Lulu

About Lulu

Lulu is a 2 year old female Great Pyrenees/Anatolian Shepherd mix. She currently weighs in at about 88-90 pounds and is a bit underweight. She hasn't been eating all the well at the shelter - but we have been giving her some goodies and letting her graze, and as she really settles in, gets tons of walks and lots of attention, her appetite is improving. Finding yourself confined to a kennel isn't great for any dog, but one with a nature to wander and adventure? Definitely not. Lulu has a standout characteristic that anyone interested in her will absolutely need to know - she is deaf. Initially we weren't sure if she was just partially deaf and purposefully dismissive (as so many livestock dogs can be), but we have realized that the deafness is profound enough to be considered total. It doesn't bother her. She goes through her days as happy as can be, playful, sweet with everyone she meets, a pretty good walker, all around outstanding girlie. She responds well to hand signals and will give you her attention if you simply gesture in front of her. She realizes that you need to give and get some sort of info and is pretty good at complying. We know that most livestock guardian type dogs aren't necessarily the most biddable and compliant when it comes to training, believe me, anyone who has or does own one, understands that there is a learning curve and eventually a path to reaching these independent thinking canines, but Lulu has definitely shown us she is willing. We don't know much about Lulu other than she was being continually picked up for being on walkabout in the Virginia countryside. Eventually, her owner, who was decidedly non-compliant when asked to contain his dog, surrendered her to animal control and went about his life. Lulu found herself in a busy crowded facility without any interest at all. That's where we stepped in and asked if we could give her a change of scenery and perhaps a better chance at a new forever. Lulu does a very good job of keeping her kennel clean, never making a mess inside. If she isn't already house trained, we think she has a really good start on it. She seems to be relatively dog friendly with larger dogs, but is a little TOO interested in quick moving tiny dogs. Not reactive or aggressive, just interested. For that reason we will only place her in a home with no dogs or dogs of medium size or larger. She doesn't show a ton of interest in cats, but would probably be best without a feline in the home. She is a gentle girl and could easily learn to live with respectful kids. One non-negotiable for Lulu's placement, is the need for a yard that is surrounded by a physical fence. We already know she has a tendency to wander, but this is even more important due to her deafness. This is not an apartment dog - this is a dog who loves to be outside watching the birds, seeing the sights, soaking up the sun. She deserves a yard and some freedoms - just not the freedom to go on a 3-mile hike alone! She does love a good walk, is pretty good on a leash, and while she can definitely pull when she thinks you should go a particular direction, she is easily corrected to coming right back to your side and continuing on her walk. Being a mix between two breeds - one long haired and one short, she has a shorter coat than any Great Pyrenees that we have seen, which means pretty easy upkeep. She is a shedder, don't get us wrong, but regular brushing and perhaps an occasional blowout will help keep that under control like it does with any sheddy dog. Just be prepared for some white hairs! Lulu is available to the right home. If you are interested in her, please fill out an application to adopt.