A Look At Our Furry Families

This past Saturday the team at BK Publishing decided to give a helping hand and volunteer at Wetnose. It was a blast and actually got us to talking about our own little loves. So here we are - pets 'n all:

Benoit and Hansa

I have an Africanis dog named Hansa. He's 8 months old and full of energy! He is a wonderful companion and he runs like the wind when he is in the veld. He sometimes drags his blanket or pillow to where we are so that he can sleep close to us. When he is really lazy or tired he eats out of his bowl while lying down with his front legs on each side of the bowl. He makes chimpanzee sounds when he is looking for us around the house. We go for a run most mornings and he goes hiking everywhere with us. He goes to puppy school on Saturdays and often visits my parents to play with his best friend Channel.

Andrea, Jessie and Jilly

We haven't had pets for a long time (our garden is too small), but when we lived in a bigger house with a huge garden, we had two really cool dogs – a fox-terrier/bull terrier mix named Jessie and a Dachshund named Jilly, among a menagerie of two budgies, several goldfish, silkworms and a hamster. What I loved most about them is that they were really a big part of our childhood. Jessie was a real love of a dog – very loyal. Jilly thought she was the Queen of Everything (typical snobbish behaviour of a Dachshund, but somehow endearing). Jessie was a bit crazy and ran around screeching at dragonflies with a Coke bottle hanging out the side of her mouth. She would also jump up against the side of walls like a free runner. Jilly would try and copy Jessie with a Coke bottle, but would end up just chewing on the bottles instead. My sister and I used to give them treats and flowers off one of the bushes in our garden. Somehow they thought they were tasty (a bit weird, I know...). Jessie was a bit difficult to hug as she jumped around a lot like a little lamb, but Jilly loved laying in front of the heater or having a bath, lifting a leg at a time to scrub her tummy with shampoo.

Julia, Xena, Rambo and Kitty Anne

I’ve got two dogs, namely Rambo and Xena. Rambo and Xena are brother and sister, and both are Boerboels. We got them as puppies in 2005, when my sister and I returned from our trip to England - it was a surprise from my parents. Both our dogs are named after fictional heroes. Xena specifically was named after my favourite TV programme as a child called Xena: Warrior Princess.I’ve also got a cat named Kitty Anne. Kitty Anne was adopted. She showed up at our house one day and we all fell in love with her. Now she’s taken over the house! My doggies and cat aren’t just pets, they're part of the family. Rambo is the serious one in the pack, whereas Xena is the caring one who is very sensitive to human emotions. The cutest things they've ever done? Rambolikes battling the war of the blankets and laundry day. If you are looking for a missing sock, the one to ask is Rambo. He’s our resident wolf because he literally howls like a wolf sometimes. He is also our weatherman. We always know when the rain is coming. Rambo likes to go for drives on the back of our bakkie, but Xena is very afraid! So be warned if he jumps up... you first need to go for a drive, otherwise you will never get him off. Xenahas the cutest face, but she’s very naughty! She is the healthiest dog we’ve ever had! We’ve got a mango and plum tree in the yard, and Xena loves eating the fruits from the tree. I love how she always wants to play, but don’t underestimate her... she’s fast and very strong! Often Xena will give you this look and stare... then you know she wants more cuddles and attention... she loves to be stroked behind the ears.

Mari, Jacky and Sparky

I have a mixed-Dachshund called Jacky and my fiancé and I

have a lively Jack Russell called Sparky. Sparky doesn't live with me though. I love how much emotion they show - Jacky gets annoyed if I go away for long periods and shows it by ignoring me for a couple of hours after I get home. It's actually sweet! Sparky is just such a bundle of love and hyper-activity, if he wants some food or attention he just suddenly becomes a cute and calm little man who just wants to cuddle. When Jacky wants attention she starts to doggie-talk, making funny noises with quiet barks and growls. It's a continual cutest thing. One time we got Sparky a new dog-tag for his collar, it was a tubby thing, silver and glittery. He was so confused by this new thing hanging under his chin, he tried to catch it by swinging his head and hopping around - too funny! They get special dog food and quaint bedding both inside the house and in the garden. Every now and then we get them a little treat. There is no doubt about the amount of cuddles and playtime they get on a daily basis. I love my little man and old lady!

Nadia and her animal farm

Three doggies and a cat. The dogs are two Yorkshire terriers named Lady Francesca, "Lady" for short, and Jessie who is her momma. We also have an old, white Maltese poodle named Holly, however, she goes by many different names including Lolly, Lolly Pop, Louise and Lovings. Our kitty cat, named Savana, is a bit of a wild child that roams the streets of Faerie Glen and only returns to sit on my legs while I am sleeping. I love that they are the the last creatures to wish me well when I leave the house in the morning and the first to greet me when I come back. They think I'm awesome. Lady is a very sensitive little pup and whenever I am sad she will come find me and crawl onto my lap. She is my sunshine. Our dogs and cat are treated like queens. Everyday they get a mixture of pellets, chicken and pets' mince. At least once or twice a week they get to travel around the block and bark at the other doggies. Best of all is that they get to sleep under my covers until I leave home and sometimes they just stay there until I get back.

We would like to dedicate this post to Jessie, who passed away over the weekend - rest well baby girl!