Our sweet, sweet Leizle passed away on Christmas Day. She was the "number one smartest dog around" and was a beloved family member. This is her story.
In November of 1998, I was truly on my own for the first time. I decided that I needed a dog and there would be no changing my mind. I had wanted a Dachshund because my friend had two. They were small and snugly and sweet. I was looking in the paper at pets and came across an ad for "Yappy Hour" - a time to adopt pets at Pets Incorporated, a great no kill animal shelter here in town.
The next night my friend Shannon and I went to Yappy Hour. As we approached the entrance, I saw her through the window. She was a small, light brown, short haired dog with perky ears and a curled up tail. It was love at first sight. We went inside and I went right to her. I didn't want to see any other dogs. I had to have her. I found out that she had six puppies at a foster home that would be there in the morning. My friend and the volunteer at the shelter encouraged me to come back and see the puppies the next day instead. I would have no parts of it. I filled out the paper work and she was mine. I found out during the process that she was listed as a "Doxie" mix and her name was Misty. This was no Misty. She was definitely a Leizle. This was not a traumatic change for her - she didn't really seem to respond to her name anyway. Over time, I decided that the mix must be Chihuahua because of her longer, skinny legs, coloring, curled tail and the way she would shake at times, even if it wasn't cold.
I was so happy to b
ring Leizle home and then all of a sudden it hit me. I never discussed it with my roommate, Jason. It never even phased him though. He immediately fell in love with her too. In fact, Leizle really had that effect on just about everyone she met. Leizle especially had an effect on my parent's dog, Leon. Leon lived with us for about six weeks before we gave him as a Christmas present to my dad. They have visited on weekends dozens of times over the years. He has also vacationed with us a number of times. I have never seen any one love someone as much as Leon loved Leizle.
I really enjoyed getting to know Leizle. She was so sweet. She loved naps and would burrow under the covers any time of year. She was all about some comfort and warmth. I also figured out that she must have been abused at some point. She often would pee when anyone would pet her and for about two months she would never bark. You could tell she wanted to - noises, cats, squirrels - but she would just shake. It didn't take Leizle long to become trusting though. She quickly realized that she was safe with me.
Just after she came home, we went shopping for all of the essentials - dog food, dishes, collars and of course toys. Her first toy was a plush rope monkey. She adored the monkey and could spend hours playing fetch with it. How funny to realize that every toy after that one , whether it was a bear or a bunny, had to be called a monkey. She had learned to "get the monkey" and from then on they were all monkeys.
Over the next ten years, Leizle was a great friend and family member. She never complained, always forgave me for anything I had done wrong and was always so excited to see me. She was very bright. At one point I listed about forty words and phrases that she knew. It was always fun to see her perk up when she was asked if she wanted to get into the car or to see her slink away when asked if she wanted to get in the bath.
Leizle was a good judge of character. When someone she was unsure of was around, her ears would flatten and she would hide behind me. She was usually right. When Leizle met Mark the fact that she warmed right up to him was a good sign. One day, he was sitting on the couch with her and she began to nuzzle his neck. She rubbed her head against him and rolled it back and forth repeatedly. It was the funniest thing. I can still see it and hear Mark giggling in my mind like it was yesterday. This was either Leizle marking her territory or giving her stamp of approval. Either way, I knew then that Mark was a keeper.
Pup Pup joined our family about five years ago. Leizle was never jealous and although they had words here and there, as sisters sometimes do, they loved each other very much. Leizle especially loved Pup Pup's babies. I think she thought of them as hers ans was so gentle and sweet with them. Pup Pup will be lost without her Leizle for a while too.
The next night my friend Shannon and I went to Yappy Hour. As we approached the entrance, I saw her through the window. She was a small, light brown, short haired dog with perky ears and a curled up tail. It was love at first sight. We went inside and I went right to her. I didn't want to see any other dogs. I had to have her. I found out that she had six puppies at a foster home that would be there in the morning. My friend and the volunteer at the shelter encouraged me to come back and see the puppies the next day instead. I would have no parts of it. I filled out the paper work and she was mine. I found out during the process that she was listed as a "Doxie" mix and her name was Misty. This was no Misty. She was definitely a Leizle. This was not a traumatic change for her - she didn't really seem to respond to her name anyway. Over time, I decided that the mix must be Chihuahua because of her longer, skinny legs, coloring, curled tail and the way she would shake at times, even if it wasn't cold.
I was so happy to b
ring Leizle home and then all of a sudden it hit me. I never discussed it with my roommate, Jason. It never even phased him though. He immediately fell in love with her too. In fact, Leizle really had that effect on just about everyone she met. Leizle especially had an effect on my parent's dog, Leon. Leon lived with us for about six weeks before we gave him as a Christmas present to my dad. They have visited on weekends dozens of times over the years. He has also vacationed with us a number of times. I have never seen any one love someone as much as Leon loved Leizle.I really enjoyed getting to know Leizle. She was so sweet. She loved naps and would burrow under the covers any time of year. She was all about some comfort and warmth. I also figured out that she must have been abused at some point. She often would pee when anyone would pet her and for about two months she would never bark. You could tell she wanted to - noises, cats, squirrels - but she would just shake. It didn't take Leizle long to become trusting though. She quickly realized that she was safe with me.
Just after she came home, we went shopping for all of the essentials - dog food, dishes, collars and of course toys. Her first toy was a plush rope monkey. She adored the monkey and could spend hours playing fetch with it. How funny to realize that every toy after that one , whether it was a bear or a bunny, had to be called a monkey. She had learned to "get the monkey" and from then on they were all monkeys.
Over the next ten years, Leizle was a great friend and family member. She never complained, always forgave me for anything I had done wrong and was always so excited to see me. She was very bright. At one point I listed about forty words and phrases that she knew. It was always fun to see her perk up when she was asked if she wanted to get into the car or to see her slink away when asked if she wanted to get in the bath.
Leizle was a good judge of character. When someone she was unsure of was around, her ears would flatten and she would hide behind me. She was usually right. When Leizle met Mark the fact that she warmed right up to him was a good sign. One day, he was sitting on the couch with her and she began to nuzzle his neck. She rubbed her head against him and rolled it back and forth repeatedly. It was the funniest thing. I can still see it and hear Mark giggling in my mind like it was yesterday. This was either Leizle marking her territory or giving her stamp of approval. Either way, I knew then that Mark was a keeper.
Pup Pup joined our family about five years ago. Leizle was never jealous and although they had words here and there, as sisters sometimes do, they loved each other very much. Leizle especially loved Pup Pup's babies. I think she thought of them as hers ans was so gentle and sweet with them. Pup Pup will be lost without her Leizle for a while too.
When Seth came along, Leizle sort of took a back seat. She never complained a
bout that either. She was perfectly content to to sit by my side on the couch as I fed him. As he grew and became more mobile, Leizle demonstrated immeasurable patience with him. She knew when to run and would otherwise take what he had to dish out. Seth adored Leizle. Whether feeding her Cheerios, chasing her about or hugging her neck just a bit too tight, Seth always smiled when he was with her. "I lub Leeah.", he would often, and still does, say.
The past few years, Leizle really began to show her age. November 18th marked our 10 year anniversary and she was between one and three when I adopted her. Her fur was greying, she lost muscle mass, she was slowing down and wanted to snuggle on her terms. She still had some spring in her step though and I thought we had a few good years left with her. We are still in shock and deeply saddened by her passing. Some people may think it is silly to feel this way about a dog but in a way she was my first born. She was definitely a family member. Our home is not the same without her but we take comfort that she is in heaven - with Papa, the angels and Baby Jesus. We look forward to seeing her again some day.
bout that either. She was perfectly content to to sit by my side on the couch as I fed him. As he grew and became more mobile, Leizle demonstrated immeasurable patience with him. She knew when to run and would otherwise take what he had to dish out. Seth adored Leizle. Whether feeding her Cheerios, chasing her about or hugging her neck just a bit too tight, Seth always smiled when he was with her. "I lub Leeah.", he would often, and still does, say.
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