Fur Inc.

Our dogs are part of a network of pets from the neighborhood. They gather most afternoons at 4:00 p.m. and whenever an emergency meeting is required. Most are fenced or tethered within sight of Bosco and Smooch (pictured ). They try to all get outside at the same time and exchange information about kitty sightings, unacceptable pedestrian traffic and dogs from rival gangs.

Fur Inc.'s roster:

Boomer: Irish setter lab mix. He's the biggest, oldest, and has seniority in the neighborhood. When Boomer barks all gang members are expected to gather.

Smooch: She is second in command. Experience and aggressiveness are her assets. She is the only one to challenge Boomer and seems to be consulted in closed meetings. She is the "muscle" of the family despite her small size.

Bosco: He is Smooch's sister. With her, he has street cred On his own, he is at the bottom of the pyramid. Bosco doesn't act unless Smooch tells him to. He specializes in kitty control.

Hunter: Spitz mix. He is on a short leash as he has jumped the fence. He's all noise. He did teach Bosco how to pee on stuff and get that leg way up there.

Sugar and Midnight: a.k.a "The Puppies" They are lab / shepherd mixes and the youngest members. They love to romp in the backyard and join in on barking sprees. Smooch and Boomer have little control over them. Bosco loves to play with them along the fence.

Rowdy: A pit bull mix. He breaks loose and is a wannabee. All dogs come out to run him off despite his gentlemanly ways with people.

Ricky: Miniature Schnauzer. He too breaks loose from the south side and is held by Bosco and Smooch until the owner rounds him up.

Phoebe: Lab mix. She is behind a privacy fence most of the time and is only a part-timer. She does not like Smooch and Bosco.

Chico: He's a kitty that has been around so much that Bosco even has stopped frantically barking at him. He's the only cat that dares enter the Fur Inc. perimeter.

My dogs live for this. They sit at the window most of the day waiting for something to happen.