[Dailydrool] Greetings from Maryland

[Sherrilyn - via Dailydrool]

We've been lurking for quite a while, so perhaps it's time to reintroduce ourselves. I used to post more often in the "olden days" when the OEBEs were running wild. The late great Panama Jacques was an international hound of mystery and accompanied me to assignments in Panama and Colombia.

Isabella is a Daphneyland alumna who was fostered by Auntie Suz Green when she lived in San Antonio. She took in Isabella at the same time as when she adopted her Holly Noelle and kept my girl until I picked her up on my way to Mexico in 2009. It doesn't seem like that long ago, but sitting here and doing the math, I guess it was almost 8 years ago, which would make Isabella nearly 10! I still think of her as much younger.

About 6 months after arriving in Mexico, my vet there contacted me about a basset at her practice who was looking for a new home. After giving it much thought, I adopted Lola, who had lived in 3 homes in under 2 years. It soon became apparent why Lola had been bounced around--she was very willful and out of control, and the beatings she apparently had received only made her more aggressive. She bit my housekeeper and me more times than I can recall, and if it hadn't been for the knowledge that I acquired from 8 years of reading the Daily Drool, I don't think either of us would have survived that first year together. It also helped that Lola was prescribed puppy Prozac and that we had the top animal behaviorist from the university working with her twice a week for months.

Lola is very smart. Too smart for her own good, and she's always figuring out new ways to get into trouble. She has calmed down a lot in the past 7 years and feels pretty secure as part of our pack, but she's still a stinker. Just when I get complacent, she comes up with a new way to get into trouble. I always used to say that Isabella was the pretty one and Lola was the smart one. Isabella is sweet as could be but dumb as a box of rocks. She would never dream of getting into the things that Lola gets into; nonetheless, she's happy to go along once Lola shows her the way. They have committed many acts of destruction over the years and ruined many irreplaceable belongings, much to my chagrin.

After we moved back to the States, I took the girls to the Michigan Waddle. I think it was in 2012. I decided to have a little fun and signed up for a session with the pet psychic. Lola and I were having our reading and I was playing along with the comments, which I thought were fairly applicable to most dogs. But then the psychic paused and said, "Lola wants to know if you think she's pretty." Well, my jaw dropped and I'm sure I looked completely shocked as I recalled all the times I'd said that Isabella was the pretty one and Lola was the smart one. Ever since then, I make sure to tell Lola that she's smart AND pretty. I think after that she started to settle down and be a little (just a little) less destructive and aggressive. Still, you don't want to try to take food away from her unless you have lightning-fast reflexes. I guess the kennel where I board the girls when I travel has either taken my word for it or found out on their own, because Lola is flagged in their system. So I had to laugh this week when I got an automated note from them to confirm a reservation for Lola -Food Aggressive! and Isabella for their upcoming stay.

Sherrilyn
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