These are my beasts.

Cornelia’s nickname is Corn Dog. She’s an Australian Cattle Dog, a breed whose background includes the native Australian wild dog, the dingo.

Dexter is a “pitifull” — pit and full of a lot of other breeds — in other words, a mutt. He enjoys watching musicals, wearing rhinestones, going on long walks and sleeping. He and his mom and sisters were rescued from starvation and death when Dex was just three weeks old. He is missing a toe on his right hind foot, and was named Dexter because in Latin “dexter” means righthanded. His mom and sisters went to Villa Lobos, a great rescue ranch north of Los Angeles. His best friend is Cornelia and he sleeps on the pillows above my head.