I am happy to announce that Ville and I have a new addition to our family! Her name is Lilli and she is a 3-year-old French Bulldog. It has been a pleasure to have a dog around the house again, but it makes me miss my precious dog at home in the States, CC. If you have ever met CC, you would know why she's easy to miss. CC embodies everything that a dog should be. Loyal, obedient, loving, and RELAXED. Plus, she has such incredible eye-contact that you can almost understand what she's thinking just by looking at her. Lilli gives a certain eye-contact too...but it's mostly to let you know that she is about to go absolutely bat-shit crazy and there is nothing you can do about it.
On a typical day, Lilli spends most of her time lying on her back with her legs in the air on Ville and I's couch. Whereas most dogs would excitedly greet their owners upon their arrival at the door, Lilli continues to sleep on the couch, seemingly somewhat annoyed about our reappearance. But on the most special of days, she makes it apparent that she has been thinking about us in our absence by scattering various personal items around the living room. Lilli particularly likes Ville's socks, my bras, and both of our shoes. She never ruins our things, but we believe that she just likes to carry them around for a little while...perhaps, shake her head with the item in her mouth to feel some sort of vindication for being left alone.
The apartment that Ville and I share is on the second floor (therefore, no backyard) so new to our routine are the several daily walks we take Lilli on. CC walks evenly, never pulling too hard on the leash but Lilli....not so much. From the first step out the door, Lilli pauses to let me pass her until the leash is practically taut on her neck dragging her forward. She then takes that opportunity to sprint forward until the leash forces her to halt. Then she pauses again to let me pass her and then sprints forward again. Lilli possess an unnatural fear of bikes and cars. As much as I want to, I could not even begin to describe the noise that escapes from her throat whenever something with wheels nears her on the sidewalk. One evening, Ville and I spent a ridiculous amount of time riding a bike towards/away from her just to hear it again and again. But seriously not funny is her reaction to a nearby car. Lilli slows her walking speed, lowers herself into a pounce-like position, and literally throws herself into oncoming traffic like a small, brindle, kamikaze. I mean, does she not even CONSIDER the detriment of a faulty collar? Or a slip of the leather leash on my unsuspecting, mittened, hand? Anyway. I think we need to call Cesar Milan for an intervention on that one.
In a way, Lilli kind of reminds me of my ex-roommate's chihuahua...who had no concept of personal space. Now, I understand the Chihuahua's need to be clingy...because simply, it was easier to stay warmer when attached to a warm body (whether it be person, another dog, in the bathroom with the shower running, actually IN the shower, burrowed under the covers during nap time, etc.) and honestly, I loved that damn Chihuahua's helplessness. But when Lilli sashays into my lap I know she has one of two motives 1) to wipe her shit covered ass on my shirt (a severe downfall to owning a dog with no tail--ya gotta wipe it) or 2) because she is about to suffer from a night terror (barking without taking a breath for approximately 20 minutes while you chase her around the apartment begging her to stop) neither of which is particularly endearing. But the good news is that though Lilli is a small dog she has only suffered one "accident" over the past 3 weeks of living with us. The accident, which I am rather proud of, occurred in our shower. Of all the nice rugs and pleasantly dark corners in our apartment to relieve herself on, Lilli chose to enter our bathroom and climb into the shower to piss. I mean, we've all done it and if you are reading this blog right now and thinking "Ew, gross! I do NOT pee in the shower!" then you're lying to yourself. Because it has happened. I'm sure of it.
On a typical day, Lilli spends most of her time lying on her back with her legs in the air on Ville and I's couch. Whereas most dogs would excitedly greet their owners upon their arrival at the door, Lilli continues to sleep on the couch, seemingly somewhat annoyed about our reappearance. But on the most special of days, she makes it apparent that she has been thinking about us in our absence by scattering various personal items around the living room. Lilli particularly likes Ville's socks, my bras, and both of our shoes. She never ruins our things, but we believe that she just likes to carry them around for a little while...perhaps, shake her head with the item in her mouth to feel some sort of vindication for being left alone.
The apartment that Ville and I share is on the second floor (therefore, no backyard) so new to our routine are the several daily walks we take Lilli on. CC walks evenly, never pulling too hard on the leash but Lilli....not so much. From the first step out the door, Lilli pauses to let me pass her until the leash is practically taut on her neck dragging her forward. She then takes that opportunity to sprint forward until the leash forces her to halt. Then she pauses again to let me pass her and then sprints forward again. Lilli possess an unnatural fear of bikes and cars. As much as I want to, I could not even begin to describe the noise that escapes from her throat whenever something with wheels nears her on the sidewalk. One evening, Ville and I spent a ridiculous amount of time riding a bike towards/away from her just to hear it again and again. But seriously not funny is her reaction to a nearby car. Lilli slows her walking speed, lowers herself into a pounce-like position, and literally throws herself into oncoming traffic like a small, brindle, kamikaze. I mean, does she not even CONSIDER the detriment of a faulty collar? Or a slip of the leather leash on my unsuspecting, mittened, hand? Anyway. I think we need to call Cesar Milan for an intervention on that one.
In a way, Lilli kind of reminds me of my ex-roommate's chihuahua...who had no concept of personal space. Now, I understand the Chihuahua's need to be clingy...because simply, it was easier to stay warmer when attached to a warm body (whether it be person, another dog, in the bathroom with the shower running, actually IN the shower, burrowed under the covers during nap time, etc.) and honestly, I loved that damn Chihuahua's helplessness. But when Lilli sashays into my lap I know she has one of two motives 1) to wipe her shit covered ass on my shirt (a severe downfall to owning a dog with no tail--ya gotta wipe it) or 2) because she is about to suffer from a night terror (barking without taking a breath for approximately 20 minutes while you chase her around the apartment begging her to stop) neither of which is particularly endearing. But the good news is that though Lilli is a small dog she has only suffered one "accident" over the past 3 weeks of living with us. The accident, which I am rather proud of, occurred in our shower. Of all the nice rugs and pleasantly dark corners in our apartment to relieve herself on, Lilli chose to enter our bathroom and climb into the shower to piss. I mean, we've all done it and if you are reading this blog right now and thinking "Ew, gross! I do NOT pee in the shower!" then you're lying to yourself. Because it has happened. I'm sure of it.
But overall, there's something sweet and delicate about Lilli in a big and clumsy way. Even though she doesn't speak English (or Finnish apparently) and doesn't respond to any demands that will not immediately be followed with some kind of people-food, she still tries decently hard to be like able. And the fact that she has learned to immediately enter the bathroom post pooping-walk so that we don't have to chase her around the house with the toilet paper anymore is pretty damn cool. Not to mention, we have had some pretty bad ass dance parties within only a short time.
Damn. I really need to make more friends.
