And All the Rest...

So now that you've met the brown dogs, I guess I should take a moment to mention US, the rest of the family! We are all just living life in the brown dogs' world, but I suspect that counts for something!

The Fluffy One: Hannibal

Hannibal (or "Hannibal the Catibal") was the first pet that the Brown Dog Dad and I had as a couple. She was adopted in June of 2001 in South Philadelphia from a pet store where she had been dropped on the doorstep (she was not purchased). We had been thinking about getting a cat and were at this pet store just looking around when I heard a meow coming from somewhere in the back room. I asked an employee if they had cats and he said they just had the one who had been left in a box on their stoop. He brought her out of the cage she was in and placed her on the counter. She instantly stood up on her back legs with her front paws on each of my shoulders and licked my nose. Instant love.

Hannibal (named after the infamous cannibal because of the white "mask" on her face) is a sweet lady who gets along decently with the brown dogs so long as she can jump up on a counter out of their way and observe from a distance. She is curious, but not THAT curious.

The Grouch: Justice

Justice (full name: Dance Floor Justice) was adopted in 2002 as a friend for Hannibal from the ASPCA. He was a total mush at the shelter and had us good and fooled until we got home where he began his takeover. Justice was unfortunately declawed by a previous owner too late in life and as a result remembers the pain of his declaw very clearly. He is very skittish about having his paws touched and is also the only "biter" in the house. Zero to sixty, he will be sitting on someone's lap very nicely and instead of getting up when he is ready, he will bite and then run. He was returned four times to the ASPCA for biting, though we now know what pushes his buttons and do our best to keep him happy. He is also a "boxer" and can bat so hard that he will leave a bruise. In spite of all of this, he is a great lap cat and gives excellent massages by making "biscuit paws" on your back!

The Brown Dog Mom is the single object of Justice's affection and he will become very jealous if she is spending time with another pet or with the Brown Dog Dad. Somehow everyone manages to exist peacefully despite the fact that Probert seems to think that any display of hissing and batting is all part of a game! Probert has taken a few wacks to the face because of this, and once in a while Justice will find himself covered in dog lick. No major injuries to date.

The Dad and Mom: Shawn and Nicole

Shawn and Nicole have been married for 6 years and both share a love of animals. They are both longtime vegetarians (Nicole is a vegan). Shawn is a collector of action figures and comic books and is currently back in school for his PhD in Pharmacy. Nicole works in publishing and as a yoga teacher and is a full-time yogi. Back since the days when Cornholio could hear they have been known as "guy" and "girl" to The Pups. "Go find your guy/girl" is a command in our house that will be followed by the sound of 12 paws running full speed through the house (and 8 paws scrambling to get out of the way).