I'm Adam Handy and this is my pup Lou Lou. I'm a veterinary student at Louisiana State University. Aside from faith and family, school is pretty much my life. Three more years and I'm done though! Lou Lou is my 7 year old black lab. I've had her since her younger puppy days.What's the occasion for Coffee with a Canine?
Because I'm in school literally all day every day, I have to find time for my after school studies and everything else. Lou hangs out at the house while I'm out all day, so when I get home, I'll try to take her for a walk to a nearby coffee shop. I'll usually have a sit down in the shop's courtyard and get to learning some stuff while Lou pretty much makes friends with everyone else that is there.
What's brewing?
I go to the coffee shop at least three days out of the week to get my work done. Because I’m such a frequent customer there, I have to go for the humble houseblend coffee. I learned very quickly that if I was going to get a fancy coffee that often, I would need to start including my coffee needs into my student loans plan.
Any goodies to go with the coffee?
A fresh batch of parasitology notes baby!!
Any treat for Lou Lou on this occasion?She managed to sniff out a dirty tennis ball out of a thick patch of bamboo alongside the courtyard. She loves those things. It can get a little weird some times. That’s usually when I have give her some privacy…
How did Lou Lou come to be united with you?
Back in undergrad, I worked part time at a veterinary clinic. Some of my coworkers were driving home from Vicksburg, MS one stormy night and found her on the side of the road. They brought her back to our clinic in Monroe, LA , and we cleaned her up and fed her. She happily stayed at the clinic for a couple months while we tried to adopt her out. We had no takers, so I eventually decided to take her home with me.
How did your dog get her name?
There is nothing special about the name. We started calling her Lou Lou after she got to the clinic. I think one of my coworkers had an aunt named Louise or something, so… that’s probably it.
Where is the usual place you take Lou Lou out for fresh air?
There is a dog park near the house, so I will turn her loose over there sometimes or take her with me while I go study. That’s when she gets out the most.
Has Lou Lou ever been a guinea pig for some procedure you're learning in vet school? Do you use guinea pigs as "guinea pigs" in vet school?Last year in one my electives courses, we were learning how to do eye exams. So I thought it would be good to get a Lou in on it, seeing how she’s getting a little older. She did great for me and my group. She let us check her intraocular pressure and literally take a look inside of her eyeball. I love vet gadgets! By the end of it all, she had pupils the size of quarters. Not really. She did great though.
As far as guinea pigs go, I'm sure they’ve made their way into some sort of lab. Ive never seen them though.
Where is the best nearby dog park?
Raising Canes Dog Park is just down the road by City Park. Pretty nice place.
Is Lou Lou's b
ark worse than her bite?Lou has a nice bark on her. Never seen a bite though.
Tennis ball, Frisbee, stick, other?
The tennis ball is definitely her favorite. She would go fetch one for hours if I let her. It's amazing how focused she can be when she waits for you to throw it. Her eyes aren’t on anything else the entire time she waits for you to pitch it. It's nothing more than a simple, small spherical object that does nothing but roll on the ground. That’s it. I have a hard enough time keeping my mind on class work for 2 minutes, much less, stare at a fuzzy ball all day.
What's Lou Lou's proudest moment? Most embarrassing?
Every day Lou steps into the public eye is her proudest time. She’s so popular with my friends that I thought about making a fan club page for her on Facebook. As far as embarrassment goes, Lou has no shame. For some reason she always chooses to do her “business” in the most public places when I take her for walks.
--Marshal Zeringue
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