Words by: Kylie Kinnett Photos by: Rachel Benavides
What do a 55+ pound English Bulldog, a Longhaired Dachshund with magical powers, and an Exotic Shorthair Cat whose doppelgänger is Harrison Ford all have in common? The answer is quite simple. They all have loving owners and reside right here in the Coastal Bend. We searched far and wide to find the Coastal Bend’s cutest pets, and we think we might have struck gold. The lineup ranges from a poised Dalmatian to a tortoise with diva tendencies. Inside you will meet these cover worthy pets, as well as find out information on how to be the best pet owner, where the best dog parks are, and ways to get involved with adoption centers. Try and make it through this feature without smiling, laughing, or possibly even shedding a tear—we dare you.
Chicken Nugget
Age: 9 years (ish)
Laying Low: Chicken Nugget’s favorite pastime is people watching throughout the day. She lays by the window and lurks all day long. Her owners are convinced she might be part cat.
Anything but Kibble: Her favorite snack often comes in the form of chicken nuggets (we know…seems a bit weird). She enjoys any and everything other than dog food.
Needs No Man: If you’re wondering what Chicken Nugget jams to throughout the day, the answer is pretty obvious. Kelly Clarkson’s hit “Miss Independent” is her go to because she is an independent woman who doesn’t need a man.
Celebrity Lookalike: If Chicken Nugget was a celebrity, there is no doubt she would be Kim Kardashian. Mainly because of her fluffy bum, but also because she is fabulous.
Leader of the Pack: Did you know Corgi’s are of the herding breed? Nugget’s owner’s favorite story of her comes from a mishap in a field that includes a nip in the butt and Nike shorts being ripped off. Nugget didn’t like the course their walk was on, so she decided to nudge her owner in the right direction. Needless to say, the walk ended with embarrassment on the owner’s end, and a proud smile on display by Chicken Nugget.
_______________________________________________________________________________________
Klaus
The Exotic Shorthair
Age: 2 years
Bless You: According to Klaus’ owner, he has a propensity to sneeze on everyone and everything. It’s just his thing. You should be considered blessed to be sneezed on by him…maybe even buy a lottery ticket afterwards.
Attention Craver: Klaus, unlike some cats, is ready and waiting for your attention at all times of the day. He loves attention so much, he will quite literally slap you in the face to get it. Whether he is waiting for food, a good pet, or to brush out his fur, when he wants it…he will get it.
Those Cheeks: Kalus’ cheeks might be his most prominent feature, and they are definitely one of his owner’s favorite things about them. Don’t you just want to squeeze them?!
Fun Fact: Klaus is completely orange! He has variations of the color orange throughout his fur—no white. Instead of being a striped tabby, he is marbled. Meaning he has big swirls and even a bullseye on both sides that make a symmetrical pattern.
Celebrity Lookalike: If Klaus was a celebrity, he would most certainly be Harrison Ford. He can be serious, funny, adventurous, and just plain quirky. Plus, he has that deep crease between his eyebrows—an uncanny resemblance to Mr. Ford.
_______________________________________________________________________________________
Ringo
The Dalmatian
Age: 5 years
A Hugger: One of Ringo’s best characteristics is his loving nature! He enjoys spreading that love to others through hugging. When he stands up to give you a hug, he is almost the same size as you (if not taller).
Water Boy: Ringo’s favorite activity to partake in during his spare time is anything including water. He loves the beach so much that he eats the waves (and then proceeds to throw up)! He also enjoys getting his cardio in by swimming laps in his pool.
One of a Kind: He has one blue eye and one green; but he almost always will give you side eye with the blue one. He also has spots that form all types of shapes! He even has one in the shape of a heart on his butt.
Favorite TV show: Ringo’s favorite TV show is anything on animal planet that includes other dogs. According to his owner, he could watch it all day—plus he thinks he is making new friends.
Part Human: Ringo quite possibly thinks he is a person, not a dog. He loves to sit in the rocking chair on his front porch and rock away, staring out into the distance.
Wild Thing: You can find Ringo jamming out to “Wild Thing” by The Troggs on any given day. This is rather fitting considering how often he wants to run, jump, swim, fetch, and play.
_______________________________________________________________________________________
Moose
The Longhaired Dachshund
Age: 5 months
Celebrity Lookalike: Moose is definitely a ladies man. If he was a celebrity, he would be Nick Jonas, because all the girls love him.
Sophistication: Moose enjoys listening to NPR in his free time. He is always interested in the latest news and learning more about random topics. He is probably adding to his list of topics to converse about during playdates.
Small Pup, Big Heart: According to Moose’s owner, he might not have a single clue about how small he actually is. He has been around dogs five times his size and has no fear in going up to them and befriending them!
Magical Powers: We think Moose might have secret magical powers that include some type of love potion. The proof? There isn’t a single person who has met him and hasn’t fallen in love with him (this probably has nothing to do with how cute he is).
Brother/Sister Love: Moose has a sister named Mia who is a Tabby cat. He enjoys chasing her around the house and giving her kisses. Moose is determined to make them be best friends…Mia is iffy about the idea.
_______________________________________________________________________________________
Lloyd Christmas
The English Bulldog
Age: 5 years
Nap King: If there is one thing Lloyd Christmas loves, its sleep. You can find him snagging a pillow or blanket from a room, dragging it to his favorite nap spot, and then snooze away. A usual day for him looks like this: sleep, sleep, eat, sleep, nap, eat, lick his owner, sleep, sleep.
Favorite Snack: Lloyd loves a good spoonful of peanut butter and coconut oil. Healthy and tasty!
Fun Fact: Lloyd is named after the famous Jim Carey character Lloyd Christmas from the movie Dumb and Dumber. The name deemed appropriate because he was adopted on Christmas. Plus, his owner instantly knew he looked like a Lloyd. We would have to agree.
Cuddle Monster: If there is something Lloyd loves more than sleep, it would have to be cuddles (duh). His favorite thing is skin-to-skin contact with literally any other human.
Best Friends: Lloyd has a 6 year old sister and a 4 year old brother (both humans) and he loves them to death! He enjoys sitting on the couch with them and watching a good movie to pass the time.
_______________________________________________________________________________________
Kira
The Husky/Australian Shepard mix
Age: 3 years
Part Fox: While Kira is a Husky/Australian Shepard Mix, her owners are convinced she is also part fox. She howls constantly!
Fluff it Up: Kira is very particular about fluffing her blanket just right before going to sleep. Her fluffing habits even extend past her own bed. She has been found multiple times on top of her owners’ comforter that she has fluffed to perfection in the middle of their bed.
Favorite Snack: Kira’s favorite snack would have to be her mom’s sandals. Never her dad’s though…she leaves his possessions alone for some reason.
Celebrity Lookalike: If Kira was a celebrity, she would be MC Hammer. This is because of her leg fur, which looks strangely identical to the musician’s classic parachute pants.
Fun Fact: Kira loves water—of any kind! During a hot summer walk at the Botanical Gardens, Kira decided to cool off by jumping over the edge of a large decorative fountain. Her owners heard a loud splash and turned to see Kira swimming around, having the time of her life.
_______________________________________________________________________________________
Hector the Bear
The Jerusalem Tabby
Age: 2 years
The Bear: While Hector may share some characteristics of a cat (agility, hunting instinct, raw power), he identifies as a bear, and lives his day to day as a bear (daily hibernation, constant hunger, mildly destructive, and always on the hunt).
Favorite Pastime: Hector’s favorite way to spend his days is to sunbathe while blasting the “90s Baby Makers” playlist on Spotify, while talking smack to the seagulls in the front yard. He can also be found using catnip recreationally for his glaucoma.
Lover Boy: According to his owner, Hector believes his girlfriend is an 80 pound Doberman named Nalah. Although they share the same residence, they have their respective places in the house where each can coexist peacefully. However, don’t be fooled. Late at night, if you are very quiet, you can find Hector and Nalah conversing at the back window.
Celebrity Lookalike: While Hector’s owner thinks he is a dead ringer for Peter Dinklage (due to his personality outweighing his stature), Hector believes himself to be Jeff Lewis. This is because of his ability to constantly change things up, find new ways of arranging the living room, distressing various articles of furniture, and his constant outbursts over the smallest of details regarding his wardrobe.
Favorite TV Show: Hector—like the vast majority of the world’s population—enjoys watching Game of Thrones on Sunday nights.
_______________________________________________________________________________________
Linus
The Russian Tortoise
Age: There is actually no scientific way to know a tortoise’s exact age! However, they are known to live up to 80 years.
Favorite Snack: Linus is a bit of a health nut. He can be found snacking on fruits and veggies such as prickly pears, kale, and lettuce.
Celebrity Lookalike: Due to his demanding diva nature, Linus would most definitely be Mariah Carey if he was a celebrity.
Sneaky Little Guy: Linus loves to roam around the house. He was once lost in the house for hours and his owners were panicking, thinking he had somehow escaped! Not to worry. He was later found napping away in his sister Weasel’s cat condo.
Destiny: Linus’ owners actually acquired him by chance! They found him walking along the sidewalk one day, headed towards the street. They had to save him, but ended up falling in love and keeping him as a pet. It truly was love at first site.
Favorite Song: You can find Linus jamming to “It Aint Easy Being Green” by Kermit the Frog…relatable. He also enjoys “Slow Ride” by Foghat for obvious reasons.
