I am a crazy, pet magnet. Really. Every pet that has entered my life has been, well, a bit odd.

Like my sister’s goldfish, Gibraltar. She won him at a fair when I was in 2nd grade. He died when I graduated college! My mom swore the day he was brought home he would end up flushed in about a week. But, Gibraltar saw us grow up, sent us on our first dates, saw us off to prom, moved us to college. He was a real part of the family. Our theory on his long life was the microwave. His bowl was directly next to it, so maybe the radiation was some kind of magic elixir? Sure, he lost scales and looked like he was growing a third eye, (I’m sure botox will have the same effect, eventually), but he was alive and swimmin’.

I also had a blue bird named Bluey. Ok, so I wasn’t the most creative child. Maybe I ate too much glue? But, Bluey apparently was out of Hitchcock’s “The Birds”. He used to torment and fight with my sister’s bird. And when he got loose in the house, forget about it– it took a couple of hours, and bites, to get him back in his cage.

And as I’ve aged I’ve still managed to somehow get attached to slightly imperfect pets. Here are the profiles of my current lovable wackadoos:

Sadie (a.k.a. Senorita Poopie Pants): 5-year-old, plus-size, chocolate lab, with an affinity for bagels and hatred for squirrels and lettuce.
Crazy Traits: Barking until her eyes are blood shot, stealing napkins and napkin rings, snoring, and scratching and sniffing her ears.

Bianca (a.k.a. Yanca Bear): 4-year-old Wheaten Terror (I mean, Terrier) with circus-esque talents, and the ability to lick you to the point that you feel like you showered (and yet you feel dirtier).
Crazy Traits: Taking flying leaps like a Cirque du Soleil performer, licking all furniture, hiding from the wind, and giving you dirty looks when you sneeze.

Ralph (a.k.a. Ralphie): 3 or 4-year-old Orange Tabby adopted from the PSPCA, loves wearing a tie for guests, cuddling with his Teddy Bear, and playing fetch.
Crazy Traits: Sharpening his claws on the mattress, chasing me through the condo, and biting me when he gets that crazy look in his eye

And me? I’m just your typical animal lover who just can’t have enough fur kids. But, don’t worry. I know how many pets I can and can’t handle. Ok, it’s my landlord who told me how many pets I can handle. So, to fill the void, I volunteer my time on weekends at a local animal shelter. I absolutely recommend volunteering to everyone.

And make me feel better, will ya? I opened up about my nutty bunch. Do your pets have some crazy tendencies?

I hope they do–because that’s what makes them all the more lovable.

Tags : bianca, crazy pets, ralph, sadie

When Sadie “walks” it’s more like “pulls”. When we ask her if she wants to go for a w-a-l-k, she starts zoomin’ around the house, so fast she skids head-first into the walls, jumps with all of her 75lbs right on top of you, and just can’t contain herself.

We like to think we’re bringing her this joy and taking her for a walk, but she’s walking us…That’s for sure.

She pulls and tugs and yanks. We’ve tried to get her to walk like “a lady”, but she’s more like a freight train, steaming ahead, thrashing through and intimidating anything (or dog) that comes in her way.

She also sounds like a 50-year smoker when she “pulls”. Hacking and panting…

But, she does know one thing…Never cross the street without looking. She walks to the corner. Stops. And until you say “go” she just waits like a little soldier. That’s a great thing all dogs, and we of course, need to know.

But, the sweetest part of the walk is when she “looks back”. Maybe your dog does this, too…

She walks ahead, all independent as if she’s taking charge, but at times, she has to look back at you to make sure you’re still there. We’re attached with the leash, Sades, come on! But, it’s deeper than that.

She looks at you with those little green eyes and those cute eyelashes to ensure our bond is still real, our connection is still there…It’s deeper than just that “leashed” connection. It’s an unspoken (unbarked?) bond only true friends would understand…We seek approval, loyalty, companionship from each other.

Photo: This shot was after a long walk through the development with dad. It clearly depicts the panting, the yanking, the pulling, the excitement of her daily strolls through the neighborhood.

Ah, a dog’s life.

Tags : sadie, walks