I have a Sheltie named Bingo. My son has a parakeet named Saphire. That's all the pets for our household. I have always wanted a Chincilla though. They're so soft and cute.

oops double post

My Llasa-Apso-Terrier mix isn't with us anymore.  He was my best friend and highly intelligent, loved cats and children the best and was good with adults.  He hated dogs.  I taught him all kinds of tricks and he pulled a few tricks on me!

I've had horses, dogs, cats, parakeets, tropical fish and rats.

My best pet story is about the time I was riding my mare down an old county highway and had stopped to rest.  I was sitting on this old brick wall when a trucker stopped, walked over and sat next to me.  He started to put his arm around me and my Palomino Quarter horse/ Saddlebred mare knocked him off the wall with just one bunt of her head.  He looked around and laughed and the second time he tried,  she really sent him flying off the wall.  Best dang horse in the world   

Locamama - I love shelties - does their hair take a lot of maintenance?

Trudygolightly - the story about your horse is sooo cool. I didn't know that horses could act like that. For all the animals I do like, I'm afraid of horses. I'll admit it - I like my toes round not FLAT!

I like my toes round not FLAT!

,  I understand.  Horses, even though they're not as smart as a lot of animals,  are surprisingly careful around people. 

At age 18 months my daughter toddled into the corral with a herd of mares,  and they formed a circle around her and licked her on top of her head.  Your story about your guinea pig is neat too,  and shows the appreciation animals do feel for us.

At present I only have 2 buddies, Trixie, a longhaired dachsund who is 16 but thinks she's still a puppy, and Andy, a Lhasa Apso who is 11 and still ferociously young in his own mind.

Trixie's twin brother Rowdy died last year at age 15, I'm sorry to say. Rowdy was a noble individual who was the handsomest dude on the block. As our official Chief of Security, he stood tall (an accomplishment for a dachsund) and was the protector of all around him. If there was ever a personality that was a knight in shining armor, Rowdy was it. He is terribly missed by the whole family. Interestingly, though he was a serious, responsible kinda guy, his sister Trixie is a goofball. A silly, sweet, playful kissy baby. Still, at 16.

I've been very fortunate to have companions who live to ripe old ages. I used to think it was the luck of the draw in the animal gene pool, but I've had so many animals live past their average age that luck can't be all of it. I think it boils down to good nutrition, good physical environment, excellent medical care, and the love and respect one would give a beloved human.

My best story is about Creepy, a beautiful and elegant British Blue feline who lived to 23 years old. She was named Creepy because she looked like a gray ghost, and because she was stealthy as all get out. You could look up from the newspaper and find her asleep in your lap and you never knew when or how she got there. At about age 17, Trixie began to "talk". Her favorite words were "Where?" - usually said in the night when she would wake up and not know where anyone was; "Now" meaning water and "Now me" meaning food; "Hello" yelled loudly at the door when she was ready to come inside; and "Go" when she or others needed to go out. There were other words & ideas, bu these were her favorites.

Now I know you all think I'm crazy - but there were many witnesses to Creepy's abilities over the years and every person was dumbstruck at first hearing her because she sounded just like a human. No ordinary meowing for that cool cat!

In the past I've had a Quaker, a couple of cockatiels, a few budgies, numerous dogs, etc...

My current pets are just the wild lizards that come in to visit me from time to time.

My Quaker was a better judge of charactor than I was. He hated my wife (future ex) with a passion. He would go crazy every time she came in the room and would try to bite her at every opportunity. He was a sweetheart with me, but couldn't stand to be in the same room with her.