Deliveries and Dogs

One of our dogs is a most beautiful creature named Lola. We found her at an adoption fair. She was about 1 year old at the time. She was curled up in a tight ball, half-asleep in a small open-top cage. Next to her were her five puppies in a similar cage, with crowds of people hovering over them.

I wanted one of the puppies, of course, but I was drawn to Lola. She lived alone at a shelter in the Bronx. She was barely an adult but was already a mom. Her rib cage was visible through her cinnamon-hued coat and her eyes were big, brown saucers. God knows what her life was like. I wanted to take care of her.

In the two years since, we’ve given Lola a whole new life. We know very little about her experience prior to her adoption, and we often wonder out loud what it might have been like. Occasionaly we get a glimpse.

This morning, for example, I tried walking Lola in the rain. I don’t think I really understood her umbrellaphobia until today. Since I was already dressed for work, I wrapped myself up in a big coat and had to take the umbrella with us. The minute I picked it up, she began to shake and her pace slowed to a near-crawl.

On our walks, Lola is usually the one to walk me — she leads the way and often tugs at the leash for me to go faster. But this morning after we finally managed to get outside, she walked several feet behind me and her eyes darted between me and the umbrella. I felt bad, but I couldn’t get wet.

I walked towards the park and she followed with the retractable leash stretched out to its maximum. Once we made it through the gate, and walked past the black lab and his owner, who we see every morning, I let her off the leash. But she still moped behind me. I walked in a surpentine and she zig-zagged behind me, legs shaking and her head bowed down.

Finally, I gave up. I placed the umbrella on the grass along the path and almost instantly Lola perked up. After a quick shake, she did a little leap and became her old self. She quickly found a spot to pee and led me further down the pathway, curious to see the dog up in the distance.

I was happy that Lola recovered so quickly. But knowing, with more certainty, about her life before us made me feel really sad. The shadows from her past experience appear on occasion, but I hope we can help her outgrow them.