Today we are absolutely heartbroken as we say goodbye to the matriarch of our pack, our queen, Lorelei.
Lorelei was the dog that everyone loved, even people who didn't like dogs. She was sweet, adorable, kind, and incredibly empathetic. We always said she was everyone's dog, not just ours.
She came to us almost 11 years ago (next week) as a foster and we never planned on keeping her. At that time we had an incredibly neurotic Galgo Espanol who bonded deeply with her. She was petite, pretty, sweet, and cat safe so we knew she would get a home quickly. Argos, however, had other ideas and destroyed our house when we took her to a meet and greet. When we came home with her he met us in a state of panic and shot straight to her as if he would never see her again. We always said that Argos adopted her right then and there. Over time she helped us teach him confidence and how to cope with a scary world. It was the first of many lives that she would touch in her 12 years.
Lorelei loved everyone. She got along with every dog and person she ever met. She was a calm, steady presence in every situation. We fostered a long time and for years our home was a revolving door and she was always an integral part of pack integration going smoothly. Nobody could have a problem with Lolie.
She really LOVED people. She was the perfect Renaissance Festival breed ambassador and therapy dog. She was gentle with those who needed it and fun-loving with those who wanted it. She attended several years of the Carolina and Georgia Renaissance Festivals and the Enchanted Chalice. She visited the elderly and young children and special needs children at various events. She was always incredibly well-mannered and never stepped a foot out of line. She was truly a very good girl. You could always rely on her being a perfect princess when it counted.
Lorelei loved all dogs and especially puppies. She had a lot of health issues (mostly automimmune) for most of her life and acted like an old dog years before she should have but every time we brought her a puppy she came to life. She would run and play and bark and go wild with "her" babies. They brought her life and vitality and she took her role as Momma Lolie seriously. She raised Delilah, Finnegan, and Aziza as her own and all three are incredibly attached to her. They are going to be beyond devastated when they realize she is not coming home tonight. Every member of this pack came after her and respected her greatly so I anticipate a rough few days here.
Lorelei was a quirky dog. She loved collecting toys and would hoard them in piles. She had the cutest little-dog yip and sweet smile and tail wag. She always met you at the gate with a smile and a cute little tail wag. She was simply adorable all the time and would charm everyone she met. We always joked that she was Princess LoLie of LoLie land and she had marshmallow clouds in her head and was made of sugar and iced with love. She was an incredibly happy dog.
We are going to miss Lorelei so much. As many health issues as she has had we are fortunate she stayed with us as long as she did. The past few months have seen her going downhill rapidly. She was so exhausted and ready for a long rest. She went peacefully on my lap.
