In Loving Memory of Nettie Padmanabhan
Also Known as Jo-Jo, Noodle, Baba Chew, Nettie Boo, Nettie Ba
Nettie Padmanabhan never entered a room quietly. She was social, curious, and just stubborn enough to make you laugh through your exasperation. She and her sister, Molly came into their family’s life through 4 Luv of Dog Rescue: they were a bonded pair who were meant to stay together. Another family had been scheduled to meet them first, but fate intervened: that family canceled their appointment and missed the opportunity of a lifetime. Two days later, Nettie and Molly were home where they belonged.
From the beginning, Nettie made her presence well known. She loved people with an enthusiasm that could only be described as... radiant. On walks, she’d approach strangers as if greeting long-lost friends, waiting expectantly for the acknowledgment she knowingly deserved. Once you, and your appropriate recognition of her, were deemed acceptable, then (and only then) were you instantly part of her inner circle. Nettie's cloister of friends were quickly recognized as the kind of friends who could never visit without a proper and verbose welcome.
Nettie had a talent for turning everyday moments into laughter. Her family will always remember the “table incident,” in which a noisy attempt to fold a small side-table left a wake of confusion and perplexity... that is until Nettie leapt onto the upside-down furniture, gazing at her human staff with that self-assured look that said, “See? I fixed it.” She was a natural comedian with impeccable timing, always finding her way to the center of the story.
She had her own recipe of love that began with two parts affection, one part routine, and a healthy dose of all-natural Nettie. After every meal, she’d press her body and face along her human’s legs: a ritual that lovingly came to be called “noodling.” Whether it was cuddling, cleaning her face, or just sharing a moment, it was always just Nettie being Nettie: tactile, silly, affectionate, and (above all) warm. Her charisma, like her routines, carried a quirky and loving consistency like what her family referred to as the “kitchen timer” — her invisible countdown that was set whenever one of her people dared step away to the kitchen: the wonderful room of treasures which no human could return from without a treat slated for Nettie's consumption. Each minute brought a new posture and a new glare until curiosity (and impatience) won.
As the years passed and arthritis slowed Nettie's steps, her bond with her family deepened. Her humans would lift her gently when she moaned at the stairs, carrying her as if it were the most natural thing in the world. She’d melt into their arms, content and safe. When she needed to go outside, she’d simply give them one gentle lick — her quiet signal, earning her the nickname “One Lick.”
When Nettie passed, she left behind a silence that felt too large for such a small dog. To ease the grief, her humans wrote down words — pieces of her — on slips of paper, reminders of her joy and quirks. Nettie was more than a pet. She was a companion, a comedian, a protector, and the beating heart of her home.
Her family will forever miss her warmth, her mischief, and the way she made ordinary life brighter just by being part of it.
