Pet's breed: Ellie Mae is a black lab/boxer mix, and Murphy is a super mutt.

Pet's age: Ellie Mae is 4, and Murphy is 2

I adopted Ellie Mae in 2021 from Woodstock Animal Rescue. Murphy was a puppy that I was fostering for Woodstock, and I adopted him in 2023.

I was not looking to adopt a dog, but one look at Ellie Mae at an adoption event at PetSmart, and it was love at first sight. Murphy was one of my foster dogs, and he was adopted out but brought back because he would not stop crying. He became so attached to Ellie Mae and to our family, he did not want to leave. How could I let him go after that?

Ellie Mae is partly named after our beloved dog that died of cancer at only 7 years old, Molly Mae. She resembles Molly, and I always loved the name Ellie. I let my son’s name Murphy, and they named him after the baseball player, Dale Murphy.

Both Eliie and Murphy sleep in bed with my husband and myself. It’s crowded! Murphy’s favorite toy is a plastic squeaky green Christmas light bulb, and he howls every time he squeaks it. Ellie Mae loves her Christmas Rex from Toy Story. Their favorite thing to do is go out on our boat that we have in a slip on Harrods Creek. We go to the Cove and let them swim and explore.

Ellie Mae is a princess in a big ol’ body. When we are going in the car, she will literally put her two front paws on the seat and turn around and wait for you to lift her up into the car. All 110 pounds of her! Murphy watches TV and knows every commercial that has dogs in it! If he is asleep and hears that particular commercial come on, he wakes up and runs to the TV.

You absolutely cannot have a bad day or be lonely with these two around. Their shenanigans will keep you laughing on a daily basis.

If you walk by my house, it will not be unusual for these two to be serenading you, especially if you have a dog. Murphy is the ringleader in the howling and has taught his sister how fun it is to howl, too.