Remembering the life, times of Livi

Published 9:20 am Wednesday, August 6, 2025

Let’s be honest. Sometimes we like our pets more than we like our family members. Our pets have the advantage of having been chosen by us, unlike our relatives. Through the years, my preferred pets have been dogs. My husband and I wanted our boys to have a dog and experience the kind of unconditional love that a furry little friend brings to a relationship. It was long before the internet, so Tom dutifully went to the library to research the subject and find out what breed was best for our young sons, Dennis and Jeff.

My detail-oriented, Virgo-born husband pored over numerous publications to learn which breeds were best for allergy-prone tykes, which ones shed the least, and so on. His research led him to the Bichon Frise, a small dog described as “gentle, playful, and affectionate.” We hadn’t seen this breed before, but on a shopping trip to Memphis, we found one for sale in the newspaper. Since we just wanted to see what the dog looked like, there was no harm in calling the owner to ask if we could come by. Of course, the dog was adorable—what puppy isn’t? And, of course, the little dog came home with us.

We named her Lady Olivia of Oxford (after Olivia Newton-John), and she quickly set about training her humans. Olivia’s name was soon shortened to “Livi.” She got checked out by our friend and veterinarian, Dr. Ernie Harland, who pronounced her healthy and set a schedule for shots and check-ups.

A few days later, while making the bed, I found my leather watchband partly visible under it. I looked at Livi and decided she must have swallowed the actual watch. Terrified, I immediately called Dr. Harland—never mind that it was 6:30 in the morning. He listened patiently as I described my findings and relayed my concerns. Then he chuckled and deadpanned, “I hope it’s a Timex so it can take a licking and keep on ticking,” referencing the iconic slogan that turned Timex watches into cultural legends. I was not comforted, but he assured me he thought all would be well. Moments later, I found the actual watch while finishing the bed. What a relief!

In time, we decided it would be a good idea to have puppies and set about finding a mate for Livi. That mate was Pierre. When the time came for the birth, we had to seek help from Dr. Harland. One of the two puppies born had problems and did not survive, even with Dr. Harland’s assistance, which sadly provided a life lesson for our young sons.

Shortly afterward, the family who owned Pierre called to say they were moving—would we be interested in taking Pierre? I immediately said “Yes!” though my husband needed a little convincing. We eventually had puppies two more times, and both times Livi chose holidays to deliver. We arrived home from the July 4th fireworks in Avent Park to find Livi under our king-size bed in labor. We had to dismantle the bed to get her out, and I spent the night sleeping in the closet with her as she gave birth.

The next time was during Thanksgiving dinner, just as everyone was sitting down to eat. We were thrilled to have two more pups and decided to sell one and keep one, making us a family of three Bichons.

It has been many years since these precious pets crossed the Rainbow Bridge, but they are forever in our hearts. Perhaps it has something to do with a quote by Andy Rooney: “The average dog is a nicer person than the average person.”