Unfortunately — or, fortunately, for some — students are not allowed to bring their dogs from home when they move into NYU’s residence halls. For us dog lovers, being away from our canine pals adds to our homesickness. Luckily, though, some of our beloved faculty fellows in residence bring their pet dogs with them to NYU, and their dogs provide a sense of home for students living on campus. WSN spoke to some of these FFIR whose pets are as much a part of NYU residence life as the students themselves.

Lucia

Lucia is Carlyle Court Residence Hall’s beloved 10-year-old Maltese-poodle mix. Her owner, Associate Professor of Education in Steinhardt Lorena Llosa, has had Lucia since she was a puppy and plays fetch with her every night. Lucia has been a fixture at Carlyle for six years, but she was no stranger to NYU housing when she walked into the C3 tower — Lucia lived with Llosa in faculty housing before moving into Carlyle.

Lucia may be small, but she has an enormous personality. She loves trotting around and  receiving attention from all the students who happen to cross her path.

“Lucia is very people-oriented,” Llosa said. “When they want to pet her, she’s ready.”

Llosa brings Lucia to all her Carlyle programs, and she said Lucia has an incredible social life, assuming everyone loves her — and the little pup isn’t wrong.

“She’s really smart, actually,” Llosa said. “I love her confidence. She walks around wagging her tail, knowing people love her.”

Huckleberry

Gramercy Green Residence Hall residents have the pleasure of sharing living space with Huckleberry, a 10-year-old Rhodesian ridgeback whose owner, Senior Director of Residential Life Kate Baier, said still acts like a puppy. Huckleberry is very much an essential member of Gramercy Green, and though he is a bit standoffish with people he doesn’t know, he is gentle and loving with his family.

“He’s a lap dog with his people,” Baier said.

Huckleberry is a large dog, and because of this, Baier and her family are sensitive to the potential fears from other students. However, Baier also said he helps anchor the hall, and many students love seeing him.

“He’s sometimes a nonhuman stress reliever,” Baier said. “He’s a good reminder of home for people.”

Biggie

Biggie is Broome Street Residential College’s most loving being. As soon as you see the Shih Tzu mix, he will trot up to you and stretch out on your legs. If you scratch him, he’ll lean into you — and maybe never let you go. He is the extrovert to his owner, Senior Language Lecturer in the Expository Writing Program in CAS Michelle Dent’s, introvert.

“He’s an icebreaker,” Dent said. “He’s amazing and gregarious and flirtatious.”

Students aren’t afraid to walk right up to Biggie and start petting him. The adopted pup — who Dent believes to be about 6 years old — is accepting and loving, and Dent said he takes his job as Broome’s resident dog seriously.

“He loves the student energy,” Dent said. “He’s a lovebug — a total lovebug.”

A version of this article appeared in the Monday, Nov. 4 print edition. Email Natasha Roy at [email protected].