Parade of Pets: Best Friends

We got Monty at the pound about eight years ago, shortly after we got married. At the time, they said he was a Chow and Lab mix. We don’t know what he is exactly, but we call him a Pitbull-Wiener dog. Walking down the street with Monty is like walking with a celebrity, everyone stops and points at him. Some time I just want to be anonymous and walk my dog.

Lola is a nine-month-old Holland Lop, and Olive is a baby “Cavajack.” Once Olive stopped chewing on Lola’s ears, they settled into an easy friendship.

Timber is rescue dog from PAWS. We got him as a companion for our first dog Zach, but shortly before Christmas Zach suddenly died and we were all left heartbroken. During a photo trip to Molbacs, we ran in to Santa who graciously sat down with Timber and listened to his Christmas wishes. It was a precious moment (Santa even got a kiss!).

Griffin and Grommit just relocated to Kirkland from Boulder, Colorado. When the real estate agent came through the house to put it up for sale, she snapped this picture, insisting it would get buyers in. The house hasn’t sold yet, but Griffin and Grommit are enjoying their new yard in Kirkland!

Sasparilla (Sassy) is our four-year-old Old English Sheepdog, whom we rescued two years ago. Once shy and reserved, she is now extremely outgoing after months of encouraging her to greet new people rather than hide. Somewhere along the way, Sassy discovered that her tongue could be used to give big sloppy wet kisses, and she uses it quite often. After a barbecue with some friends at our home this spring, we took the kids out front to play and let Sassy run loose with them. She seemed to have a desire to stick close to Brenden, the youngest of the bunch (only two years old), who was enjoying his time loving on Sassy, but kept getting big wet kisses from her on his little face. So, just after Sassy did a big lick from his chin to his brow, Brenden took Sassy’s face in his hands and stuck his tongue out and… Well, you can imagine the gasps from all of us parents who witnessed this, and the burst of laughter after realizing what had just happened.

We were a little worried about how our first “baby” (the furry one) would react to our first human one. Our little girl was born with jaundice and in this picture is wrapped up lying on the bili-bed with Atticus keeping faithful watch over her. The start of many years of protecting “his” baby, I’m sure.

This is Mr. Bear. He is a Great Pyrenees who is eight years old. He doesn’t know he weighs in at 150 and thinks he is a lap dog. He is the sweetest of the sweet and can sit on my lap anytime he wants to.

These two dogs are unlikely buddies. Abby, a sheltie mix, was a rescue dog, and Zoe was just a pup when they got acquainted. Since then, they have been inseparable—always doing everything together.

Enzo and Isabella were still a little scared to venture too far from the porch, especially if the cat was out, so they would just sit on the porch and watch.

Maxwell and his new little brother Bentley playing nice for the camera!

I was getting my hair done at my best friend’s wedding. James was scared of the photographers, so he jumped onto my lap and gave his best smile!

Chammy always "sat’ at the table with us—never begged, but just assumed she was welcome. (She was.) We said goodbye to her last year after almost 15 years together. She was one in a million!

This is (from left to right) Cooper, Miles and Oliver. They each belong to different families, but all come to the dog park with me prepared for the weather in their fashionable raincoats. I am their dog walker.

Karma needs to check out everything that comes into our apartment, including the toy pony we purchased at Costco.

When we got her, Bearclaw was so tiny she fit in my Christmas stocking.

Zeus and Louis are constantly battling for everyone’s attention, but one day they both sat civilly on my lap and got along, maybe a little too well. The picture shows them holding hands.