This page is dedicated to all of the animals that have touched my life, past and present. 
They are the reason that my heart beats so true.
This is my daughter, Hershey, when she was a baby. She was born on December 8, 1995. She is a purebred Chocolate Labrador Retriever. Her official registered name with the American Kennel Club is "La Chienne du Chocolat" which is French for "The Chocolate Dog". Cute, huh? Hershey has been with me since she was 7 weeks old and weighed only 10 pounds. Now she's nearing 6 years old and weighs 85 pounds. She has grown up so much, so quickly. She is a member of the family. To her, I am "mommy", and so she is my daughter. She follows me around the house when I'm home, and when I'm not she misses me. I am told that she sits by the door waiting for me. I look forward to coming home to her friendly wagging greeting. I have all sorts of fun nicknames I call her, like "Hershpersh", "Hootch-monger", "Herkyperky", and other such variations. If you
E-mail Hershey she's likely to respond!
"Bullet Dog" by Kim Johnson
It all started on December 8, 1995. Who would have guessed that one of the many chocolate labrador retriever puppies born on that day would soon become the infamous Bullet Dog? Her extraordinary talents would captivate the whole world's attention even before she was four months old. I'm sure that you've heard of her before. She's an adorable puppy now living in the small town of Moorpark, California who can destroy anything in sight in record time, perform unbelievable tricks, and run at astonishing speeds. 
When I talked my parents into letting me get my own dog that I would take care of, it was planned that she would be an outside dog. 
When she was a little puppy I felt so bad about leaving her alone outside that they said I could keep her in my room until she got bigger. Well, she got bigger, and bigger, and bigger until she could get no bigger. Now that she was used to sleeping inside, I couldn't throw her out in the cold. So, she stayed in. The only problem now is that she still jumps up on the bed to sleep with me and usually wants my pillow. Imagine how fun it is to be woken by a giant, chocolate, hairy, slobbery beasty girl laying on your head. That's okay. I love her with all my heart!
Here is a collage I made of my little wonder. When we first got her, she was shy for a few days. After a while her wild side came out. She has so much energy! I don't know where she gets it. She never really destroyed anything major (like a lawn sprinkler system- I've heard those stories, too), but she had her share of "no-no's". She still "bullets". That's what we call her- a Bullet Dog. I'm sure your dog does it too. To better describe this immense force she carries around with her, I'd like to share a tall tale that my sister wrote about Hershey.
Bullet Dog is a born destroyer. She has six-inch razor sharp teeth that can shred even the toughest metals known to man. Her beautiful yet devious eyes can detect exactly what not to destroy, and her erratic mind then orders her to destroy it. Her mouth can open a foot wide so that she can swallow almost anything. Her stomach is lined with stell, and she has to constantly chew and swallow valuable items to satisfy her extreme hunger. She is able to eat an entire car in under an hour.
Bullet Dog can also do amazing tricks. Her hind legs help to propel her to heights of up to ten feet. This allows her to tackle even the tallest of men. While flying throught the air during a jump, she readies her claws and teeth to attack her prey. She has been known to attack men, women, chidren, pets, and many exotic animals such as the sliding glass door. All animals are helpless during her attacks.
Not only can Bullet Dog attack and destroy, but she also has the capability to run at speeds of up to fifty miles an hour. During a burst of energy, she races through any obstacles, knocking over people, furniture, and even trees. Her running skills enable her to evade any person who atempts to take away her precious toys.
Yes, Bullet Dog is an astonishing animal. It may sound unbelievable, but this tale is based on a real-life situation. And, I'm proud to say that it's my situation.
Here are Hershey and I. We participated in the Big Dog Parade in Santa Barbara in 1999. Over 500 dogs and their human pals marched down State Street. Hershey is disguised as a Hershey's chocolate bar. Clever, eh? And here's a cool fisheye shot of a big nose Hersh titled "Got Kleenex?"
Aside from my dog, I also have a fish aquariums. I started out ten years ago with a 10 gallon tank, then 20 gallons, then 60 gallons, then 135 gallons. I've been through fresh and salt water tanks several times. Currently I just have a 30 gallon fresh water tank set up. I used to have
two Columbian shark catfish (Arius seemani). They had poisonous venom in the cartlage of their dorsal fin. I got stuck when cleaning the tank once and my hand swelled up for days. The larger measured 18" long and the other is 17" long. I also had a white gourami that was 14" long. I don't know if you can really tell who's who in the picture. The gourami is named Casper. I hand-fed the two catfish and Casper each night.I just dis-assembled my 135 gallon that was set up as a saltwater reef. Far too much work and money involved to keep it up.
Good luck to you, Scout, in your new home.
Hershey is almost 6 years old now. Time passes so quickly. In that time we have been through a lot. Hershey has chronic ear infections, severe atopic allergies paired with several skin conditions, and has even had tumors surgically removed. So many times my heart has stopped when I thought this was the last I'd see of her. Yet, somehow, we pull through it all, together. Always stronger than before. I would carry the world for her, and she for me.
In Memorium to Those That Were Lost Along the Way
Nigel and Cody- We had both of them since they were kittens. Three days before Thanksgiving Cody disappeared. Two nights later Nigel was gone. They were taken by coyotes. We live in the center of a large housing tract, but the coyotes still travel deep inside residential areas. To those of you in the same type of area with cats that roam around at night, just becareful. I suggest giving them an escape route into the garage through a side vent. That way they do have somewhere safe to run. We miss you Nigel and Cody!
Heidi Melody and Petey
Dixie Bruiser
Nigel Cody
Molly was a nice blue rat. Unfortuneately Molly was plagued with tumors and had to be set free. Now she romps on the other side of the rainbow.She was fun to play with because she craved human contact. If you walked away she'd follow you, and if she couldn't see you she'd follow the sound of your voice. We miss you, Molly...especially AJ.
