These were the days long before genetic tests, and Suki was just your average mutt. If I had to guess, I would say she had German Shepherd, Collie, and some sort of retriever in her. She actually looks very much like an English Shepherd, but I doubt there were very many of those running around in the suburban MA area back then. My parents gave her a great name (they spelled it Sukie but for some reason I always thought of her name as having no "e" on the end). Given that our other pets' names tended to the ordinary (Mittens below for example) it was cool having a dog with a different name.
She was a great family dog. She followed and played with us kids all the time. She lived back in the day when dogs just ran around the neighborhood, you knew them like you knew the neighbor kids. Not that it didn't come with problems. She got hit by a car, ran around and lost her leg cast, killed chickens, rolled in DEAD things, and even got caught up in a fox hunt. Rolling in fox scent and being chased by beagles and people on horseback probably was not fun for her, but as we witnessed it out of our living room window one Sunday morning, it remains one of the funniest moments in my life.
Suki was only with us a short time, but she was an influence in my decision to have dogs and how they play a part in my life. Thanks Dad and Mom for getting us that little black lab!
Ah, 2002. Looks spectacular doesn't it? Alas, it is Photoshopped. I thought I did a pretty good job though! I like young Psyche's still pink nose in this one.
Sorry this is so small. I think clicking on the picture will bring it up a little larger in another window. I like this one - you can hardly tell that I Photoshopped Montana into the picture. Any time he sees the camera and me trying to round up the dogs, he runs off. I think this is 2003.
2004 - I must have been short on time and patience and Montana didn't make the cut! 
2005 - find some cute hats, slap them on some sort of willing dogs, finds some fresh snow and voila! Instant holiday classic!
2006 - must have been a snowless year. I am proud to say that no dogs were Photoshopped in the making of this card!
2007 - the snow is back (little did I know it was back with a vengeance). I enlisted some help this time and managed to even include myself. Notice Montana's ears. Not too happy with this kind of attention, I assure you!
2008 - am I getting good at this or what? Putting on the gloves was the hardest part, short of keeping the hats on, but we pulled it off. What? You're not buying it? Oh alright! I cheated and put up their "Elf Yourself" picture. But really - how could I resist?
