Dogged by love

By Sage Merritt

Published: June 28, 2008

“The greatest gift I ever received was a strange, little dog. Her name was Lauren,” writes Kay Pfaltz in the opening lines of her book, “Lauren’s Story: An American Dog in Paris.”
The Nelson County author visited Waynesboro’s Stone Soup Books on Saturday to sign copies of “Lauren’s Story” and talk about the book, a story that Pfaltz described as “a study of unconditional love” and “a triumph of the spirit.”
Lauren, a beagle, was Pfaltz’s first dog. Named after actress Lauren Bacall, the beagle was estimated at between 1 and 3 years old when Pfaltz’s sister, Amy, found her.
“She turned up under my sister’s porch in Greene County [in Virginia], starving,” Pfaltz said. “I was living in Paris at the time, and I was going through a rough period, very lonely and depressed. Amy, my sister, said, ‘You need a dog.’ One thing led to another and Lauren came over to live with me in Paris.”
Lauren went on to live for eight years with Pfaltz, who worked in France as a restaurant critic. “Lauren’s Story” details the eternal bond that grew between woman and dog while they lived in Paris, and of their eventual return to Virginia, where the little beagle eventually succumbed to cancer.
Throughout their time together, the pair became inseparable. Where Pfaltz went, Lauren went, spending time at landmarks like the Normal Coast and the French Riviéra, and dining out together in the best restaurants in Paris.
“Beagles are a rarity in Paris, and she’s not the type of dog who you would think to bring into a restaurant because she had a serious food fixation,” Pfaltz said. “And yet, I did. She was perfect, she didn’t misbehave, and I think that was born of my trust of her. The first restaurant I took her in, I sat her up beside me and she was perfect. That began our career of dining out together, and she was the best dinner partner I ever had.
“They’d bring her a sterling-silver water bowl at some restaurants, but she never drank until all of the food on my plate was gone,” Pfaltz added. “She sat perfectly quietly while I ate.”
“Lauren’s Story” tells of the many fine restaurants the two visited, enjoying classic French fare such as crêpes and confit de canard. Lauren accepted bites of whatever Pfaltz was eating, the author said, and in particular loved bread. As detailed in the book, Pfaltz and Lauren also traveled together and were frequent dinner guests of a French countess.
“In France, they’re in some ways more animal-friendly than they are kid-friendly,” Pfaltz said. “You see dogs everywhere, big dogs lying under the table, little dogs sitting up beside people. They love their animals, they love their dogs and cats. Dogs have always been allowed in restaurants there.”
Pfaltz began writing “Lauren’s Story” in 1998. It took a year to write the story, her first published book.
“I think what moves a writer to write is wanting the story out there,” Pfaltz said. “And, in this case, wanting to share the experience I had, wanting to share that profound love that I received from an animal and all of the teachings and learnings.”
“Lauren’s Story” testifies to the transformative power of the love between the author and her beagle. In the time since Lauren came to live with her, Pfaltz has become a vegetarian and animal activist, and she points to her relationship with her dog as a catalyst for tremendous positive change in her life.
“Dogs help us live in the moment,” Pfaltz said. “That might be the biggest gift they give us. They help us to appreciate the meaningful things in life and to not get upset over trivial things and petty things. Normally, you don’t see dogs lying in the yard, thinking, ‘I wish I had a bigger house and a swimming pool.’ I mean, some dogs might want a swimming pool, but they appreciate the sun on their backs, fresh air, food when they get it, walks when they get them.
“They’re grateful, they’re enthusiastic, they’re loyal, they sleep when they’re tired and they eat when they’re hungry. They exemplify all the traits that we humans think the best of. They’re our tie with nature, often, and more spiritual issues.”
“Lauren’s Story: An American Dog in Paris” is available at Stone Soup Books in Waynesboro, as well as Pfaltz’s restaurant, Basic Necessities, in Nellysford, and on the Web at Amazon.com. All proceeds from the book go to benefit animal welfare organizations.
For more information about Pfaltz or “Lauren’s Story,” visit http://www.kaypfaltz.com.