The Caldwell Menagerie
The Caldwell menagerie currently consists of the following members:
- Oscar
- yellow-naped green Amazon parrot (male?), born summer 1986, joined the family summer 1987
- Lizzie
- black-and tan long-haired female miniature dachshund, born summer 2007, joined the family October 2007
- Snowflake
- white female dachshund/poodle mix, born about 2010, joined the family January 2014
- Jake
- tan lab/shepherd (?) mix, born about 2011, joined the family March 2015
Oscar is an entertaining member of the family; he talks, sings, and dances (when he feels like it, not on cue!).
He loves to watch TV, especially preferring shows about dinosaurs or mummies. We generally expect to outlive our
pets, but Amazons have a life expectancy about that of humans; Oscar will likely move to Nacogdoches when we are gone.
Sue had always wanted a tiny female dachshund, and Jim helped her find Lizzie from a dachshund breeder our vet
recommended. Lizzie has big brown eyes and fuzzy feet. She is entirely too enamored of her own voice, but curls
up on Sue's lap and curls Sue's heart around her paw.
Snowflake was found wandering the streets, a matted and miserable urchin, and brought
to the city animal shelter. She and Lizzie have become friends, playing tug-o-war and racing one
another around the yard. She is a bright girl and wonderful addition to the pack.
Jake was brought to the city animal shelter when his elderly owners could no longer care
for him. He is smart enough to understand that Snowflake is Queen, but still can't quite believe
he shouldn't join the girl dogs in sleeping on our bed, especially when thunder rattles the house. His full name is "Jake ... from State Farm ...
wearing khaki."
In Memoriam
The family compound includes a pet cemetery that contains many pets who are dead but certainly not forgotten:
- Zorro - black part-Siamese short-haired cat born and joined family 1974, died 1985
- Pig - tortoise-shell short-haired female cat born and joined family 1972, died 1989
- Kizzy - chocolate female miniature poodle born 1976, joined the family 1977, died 1992
- George - chocolate male small standard poodle (and Kizzy's son) born into family 1978, died 1994
- Bubba - tan male hamster born 1994, died 1994
- Blackie - black short-haired male cat born about 1992, joined the family 1996, died 2001
- Pal - white (with black spots) male border collie born 1993, joined the family 1994, died 2004
- Annie - black and tan short-haired female dachshund born 1989, joined the family 1990, died February 2004
- Freckles - tortoise-shell short-haired female cat born 1987, joined the family 1989, died 2004
- Muffin - mostly-tan female Llasa Apso/poodle mix born 1995, joined the family 1996, died 2011
- Pumpkin - apricot female poodle born halloween 1999, joined the family October 2004, died December 2013
- Casper - white male Labrador mix born perhaps fall 2002, joined the family February 2004, died July 2014
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©2015, Sue Ricket Caldwell This page last updated 07-29-15 Contact webmaster at: webmaster@programmersue.com