Gudrun

Gudrun is named after the infamous Gudrun Ensslin who was the female leader of the Baader-Meinhof Gang, an art terrorist group from the 70s. Terrorism was different then. It had a chicness to it, which made it seem less like a dangerous menace and more like fashion.

She is also named after the Norse queen who married Attil (mythological representation of Attila the Hun). After Attil killed her brothers, Gudrun murdered all the sons she had by him and served their hearts to her husband. It is a bad girl name for a very good girl. She’s just so small that I thought a strong name would help protect her from the big feet and falling objects of the world.

She was bailed out of South Los Angeles Animal Shelter where she was sharing a cell with all her brothers and sisters. They were all beautiful, and we wished we had room to take the whole family. Gudrun was the one we had to have. One look in her enormous new Chihuahua eyes and we were immediately seduced. Dog eyes are impossible to resist. I can say no to anyone, lovers, friends, relatives – especially relatives, but dogs have their way with me every time. I love everything about dogs. I love when they are eating and they crunch their food, and I can hear their teeth grinding down their food. I love to listen to them drink water. In the mornings, I have hectic dog schedule. Before the big dogs go on their walk, Ralph has to have a long session of ball catching, followed up by Bronwyn’s full body massage and now Gudrun’s “What’s this? Let me try to eat it” hour. It’s hard to keep up with her, because the puppy has the energy and destructive capacity of both of her namesakes put together. it’s amazing to watch the newness of life up so close.

Gudrun is just so recently born, and so everything is a huge discovery. She is learning to come to terms with her shadow, and she is still a little scared of the dog in the mirror. The one who copies her every move, gets close when she does, backs away when she does, won’t stop looking at her until she looks away. I am trying to see the world with as mush freshness as she does.

I am hoping her litter mates made it to a good home, and I hope they get to stay there. Dogs like her are adorable and easily adopted because they are so cute, but then they get a little older and a little less cute and chew one shoe too many and wind up back at the pound within months. Cuteness can only take you so far in life. Or is it that cuteness is a curse?