Arizona Animal Welfare League

For today’s interview, we will be talking to Lila, the adorable nearly four year old labrador retriever – shar pei mix. Lila has agreed to this exclusive interview so that her adoring fans (all six of you) can get to know her better.

BB: Lila, thanks for sitting down with me today.

Lila (tilting head): Did you say sit? Or down? Because I heard both. Which do you want me to do? I can do both, you know.

BB: Yes, Lila, I know. How about down?

Lila (laying down, tail thumping): See? I did it. I’m a good dog.

BB: You’re a very good dog, Lila. Let’s talk about your past a little bit. Do you remember when you were a little puppy?

Lila: Oh yes. I had lots of puppy brothers and sisters. They were all warm and wriggly and squirmy and squeaky. I loved that. And we all had a momma and she was big and warm and she had food for us. Ah, it was a good time in my life.

BB: So you were a happy little puppy?

Lila: Of course. All puppies are happy.

BB: But when I met you, things had changed.

Lila: I remember that day. You and the boy came to see me and you took me in the play yard and I showed you how pretty I am from every side.

BB: Yes, you did. You were very pretty that day.

Lila: Am I still pretty?

BB: You’re the prettiest girl in the world.

Lila (tail thumping furiously): I love you.

BB: I love you too, Lila. Do you remember what happened before you met us, while you were waiting for us to find you and bring you home?

Lila (sad, downcast eyes): Yes. I was taken away from my brothers and sisters and my momma. I don’t remember too much after that, but somehow I ended up in a giant room with lots of kennels full of frightened dogs barking all the time. It was ugly and noisy and terrifying. I was so scared there I didn’t know what to do. Someone came by and said I had to go on a special list called an E-list. I didn’t like the way they said it.

BB: You were right to be scared, Lila. An E-list is not a good place for a puppy to be. But someone came and got you off that E-list. Someone from an animal welfare group. They knew you would grow up to be a wonderful pet someday.

Lila (happier): Yes. I got to ride in a truck from that scary place to a smaller place that still had lots of dogs, but there were lots of people there to help out and play yards to run in and it wasn’t as noisy or scary. But I was still alone in my kennel most of the time. Until my first family came. They took me home and I was so happy, at first.

BB: Then what happened?

Lila: I don’t know exactly, but it didn’t work out. They took me back to the place with the play yards and they said good bye. They said I just wasn’t working out for them. I was sad to see them go. I like people.

BB: I know you do. You’re a good girl. Then you met us, remember?

Lila: Yes, I remember. I didn’t want to scare the boy because I could tell he was a little nervous around me, so I played it cool, remember? I didn’t jump or bark or nip or anything. (wags tail furiously)

BB: You played it cool all right, until you got in the car to go home with us and peed on the seat, then started barking.

Lila (eyes slightly downcast): I was a little excited. (single, hopeful tail wag)

BB: It’s okay, Lila. You’re a good girl. (insane tail wag)

Lila: You didn’t say that at first.

BB: You were crazy at first. You were eight months old and you were naughty, naughty, naughty. But you worked hard at puppy school every week, and you went for long walks with me and the boy, and we went to the dog park a lot to help you get some of your energy out. We got a lot of exercise in that first year together. Remember that?

Lila: Yes! I love walks. Can we go on a walk? I’m ready. Just put on my leash. LET’S GO! (wag, wag, wag, jump up, circle, wag some more).

BB: Ok, Lila, let’s go.

Today’s WordPress Daily Prompt: Interview someone — a friend, another blogger, your mother, the mailman — and write a post based on their responses.