Today’s Pup Close and Purrsonal is from Jacob Gonzalez, Vice President of Asset Management. Along with his wife, son and daughter, Jacob’s family includes both a dog and a cat. Their dog is a Red Heeler, also known as an Australian Cattle Dog. The “heeler” part of the name comes from the breed’s tendency to nip at the heels of cattle as a way of herding, and the name red heeler or blue heeler is a reference to the color of their coat. Jacob’s pup is red or ruby colored and named Ruby Sue McClanahan, a homage to the red-headed actress that played Blanche Devereaux on “The Golden Girls.”
Miles “Kittie” Davis is their beautiful, long-haired black feline and “very cool,” like jazz legend Miles Davis. An indoor/outdoor cat, Miles is a great mouser and loves to hunt for rodents and other small animals. He also likes to bring the dead critters home to deposit them proudly at the front door. If you’ve ever wondered why cats leave “gifts” for their owners in the form of dead animals, chalk it up to their instinct to hunt prey and feed their loved ones.
Miles also has been known to go after bigger game. Coming home one night, the family saw a fox in the backyard. As they drove up the driveway, Miles appeared out of nowhere and chased the fox off. While Miles is more of the “guard cat” of the family, Ruby Sue’s job is to keep everyone in line. She keeps a watchful eye over their movements, often nudging them along as if herding them like cattle. She’s also a good trail companion and accompanies the family on hikes. Where the Gonzalez family goes, the pets go, Jacob says. They are part of the family.
Tell us about your furry family members and beloved pets. Click this link to download the form. Return to TheScruff@lhp.net. Speaking of beloved four-footed friends, The Scruff reminds everyone: please spay or neuter your pets.
