospital, she snuffled in his car seat and then laid her head on his lap watching over him peacefully.

She was ever patient with him as he grew and toddled about, and remained calm and loving when we welcomed another baby boy. She grew with them and loved them all the while, bearing with struggles and trauma that came in our lives.

Years After

As she aged, she continued to show the greatest level of patience I've ever encountered in a dog, but she was growing old. She never or hurt anyone, but shes become overwhelmed between us, and the kids, and our roommates. She would hide away in the bedroom, and sleep through most of the day.

She was trying to be the perfect emotional support animal to all of her people and was exhausted. With her health failing, and her age showing, and the family on rocky ground, a good friend of our family agreed to foster her while we settled some housing and household issues.

In her time she has lived with our friend, they've both benefited from the other's friendship. It has been decided by all parties, that Lola will live out her retirement with our friend. They walk to the beach nearly every day where she can enjoy the scent of the ocean in her face and watch the people and beach chickens fly around.

Visits and Playdates

Whenever our friend comes to town to visit or to see one of her medical specialists, she brings Lola for a visit. She was in attendance at my 2nd wedding, and has come to visit us for long walks and socialization with her boys.

I miss finding her stealth fur everywhere, including freshly cleaned laundry. I miss her nose art on my car windows, and patio door. I miss her farting in her sleep and falling off the bed. But I'm glad that she is happy and healthy in her new home, and gets to visit.