Kira

Kira and her human, Paula, from Carver Lake Vet Center

AKA: Miss K

Kira needed some alone time. She ambled over the threshold and into the front porch. After turning only one circle in her large, brown bed that covered nearly half of the room’s floor, she unfolded her 80 pound body and laid her head over the edge. Here she could see, smell, and hear all that was going on. After all, she was the canine matriarch of the family, so securing a prominent location in her home was of paramount importance to her.

            As she closed her eyes, a small, stuffed, pink, flying pig suddenly bounced off her black and white snout. In a New York minute, the “new kid” galloped into the porch after it, brushing Kira’s face with her tail and grabbing the prize from the warm bed. Tilly ran into the living room where her new human, Paula, was waiting.

            “Good girl, Tilly,” cooed Paula as she scratched Tilly’s ears. At 25 pounds, Paula’s best guess is that Tilly is a mix of Dachshund and perhaps Bulldog. It is the long snout and wide hips that provide clues. Although her ability to jump straight UP was entertaining, Tilly would have to earn Kira’s affection.

            Kira again closed her eyes and hoped that it was the last time that little oinker landed near her. She didn’t much care for this new family member. But it was what Paula did: welcome other dogs to live with them for a week or two. Paula fosters animals that are in the process of being adopted, so Kira had learned to roll with the Kong toys when it came to additional four legged mouths dashing about. She wondered if this hyper-active pup would ever settle down. She also wondered if she, too, had been that animated when she was only a year old.

Tilly loves Paula

            Kira didn’t want to remember much of her life before she found her forever home. Her human, Paula, had an unwritten rule that she would not adopt small dogs or Labs. After she lost her Papillon, Buttons, Paula knew she could not adopt another small canine. And Labs are, well…active. Very cautiously, Paula did agree in February 2014, to foster Kira, a Lab/mix, for a weekend until her forever home was available.

            Oops.  That didn’t turn out the way Paula expected.

            Kira, or “Miss K,” as Paula likes to call her, was a joy. She had an even temper and endearing personality. Paula suspects that Kira was kept in a kennel for the first years of her life. She doesn’t play much. In fact, Kira is so mellow that Paula calls her Tilly’s Emotional Support Dog. It’s a quality one would want in a canine matriarch. Paula’s special pledge to herself (No Labs, No small dogs) had begun to crack.

Then it happened: the cabin.

Perhaps it was the unfamiliar, delicious smells of the lake.  Perhaps it was the cool wind blowing her ears back. Perhaps it was the limitless horizon of trees and water. Whatever it was, Kira loved it. As soon as they arrived at their cabin, Kira bounced out of the car and directed her nose to the ground. She followed it this way, then that way. Then she stuck it up in the air so she would absorb every last iota of fun on this beach front.

Kira on the lake - her Happy Place

As the humans unpacked the car, Kira stayed close but was delighted she could wander – a little bit. She was brave, but not stupid. She knew to stay close to her humans. And when they all trotted down to the lake front, Kira was in tow. As she reached the gentle lapping edge of this aromatic fresh lake, Kira backed away. No can do, she thought. Paula was confused. She thought for sure Kira would relish an opportunity to swim. Since Kira wasn’t interested in being IN the water, perhaps she would enjoy being ON the water. And with a bit of encouragement, Kira leapt on to the boat. After a brief but efficient survey of this curious contraption, Kira laid down on a soft pillow where the sun got her and the water didn’t. Hours would pass and Kira was perhaps, just maybe, even happier than sniffin’ in the woods.

The lake: Kira’s Happy Place. Kira found her forever home in her foster mom’s arms, and Paula adjusted her opinion of how Labrador Retrievers behave. Kira had Paula at “I’m a mellow Lab!

Ferdinand

Indeed, Paula’s commitment to pets goes beyond her work as a technician at Carver Lake Veterinary Center; she simply loves dogs. And cats. It began after Hurricane Katrina devastated much of New Orleans and pets were being shipped to shelters around the country. Paula knew she had to participate; she would foster any dog that she could – provided she had the space in her home. Years later, when a little jumping bean named Matilda Joy Sunshine, landed in Paula’s home, she found herself about to break her other rule: No Labs and No Small Dogs.

Matilda Joy Sunshine wasn’t small, small, but compared to Kira and a number of other canine couch surfers, she was on the petite side. But what she lacked in size, she makes up in energy. She can jump vertically. High.

So. Much. Energy.

Once Paula stopped laughing at Tilly, who provided non-stop comic relief, she knew Tilly had found her forever home.

Tilly loves Kira

When Tilly skipped into the porch a second time with her pink stuffed flying pig and dropped in front of Kira, everything stopped. Tilly waited for Kira to pick up the toy and throw it. Tilly waited. Kira quietly snorted. Tilly pawed at her new toy. Kira lifted her head slightly and Tilly dove in to steal the toy. Off she went.         

When she was bored with her pig, Tilly could always have fun chasing the cats. The feline patriarch, Ferdinand, “ain’t afraid of no stikin dog” is a striking tabby colored cat and was in this home long before Tilly got there (he’s 17 human years, after all). Ferdinand would show this crazy canine who was boss. When Tilly charges at Ferdinand, he will WHACK! her with his paw. Sometimes Tilly gets the message. Sometimes she isn’t bothered and retreats to play with Amigo, or Gogo, as Paula calls him, the other stunning, black feline in the house. Gogo thinks Tilly is big fun and will run and chase and hide and leap and run and chase. Gogo is so confident in himself that he will allow Tilly to hold his head in her mouth. Seriously, in her mouth!

Ferdinand and Gogo

Kira observed the circus and re-arranged herself in her bed. She was pleased to know that the high octane Tilly had found somewhere else to play. She dreamed of the smells of the lake and the warm sun showering on her as she lay in the boat on the water.  All is well.