Our Monkeys

I'm also going out of town to visit family this weekend then on a business trip next weekend, so I'm feeling a bit sad about leaving our monkeys, the pet name for our furry friends. 

Reagan & Duckie

The first two are Duckie & Reagan. I got them when they were 4 weeks old. They're coming up on their 6th birthday! I was living with some friends for two months. Over Memorial Day weekend one of my roommate's mother's cat had kittens. They were going out of town so asked that we watch the four kittens. Well we returned the momma cat two weeks later, but kept the kittens.

 I took the two females and they took the two males. Duckie is the talker. She meows allllll the time. She's also big & fluffy and has a habit of knocking things off tables.She curls up into the oddest places. She is the king of the dogs, er queen. She just walks past the dogs and has a cool attitude. They generally leave her alone, because of that. We say she occasionally gets lost, because she'll go upstairs and meow in meow that sounds like a "hello?" If you call her she comes running, as if "Oh! You're finally here!"

Reagan

 Reagan is the sweetheart. She's the only animal that comes every time I call. I pat my chest & say "Kitty" or "Reagan" and she wakes up and comes running. She is definitely a needy cat. She has to be on my lap at all times. She also drools...yes I have a cat that drools. It's gross. If she could spend her life on my lap, I think she would. She's more skittish with the dogs and has no problem swatting them if they get too close. She loves the window sills, especially when the window is open.

Gus with Rhino, his hamster.

He lays like that...all the time...

 Gus has been our learning experience. He was our first dog. Gus is a pure bred chocolate lab. He was born in July 2008, and we found him on Craig's List in March 2009. So he was 8 months old. The family was moving and couldn't take him. Good gravy he's been a handful! He had to have shots before we got him, because he found a copper head in the back yard and was playing with it. Aside from crying the entire way back to the house, when we got him, he's completely ours.  He loves his momma, and as such my little man has some severe separation anxiety! He chewed out of his crate one day, as seen here. He was able to open the closet door, even if we tied rope from the door around a large cage. He'd sneak himself in (and then would lock himself in).  He was house trained, and my Dad leash trained him with us. He's finally over his chewing stage (calmed down about June of last year). 

He loves trash (once ate old previously-frozen sausage out of the trash...he's gross...). We could let him have free range of the house if it weren't for the trash can. He's smart too. He can beg, give you his paw to "Say hello", will then give you "both hands", he knows the "Go Dawgs" cheer, jump through a hula hoop, "Bang Bang You're Dead," and Rollover. He cycles through them all when you have a treat. Almost like..okay I did them all! Now where's my treat. He likes to lay between Alex & I...adding to his momma's boy, neediness.

 He also loves water. We had to get him a life jacket, because he just kept swimming. He'd wear himself out! He's super sweet and a momma's boy. If I fall asleep on the couch, wake up in the middle of the night (realizing oh crap, I'm still on the couch), he's right there with me. He's gotta a little barky lately towards other dogs. He sounds a lot more ferocious than he is, but good gravy that's our next big project...curb the barking! In the furniture he's gnawed on, carpet he's chewed up, doors his scratched, clothes/shoes he's chewed...we've learned to control our anger & have patience.As you can see, he's a total ham.

Then came Lucy. Alex felt lonely, because I'd end up with all 3 of the animals sitting on my lap (I have no idea how it was possible). He wanted his own dog. So last June/July, we went to the Animal Shelter looking for a Boston Terrier. We ended up seeing Lucy. Don't go to the animal shelter at lunch and not expect to come home with a dog. So we picked her up a few days later (after they spayed her), and brought her home. She's become the bully of the group. Gus is pretty good about taking it, but it runs on her time. They play constantly, sometimes a little rough, but they are constantly playing. 


She still has some accidents, so she's not allowed out during the day yet. Hopefully that will change, but Gus sleeps in my closet during the day so I'm sure he won't actually like that. Lucy, while we call her dumb because she's clumsy, has learned quite a few tricks. She can give you her paw, beg, and moon walk (stand on her hind legs and walk backwards). She almost has "twirl" down, where she twirls on her hind legs. She's learned some manners in the last 9 months and is absolutely one of the family. She likes to hide behind cushions, dig between the cushions, take something she shouldn't have and run up under the bed with it. If you get it while she's still playing keep away, you're fine. If not, she'll destroy it. She's eaten numerous pairs of glasses (hence my switch to contacts). Oh she also chewed up & ate her rabies & ID tag...they were metal. She's awesome like that...

The four never cease to amaze me. They generally all get along relatively well.