Lou & Ella
AKA “The Twins”

Lou & Ella are obviously not twins, nor are they brother & sister, but we began calling them “The Twins” because they are the perfect pair. They compliment each other in both looks and personality and fit together like pieces of a puzzle. They are bonded and adore each other. They play, eat and sleep together with no issues. They will be adopted together.

They were surrendered to rescue because the owner did not want them any longer. He reports they would not hunt. They were outside dogs and are learning indoor manners. They are both doing very well, and there have been very few issues. Counter surfing is one of the things they are working on.

They are crate trained, seem to be house trained, and over all very happy dogs who enjoy our attention and companionship. They are intelligent, eager to please and seem to pick up on things very easy. They were trained on a radius collar, and an invisible fence will be considered to the right applicant. A fence of some sort will be REQUIRED to keep these 2 safe, as they have been known to run if they get out of the fence. 4 ft chain link will not work with Lou – he is a jumper. If you do not have a fence of some kind and will not consider one, then please do not apply for these two.

They like kids, but I would not put them with toddlers only because they might knock them down or play too rough. THEY ARE NOT CAT FRIENDLY. They are very prey driven & the same would probably go for other small pets. They are doing well with the other dogs, seem to enjoy playing with other dogs and have displayed no jealousy issues. They will defend each other if one is threatened.

Lou
Lou is a 3-year-old Blue Belton, neutered and weighs about 49 lbs. I consider him a medium build Setter. Lou is most definitely a dominant dog, but his easy nature makes it so subtle, that someone who does not spend some time observing them would never know. He is not an aggressive male, but he will NOT back down from a challenge. He's more interested in playing and having a good time then fighting. Lou is everything a "Bench Setter" should be, except size. He has the look, attitude, disposition and even the walk (trot) of a "Bench" except he is about 20 lbs lighter. Lou adores Ella, as any gentleman should appreciate his ‘lady’. He allows her to play very rough with him, but he is very controlled when playing with her, although they do wrestle and play, as any young and active dogs will do. If they are crated separately, he will some times whine to sleep with her. Lou is well behaved, curious and has discovered he loves helping with laundry. If Lou can get to a laundry basket of clothes, he will dive right in. The same goes for the dryer or washer. He loves the smell! He’s sweet and loves attention. He nibbles as a sign of affection when he is happy or excited, so should be watched around children. He will sometimes nip or tug at your shirttail, sleeve or hood on a jacket. It should be noted that Lou DOES NOT LIKE motorcycles.

Ella
Ella is a 2 ½ year old Tri, spayed and also weighs about 49 lbs, and would be considered a medium build Setter. She is a very sweet girl with a gentle nature and tender feelings, but will stand up for herself. I think this is one reason that Lou watches her closely. He doesn't want anything upsetting 'his lady', and they will defend each other if provoked. She loves chasing anything that moves, and is particularly fond of hunting houseflies. This is her biggest indoor issue, as she ‘crashes’ into things while chasing them. She will also climb on top of things, and doesn’t seem to think there is anything wrong with standing on a table to peek out the window. She is a slightly dominant dog, and would also defend herself if challenged, but doesn’t seem to understand why a dog would challenge another. She is very curious about other dogs and how they behave, and I’m not sure she’s been around many other dogs besides Lou. She acts very much like a puppy that wants to meet everyone, and doesn’t seem to understand it’s not acceptable to get in another dogs face right away. She will also nibble when she’s excited to see you.

UPDATE 2009:

Lou and Ella were previously adopted, but were returned when Ella developed ‘possession issues”. Never having a home of her own to defend and protect, she began to get very particular about who she allowed in the house. She managed to nip at a service/repair men who came to the house, and actually bit another. Ella will need to be watched closely when a stranger comes to the house and/or crated or leashed. It is her nature to protect her home. She also developed a very “alpha” role in the house, and they will need someone who can be firm with them on what is acceptable behavior. Both of them completed beginning obedience class. Lou is more eager to please, and so did a bit better then Ella. Ella is a typical woman, and took her own sweet time in displaying her talents, but eventually caught on to most everything. The young couple who adopted them also took them jogging every day, and report they seemed to enjoy the daily exercise.

They are happy dogs and very loving and affectionate. Lou developed a love for toys that he had never known, and has lots of toys that he enjoys playing with. Lou and Ella would have a home right here with me, except they can be a bit particular about other dogs. They do get along with most all of my dogs here, and have tons of fun playing, but there are 2 male dominant dogs that I have to keep them separated from, and I do not feel they would do well with having new fosters coming in and out of the house.

We have also discovered that Lou is a jumper. He can jump about 6-8 feet, and you can see a picture of him perched in a tree. As previously stated, a 4ft fence will probably not be considered for these two. An invisible fence will be considered to someone who has experience with proper training.