BIG DOG vs. little dog

Big dog: Lulu
Obtained from a home in San Jon, N.M., as a puppy where she was mushed in a corner behind a wooden gate in a house that smelled like dog piss and had been living on raw hamburger and rice.

Little dog: Gretchen
Obtained from the animal shelter in Gold Beach, Ore., as an adult where she was hanging out on a computer desk chair and had been living on mushy canned dog food. She was also newly groomed – complete with frufru pink bow in her hair – a massive improvement as the past owner brought her in with dreadlocks gnarled past her paws.

Physical anomalies

Lulu: A Rottweiler/Akita mix (a.k.a. Rakita) she went from hiding under the couch to half the size of the couch in about three months. Her right ear flopped endlessly inside out and she was susceptible to eye jam.

Gretchen: Some kind of Lhasa Apso mix? she weighs about seven pounds wet although she has thus far refused to go out in the rain. Missing two front teeth which makes her constantly stick her tongue out.

Interaction with people

Lulu: Acted as if every person encountered was her long lost cousin, enjoyed knocking down coworkers when she came to the office.

Gretchen: Barked at neighbor noise upstairs, growled at a friendly guy dog trying to meet her in a pet store.

Interaction with furniture

Lulu: Lethal to a leather pillow that emitted foam enough to break a vacuum, knocked over coffee table by just wagging tail.

Gretchen: Fond of curling up on couch cushions, insists upon a pillow in the car, as long as it doesn’t slide off the seat like it did with that sharp right turn.

Interaction with nature

Lulu: Enjoyed eating coyote poop, digging holes big enough for a grown man to escape beneath fences, chasing goats to the point of half-eating one’s leg, yanked on goat tails so they brayed like a pull-string toy, likes to lead fellow dog Scratch around by his collar, scared of donkeys down the lane and her own reflection in the mirror.

Gretchen: Laid back until she hits the beach. A romp near the Pacific proved she can run as fast as a bicycle and she’s enamored with analyzing driftwood. Also went body surfing in the sand, where she dragged her back two legs for several miles (or at least 10 feet). But then she also body surfs on carpet.

Diet

Lulu: Easily downed 1/2 bag of dry food jazzed up with egg, microwaved chicken parts, hambones, chicken bones, goat feed, grits, peanut butter jars and the aforementioned leather pillow. Went through a 40-pound bag of anything in about two weeks.

Gretchen: recommended daily 1/2 cup of dry food softened by warm water to accommodate lack of two front teeth. Seems to like cheese and grits bowl lickings.

Motto

Lulu: The world is my chew toy.

Gretchen: When I curl up in a ball, the world curls with me.