Jennifer Remsen told Lexi's story in the magazine in her own words.
Lexi, a miniature goldendoodle, is the four-legged member of the Remsen family of Dilworth, a household of five people and one dog. She has her own bed, Jennifer Remsen writes, but usually finds her way into theirs at some point during the night or early morning.
Lexi will turn 5 on Thanksgiving Day. The family found her somewhat "accidentally" on Instagram through her breeder, Taylor Terry of Charlotte Doodles. When they met her, the name Lexi simply seemed to suit her. "She was playful, sweet and full of personality from the very beginning," Remsen writes.
An 11 out of 10
"To say Lexi is spoiled would be an understatement," Remsen writes. "On a scale of 1 to 10, she is definitely an 11!" Lexi loves the treats that many Dilworth neighbors leave out for dogs passing by on their walks. Anything with beef or green peas is a favorite, and she is happy to accept an occasional bite of homemade sourdough.
The family once tried teaching her to communicate with buttons after watching a Netflix show about dogs pressing recorded buttons with their paws. They recorded words such as "walk," "out" and "play" and placed the buttons around the house. Lexi used the button near the door and pressed "walk" a couple of times, which was very exciting, though the family still is not sure whether it was intentional or a lucky coincidence.
Lexi walks with two special dog friends, Adley, who lives across the street, and Greta, who lives in Myers Park. Her people's favorite things to do with her include morning strolls through the neighborhood, treat runs to Hollywood Feed, playing with her ball and, of course, snuggling.
A guardian home
Lexi's story is a little unusual: the Remsens were initially her guardian home. A guardian family raises a breeder's dog as its own pet while the breeder keeps her for breeding. Lexi had two litters of puppies, and about two weeks before each litter arrived she went to stay with her breeder, remaining there while her puppies were born and weaned.
Becoming a guardian family was not something the Remsens had planned. When they contacted the breeder, she told them she was looking for a guardian home for Lexi. They did their research, discussed it as a family and agreed it was something they could do. They were even able to visit Lexi and her puppies at the breeder's, and, Remsen writes, they were all incredibly cute.
Water dog
Lexi loves traveling with the family, especially when water is involved. At Lake James she becomes completely obsessed with getting down to the lake and gets a wild, determined look in her eyes whenever she thinks someone might be headed toward the water. "She may love it a little too much!" Remsen writes.
What the family loves most about Lexi is her kind soul and her beautiful eyes. She is their first family dog together, and she has set the bar very high. Grammy and Grampy, along with several other sitters, care for her when the family travels. They always miss her when they are away, but it helps to know she is enjoying a vacation of her own.
"Lexi has brought so much sweetness, laughter and love into our home," Remsen writes. "She is truly the heart of our family." For anyone considering a doodle, the Remsens can say they make wonderful companions and become part of the family.
This story appears in the September 2026 issue of Stroll Dilworth.