Well... I guess I get to tick both boxes!
The pic below is our very first family dog, Bandit. We picked him up back in 2004, the runt of the litter, as he was hiding in the far corner of the dog kennel when we went to pick one out from the litter that the family had for sale after he and his siblings were 6 weeks old. He's a mixed-lab, turns 13 years next month, and is the smartest dog alive today on the entire planet. And, getting more stubborn and fussy in his old age, but I guess he's earned it for being such a loyal best friend all these years. Definitely showing his age with his mobility, and just recently recovered from a life-threatening bout of pneumonia about a month ago. He's doing well, and still enjoying the chicken-and-rice meals that I've decided to cook for him unconditionally since, until the day comes when we have to do the unthinkable. Hey - it's the least I can do for a friend who's been there for me all these years.
And then we have his little brother, Duke... Duke is a Yorkshire Terrier, just turned 7 years old. The daughter (who was 13 at the time) begged and pleaded for a companion for Bandit. "Dad, I promise - I'll take care of him and you won't have to do anything!" Famous last words... Well, Duke being a full-breed Yorkie and full of energy - not only did his big brother find him an absolute nuisance - but the daughter found him to be a bit overly energetic. Which, obviously, meant that yours truly ended up taking care of him.
He's calmed down considerably over the years, to the point where big brother tolerates him and he's become just as much a part of the family as his big brother. Duke isn't quite as intelligent, but nevertheless has a degree of loyalty about him that cannot be overlooked. Most notably at night, when he comes upstairs and nestles into the covers at the foot of my king-size bed and enjoys falling asleep to the hum of a running fan and the light of a television that stays on until the wee hours of the morning. Lots of energy still, but also enjoys the downtime on occasion.
