On Tuesday September 15, we said Au Revoir to Lizzy the adorable beagle mascot of Say It In French Language School and a dog that transformed my life. She died of cancer at the age of fifteen.
In 1994 we promised our older son Michael a dog. Of all the family members, I felt truly the least excited. Actually, I was afraid of dogs. No pet ever crossed the threshold of my childhood home due to my father’s allergies. I did not have a clue how to care for an animal, and I did not know if I could even tolerate let alone love one.
However, a promise is a promise. My husband Bill, Michael, and our younger son Daniel drove to Salem to visit a beagle breeder. I stayed home. When they returned, the word “cute” kept coming up in conversation. Clearly, the arrival of a beagle puppy appeared imminent. To me the timing did not seem right. After all, I was very busy teaching. I was going to study in France the following month and frankly, I just did not want to deal with a dog.
However, a promise is a promise. Bill and I went down to Salem to pick up the puppy. I had no idea what to expect. Lizzy was the only one left in the litter. She looked okay to me with her soft floppy ears, warm brown eyes, and unusual heart shaped marking  on her derriere. The breeder arranged for Lizzy to greet us with her mother in tow. When it hit me, they would soon be separated forever, I unexpectedly burst into tears. Lizzy’s mother showed no emotion.
Newly informed pet owners, we came prepared with our recently purchased dog kennel for the car trip back to Beaverton. The first thing Lizzy did in it was throw up on the ride home. Charming, I thought. The next day, the boys went back to school, Bill reported for work, and I was left home alone with the puppy. What was I supposed to do with her? Lizzy and I just looked at each other in the garage where she hung out. Someone advised me to look the puppy straight in the eye to show who’s boss. Now we were both in trouble.
Not knowing what to do, I fell back on a time honored solution – stick to a schedule. I had planned on going to the mall to buy a few things for my trip to France and no puppy I determined would stop me. However, once at the mall, I could barely concentrate on shopping. I felt too guilty leaving the puppy all alone in the garage and decided to return home. I hurried back into the garage to find Lizzy looking adorable standing exactly in the same spot I had left her. Too cute! We moved out to the back yard to sit together. She fit perfectly in my lap. By the end of the week, I was in love.
By the next weekend, the puppy still did not have an official name. I suggested “Belle”; it was French after all and suited her. I remember going on a quick errand to Rite Aid that Sunday afternoon. By the time I came back, Michael, his friend Katie from next door, and Daniel had named her Elizabeth Ann or Lizzy for short.
Year to year, my relationship with Lizzy continued to blossom and grow. I marveled at my own transformation. I could now put my face up to her cold wet nose without fear. Fortunately, Michael proved to be a very responsible pet owner. He walked Lizzy before and after school, fed her on schedule, and played with her faithfully. He enjoyed all of Lizzy’s puppy shenanigans. As a beagle, most of her caprices involved food – perceiving everything as food, hunting for food, and insisting on treats whenever possible. Two food related incidents stand out – the time she captured and consumed 17 blueberry muffins prepared for the Saturday French Conversation Group and the devouring of 6 Noah’s bagels. In both cases, Lizzy managed to enjoy her usual day. The only evidence of indulgence was her stomach that bulged like a bulky box of baked goods.
We all admired Lizzy’s sweetness and patience, especially with children. Everyone loved Lizzy. We began to suspect that friends and relatives visited us more frequently just to see her. Lizzy became the glue of our family’s existence. The times we argued and could agree upon nothing, we could always count on our mutual love and appreciation of the dog. Lizzy trained us to keep food way up high,
push chairs securely under tables, give lots of treats, greet her at 6 A.M., and listen for the jingling of her ID tags. She exuded a kind of canine wisdom. At times, we could each be overheard discussing our problems with her. I must say, Lizzy trained us well. We took excellent care of her. Her good instincts always served her. She never got hurt.
 Over the years, Lizzy seemed destined for stardom. In 1995, Michael entered her name in a raffle at the Oregon Humane’s Society Doggie Dash where she won a “date” with the Hollywood dog Comet who played the dog on the TV show Full House and starred in the movie Fluke. What excitement! On prize day, a limousine pulled up to our house to escort us to a hotel on the Riverfront for ice cream sundaes and a chance to meet Comet. Unfortunately, Comet’s trainer felt uncomfortable with Comet socializing. (so much for a date) Luckily, the trainer’s assistant volunteered to take Lizzy for a nice walk along the Esplanade while we enjoyed our desserts. Also, our local newspaper, The Valley Times, featured Lizzy’s picture in Pets On Parade that same year. Most recently, Bill and Lizzy were interviewed by KGW TV after Lizzy participated in her 15th Doggie Dash. To see the interview, use this Youtube link: www.youtube.com/watch?v=pBp8SET-C2E.
All our neighbors knew Lizzy well. Our newest exchange student Anna could not believe how many people commented on her as they walked around the block.
With her sweet sweet nature, Lizzy’s gift to the world was her capacity to help people overcome their fear of dogs. Certain family members, exchange students, and visitors forgot their fear thanks to Lizzy. A good will ambassador, she helped each of our exchange students transition to our family and living far from home.
In February this year, the vet diagnosed Lizzy with lymphoma and gave her only a few weeks to live. I stared at her with disbelief. We decided that Lizzy would manage herself and opted for no treatment except increased number of biscuits. Lizzy refused to cooperate with vet’s time table for her. She did not seem to know she was sick. Despite her will to live, I feared each time I left for a trip she would be gone. But she always waited for me. My friends in France this summer told me. “Elle ne veut pas partir.”
She does not want to leave. That seemed true. Our pet sitter called Lizzy “Little Timex”.
Over the years, I shared many anecdotes about Lizzy with my French students. She even visited several Portland Community College classes. So it is with great sadness for the beautiful life that is no longer with us, but intense joy for all the fun times, memories, and unconditional love she gave us, that I bid Lizzy a final “adieu”. Au revoir, petit amour. Merci beaucoup!
Giselle
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