These are my little friends. On the left is Teddie Bear, and on the right is Lucky Freedom. Lucky freedom is mix-bread (mostly Lab). She is now 7 years old. She must have been a cat in a previous life. She hates water, which is strange considering the Lab in her. She licks legs just like a cat, and she likes to be by herself most of the time, except when she is looking for affection, at which point she wants to sit on your lap.

We got her from our local animal shelter when she was 6 weeks old in the summer. We provided one of those kiddie pools for her to keep cool. She would only use the thing as a very large water bowl to drink from. No amount of coaxing would get her to go in. Likewise she hates it when it rains, and will hold in her own water to avoid having to go out at those times.


She is as smart as a whip. She understand most things I say to her; I do try to keep it simple though. She can even say the word "out" when she wants to go there. My wife and I, often have to resort to spelling words in order to keep things from her. As far as I know she doesn't know how to spell; however if we continue to spell words around her, she will figure it out.


Teddy is another story, let's just say he is "as smart as rock". They say you can divide pet intelligence with a simple test. Point at something. The rocks will stare at your finger, the whips will look in the direction you are pointing. He is quite lovable, and tries hard to gain affection.

Like Lucky he also came from a broken home. In his case he was being shuttled from one family to the next. Nobody wanted him. He does have some behavior problems. He does not respond well to being left alone. We have to cordon him off from any food source, since he does not seem capable of controlling himself, but that a story for a different day.

Unlike lucky he is always starving for attention and affection. He is a big baby. And when I say big I mean big. He is 80 pounds of solid mass, but he thinks he is feather and will try to climb all over you; he also thinks he is a lap dog.