LULU
Lulu (ADOPTED!) is an adorably lovable young lady, who is approximately 2 years old and weighs 36 lbs. She is friendly, but initially cautious when first meeting new people and other dogs. It takes her a few short minutes of observation, and once she knows that a person is friendly, she warms up very quickly. She is the same when meeting new dogs. Once she knows they are ok, she becomes playful with them, and when she feels fully comfortable, she will romp and run with abandon. For a young cattle dog, Lulu seems to have moderate energy. This means she still needs approximately 40 minutes of active exercise, twice each day. This could mean playing hard and running with other dogs, or going on a jog or hike with her person.
Our girl was found as a stray, which may be some of the reason she is initially watchful in new situations, and startles easily. Lulu is incredibly observant and intelligent. Her ability to assess and make decisions about new people and animals within a few minutes is quite amazing. She wants to make friends with everyone, and once she accepts you, Lulu is soft and sweet, gazing into your eyes or crawling into your lap if she can. At the vet’s office, she was initially apprehensive, until the vet sat on the floor and spoke gently to her. She crawled into the vet’s lap, and as we chatted for several minutes, we heard Lulu softly snoring. As with nearly all cattle dogs, Lulu likes to follow her people around, and very much wants to be part of a loving family. She loves to cuddle up with people, and to give cattle dog hugs. We have not yet seen her with small children or cats. She is great with adolescent children.
Once she is comfortable, Lulu is fairly confident. She is neither submissive or dominant, but seems to change her demeanor according to what she decides is happening at the moment. As a young dog, Lulu still needs guidance. Because she very much wants to please and do the right thing, she is very easy to work with. Lulu is just learning to play with toys, as well as the concept of sharing with other dogs. She tends to want to hog, rather than share a toy, or her chosen person. When her foster supervises and shows Lulu how to play tug with another dog, she tugs as directed, and seems to understand. The next time, when allowed to play freely, Lulu will forget about tugging and just wrinkle her nose at the other dog to tell him to surrender the toy to her. If a human intercedes, Lulu will stop immediately and look apologetic. Her foster is also teaching her the concept of sharing affection from humans, and not hogging her person when other dogs approach for a pet, too. As a super quick learner, in just a few short days, she is beginning to embrace this new way of doing things together.
Lulu rarely barks. She did let out one sharp warning bark and was super alert, when her foster dad entered the house wearing a hat and sunglasses, and she didn’t recognize him. She relaxed immediately, when he began speaking to her and removed these items.
Lulu walks nicely on leash, rides quietly in the back seat or in a crate in the car, and she is completely housebroken. She will sleep through the night in a crate, although she would prefer sleeping with her people.
If Lulu doesn’t get enough physical exercise or mental stimulation, she may engage in a bit of mischief, just for something to do. She may pick up random items and carry them to other parts of the house, or nibble the corners off of chewable household items. She is still young and learning. We believe that Lulu had been left to her own devices before, and no one has worked with her. She figures things out so quickly, that we believe with consistent supervision and guidance, Lulu will be a perfect dog in a very short time.
If you are interested in meeting Lulu, please begin our pre-adoption approval process by completing our online adoption form, at http://hittgv.org/index.php/adopt. If you have specific questions, email us at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or call (707) 583-9583.