We have Priscilla Abigale, a blue roan cocker spaniel, Prissy for short - she was Jim's birthday present 10 years ago (soon to be 11 years old). Soon after getting her Jim ended up in the hospital with a 4 way by-pass, only to have new arteries collapse so back in he goes for more work...Anyhoo, she became attached at the hip with Jim, cockers tend to pick one master anyway. Since Jim could no longer work he helped train her. Put her in a room and me and Jim at opposite sides, she will choose Daddy every time. She knows when he is not feeling well, she becomes very clingy to him, follows his every step.

She does let me clip her toes, check her ears, the normal things you must do for a cocker, she is loving and knows I am mommy, but daddy is alpha dog and I accept that. (plus she knows I am the one who feeds her lol) and I am greeted with kisses when I come home from work. Prissy has the typical cocker issues, ear problems, severe allergies, even a touch of the small hip problem and knee problems. She has skin issues which she really hates when I have to bath her in the medicated shampoo, but she does so knowing 'mommy gives cookies' for each time I have to do something to her. but she allows me to do so, giving the occasional kiss in the process, thinking I'll stop maybe. Now she doesn't get around as easy any more, arthritis, etc and try getting 3 pills into her has become a challenge.

She is very smart, shy around other people, obeys, knows various doggy tricks, knows the names of her toys. Toys are favorite things for her. She thinks every toy is her's. She will take the cat's toys and sit there with them in her mouth looking at you with those big ole eyes, begging to be allowed to keep it, or I get the "don't know what you are talking about look, while the toy hangs out of her mouth. Now we have her sister..............

Cecillia Rose is my heart, she is a standard size chihauhau, has a weight issue (ever seen a 21 lb chihauhau LOL), my sis calls it being 'fluffy'. lol. She also has the throat problem, and knee probs chis get...so much for buying pedigrees....But we finally have her down to 14 lbs, hard work but we have done it and still do so.

She is now 9 years old, also shy in her behavior. If you touch her wrong or even if she thinks you are going to touch her wrong she will yelp as if we did something horrible to her. Runs at the slightest indication if she thinks I am going to do her toes, etc....but let a deer, wolf, or skunk come into the yard and she is off in a heart beat chasing, or attempting to chase the critter out of the yard. She refuses to sit with me in my easy chair, since that has been the place I would do toe nails etc..but she will cuddle all night long beside me in the bed, or let me go into the bathroom, she wants to sit on my lap (now that is TMI for ya lol)

She really doesn't play with toys, obeys when it suits her. If we let her out of the fenced section she is on a long rope to wander the yard since she loves to explore. Say the word "go bye bye" and she races thru the house so excited.

This now brings us to Harley, our wild red headed child. He is a cat, going on 6 years old. Our next door neighbor's cat decided to have children and we ended up with one. Harley took over the house, it became his play room. Even Prissy at first watched over him as a mommy would, would follow him around, washing him....until he got bigger !.

Harley will terrorize the dogs, they are his own play toys, he will jump us in a heart beat, at first we were walking across the floor with a cat attached at the ankles. He is learning to leave CeeCee alone, squirt bottles make great training aids. Prissy can handle her own with him, and when she barks at him, he knows to calm down.

He is a great hunter, starts in one window, sees something and will run thru the mobile home, checking each window to watch what ever critter may be wandering thru. He is able to see around the whole mobile home by this method of patrolling.

He has a favorite toy, a little monkey that now has the fur worn off it, but it is his side kick. He enjoys the pastic balls with the bells in it, and give him a piece of crumpled tin foil and he is in 7th heaven. and the amazing thing, he does not bother the feathered babies we have ...he knows they are part of the pack.

We have Ralph, a parolet who is 4 inches in height, full grown. He is almost 7 years old and can a handfull, but at the same time very affectionate. When he wants attention he will holler "come here". He can speak a few other words and many nonsense whistles etc...but adorable.....and of course we have added to our crew, the newest baby - Rufus a young cockatiel....can it be we will have one quiet baby in the house.

They keep you on your toes, teach you patience, watch out for daddy and just by their actions I can tell when he is lying to me regarding how he feels lol. They don't judge, as long as I have hidden the meds for Prissy inside some peanut butter she is happy and as long as I chop up CeeCee's green beans she also is a happy camper lol.

Of course now if I can teach Harley some patience and how to stay out of my cheerios I'd be a happy camper.

...and somewhere there is also a hubby among this crew of ours lol