If you happen to be walking past Illeane and Stan Podolski’s lovely home on Valley Crest Drive and a ball comes bouncing toward you followed by a furry blur of cream, white, and brown, you’d better grab that ball while you have the chance. Because Louie, the Podolski’s four year-old Shih Tzu-Havanese mix won’t give up that ball for anything if he gets it first! And if you do get it and toss it to him, he’ll no doubt pick it right out of the air, as he does with all his toys. Then, if you happen to be invited inside Louie’s home, the fun continues because he will surely coax you into chasing him around the dining room table while he still keeps the ball.

 

Illeane and Stan are natives of St. Louis, hence their housemate’s name following his adoption from Pet City in Fort Collins. Having lost Tobey, their Shih Tzu-Poodle mix during the pandemic, and despite some uncertainty about adopting another dog so soon, an empty house ultimately meant a new bundle of scruff just eight weeks later. And the fact that little Louie looked a lot like beloved Tobey cinched the deal.

 

To say Louie is friendly is an understatement, for ‘Licking Louie’ both squeals for anybody he meets, and then wants to lick them. When the Podolski’s sons visit, Louie climbs all over them, licking faces and ears, with a special fondness for nibbling ear lobes. And not only is 16-pound Louie uber-friendly, but he’s fearless too, as evident by his wrestling with his 95-pound ‘cousin’ Charlie, the Goldendoodle.

 

With Louie’s personality, he’s obviously spoiled too, favoring Purina Hydrolyzed Chicken for meals, and mini Milk Bones for treats.

 

So if you know the difference between ‘fetch’ and ‘keep-away’, and you enjoy being rewarded for your patience in never actually getting the ball back, but getting licks instead, you might want to visit Louie Podolski on Valley Crest Drive!