In association with our good friends at DogHQ each month we meet Shore people whose four-legged family members add a great deal of joy to their lives. Our very own dog-lover Aidan Bennett (he has two doggies of his own he spoils – Olive a Cocker Spaniel and Maisie a French Bulldog) loves the task of putting this monthly feature together. This month he talks with Sharon Lee of Torbay about Lulu, her much-loved Poodle and ShihTzu cross.
AIDAN BENNETT: How long has Lulu been part of your life?
SHARON LEE: Lulu has been with us since Boxing Day 2017.
AB: What made you decide to get a this breed?
SL: Lulu is a mixed Poodle and ShihTzu. We were looking for a smaller size dog because we don't have a massive garden and there's limited internal space for running around. Also, we were looking for a breed with low-shed coat because of my allergy conditions. The bonus is the poodle side of her means higher intelligence which typically links to easier training process.
AB: Is she your first dog, if not tell us about your other dog?
SL: Yes, Lulu is our first dog, but I have also have a family dog - Toffee, he is a Rottweiler x and 16 years old.
AB: Do you have any other pets?
SL: Nope, we only have Lulu at this stage.
AB: What do you love about Lulu?
SL: She is very sweet and friendly around human and our best cuddle buddy.
AB: Does she have any bad habits?
SL: Lulu loves chewing/eating bark from the garden, and "plays" with crickets whenever she has a chance.
AB: What are her favourite things to do?
SL: Lulu enjoys her time at home with us, catching up on her sleeps or play with her toys. But she also loves hanging out with us at cafes or we would go for a good walk in varies parks / beach around Auckland, we also organises dog play dates with our friends and Lulu loves playing with children or other dogs.
AB: How long has she been going to DogHQ and does he love it?
SL: Lulu has been going to DogHQ since she completed her vaccinations and she absolutely loves it. She loves seeing her dog friends but the staff as well!
AB: Does she love the beach and swimming?
SL: Lulu enjoys the beach, but she is not shown great interest with the ocean - so we are unsure if she loves swimming or not - we might give it a try later this year.
AB: Any words of wisdom for other dog owners or prospective dog owners?
SL: We certainly aren't experts, if anything, I would suggest selecting the breed carefully based on your lifestyle - including all aspects of your family life – hobbies, activities, personalities, schedules so you are able to enjoy his/her companion more. I also strongly suggest dog daycare for busy households, as my husband and I both work long hours, we didn't want to leave Lulu alone at home (even though our garden is fully fenced and she has plenty of toys to play with), we wanted her to have plenty of opportunity to socialise and exercise during the day.
