By Laura Hipshire
THE ERICKSON TRIBUNE

Say hello to Dolly—no, not that Dolly; this Dolly is a Maltese dog and a proud member of the Dog Lover’s Group at Fox Run, in Novi.

Joining Dolly is Gretchen, Gretl, Chance, Birch, Buddy, Oreo, and Coco, among others.

Doreen Poupard, who moved to the community from Ann Arbor, started the group in 2005. “People who love dogs have a common bond,” Poupard says, who’s proud to own Puck, an all-American mutt.

Currently there are 18 dogs in the group with their 24 owners. The roster of dogs includes long- and short-haired dachshunds, cocker spaniels, shih-tzus, Yorkshire terriers, black Labradors, and poodles, to name just a few. They range in age from 7 months to 15 years.

Individual personalities
Poupard says each dog in the group has its own unique personality traits.

“Puck (a five-year old male) is the most energetic in the group,” she says, while “Buddy (a large black Lab) flunked leadership school.” But Buddy is loved all the same.

The dog lovers often eat meals together and share information with each other about veterinarians, grooming, and kennels.

“We also count on one another to walk each other’s dogs when we’re not  available,” Poupard says.

Doggie bash held annually
The group gathers for yearly celebrations of everything canine in the form of “doggie parties” held on campus at Fox Run. “We eat, talk, laugh, and play games,” Poupard says. A “bingo-style” game is played using dog names in place of the traditional bingo letters so everyone can familiarize themselves with each other’s dogs.The first year, each dog received a “doggie bag” full of treats, including rawhide chews.

Poupard says everyone knows each other’s dogs’ names.

“I’ll meet people and they’ll say to me, ‘You’re Puck’s owner, aren’t you?’” Poupard says.