Our Canine Family,
2002

Max & Missy
Max, rescued pound-puppy extraordinaire,
is the protector of the backyard; which shares a rear fence with the
neighborhood elementary school. When noisy kids or dogs are about,
Max is there at the fence to remind them of HIS territory & to make little girls squeal when he sneaks up on & startles them with a
sudden LOUD Bark!
Max is a very independent dog. He is almost the perfect gentleman on a
leash, obeying every command like the olde pro he wants you to think he
is. But, when the leash is removed, his attention is easily
distracted and your commands are no longer of any interest; until the
distraction has subsided, anyway. He can NOT be trusted off
leash. He IS an affection hound, though. He will not leave
your side, if you are still touching him. 'Course, this usually
means you are close enough to sneak a lick of every now & then.
Missy is the destroyer of the backyard.
She is a golden retriever, and as everyone knows, is the result of
breeding a mole with a beaver. If it has hard or crunchy bits, then
she must EAT it, or reduce it to sawdust & wood slithers if it doesn't
taste good enough. Our large roses bushes were chewed to mere stumps
left in the ground. Otherwise, she digs it up to have another LARGE
hole to lie in. Ain't I cute?!? Gotta LOVE me!

Missy wondering if this camera is some EVIL dog-torture device!
Although she often had a beautiful smile on her face, she rarely showed
it to the camera. She was an affectionate girl who could lick your
hand, face, whatever, for nearly as many hours as Max.

Missy snacking on a nice delicious STICK!
During the 2nd week of October-2002, Missy found and ate an
old, moldy black walnut from the neighbor's tree. Although she had eaten,
& thoroughly enjoyed, freshly-dropped walnuts from this tree for
years, she must have found a very-old one under some shrubbery.
The neuro-toxin, that the mold (internal to the walnut's shell) produces
after a long exposure to moisture, poisoned her. :-( Even
after the stomach-pumping, charcoal, & heavy narcotics, her subsequent grand-mal seizures
were devastating & uncontrollable. She was relieved of her
misery on Sunday morning, October 13, 2002, at the age of 8 years old.
Rest in Peace, Missy.
An incredible void was left in our family. :-( But,
thankfully, not for very long. Kate, all of 8-weeks old, came home
in early November.
Introducing Kate!

Kate looking for that elusive rope!

I think she found it!

Bigger ropes with BIG SOCCER BALLS attached are cool too!!!

With the superior stealth techniques that only a puppy can fathom,
she stalks Max's BIG bone!

Careful now, it might bite BACK!!!

OK, its MINE now!!!

Kate & Max

Kate & her cat bell!
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