FOR LIFE Best Friends

Forest Best cha-cha

FOREST IS A PUP WITH PLENTY OF PIZZAZZ. He might be a “failed” show dog, but that hasn’t stopped him from loving the limelight. Forest was once co-owned by Bill Cosby (yes, the Bill Cosby), according to his now-parents, William and Kara Edwards. He’s a Lakeland terrier from a litter that was raised to show, but at 10 months he reached 18 inches and was graded down for being an inch too tall, so Cosby and friends wrote him o as a show pup. “Bill’s loss has definitely been our gain,” William Edwards says, although at first the couple had their doubts. When Forest first came to live in East Dallas, he couldn’t do a thing except walk on a leash. He wasn’t house trained, he didn’t know any commands or tricks, and his favorite pastime was terrorizing the cat. “We got him home, and we were like, ‘Oh God, what did we get ourselves into?’ ” William says with a laugh. But Forest was a fast learner, and before long he was wowing his parents with his behavior and cracking them up with his antics. “We ran out

Mozzie

Strangest sleeping habits

of tricks to teach him,” William says. Forest is full of personality and loves posing for the camera. From sit and stay to dancing the cha-cha, he does it all — for treats, of course.

WHEN LEE GIBSON IS LOOKING FOR HIS CAT, Mozzie, during the hot summer months, there’s one place Gibson can almost always find him: lounging in the bathroom sink. Sure, it’s not the most conventional spot to take a catnap, but Mozzie, a flu y Maine coon, seems to prefer the coolness of the porcelain to the plushness of the couch. And he doesn’t run into much opposition to his habit because Gibson pretty much gives him the run of the house. “I let him do whatever he wants,” Gibson says with a chuckle. Gibson has owned Maine coons before and likes the breed. They’re known for being large cats (seriously, Google them; these things get huge), and growing long, thick coats. They’re also known for being total sweethearts, which fits the bill for Mozzie, Gibson says. “He’s very a ectionate, for a cat.” He’s also very chatty and makes a range of noises, from grunts to soft “barks” to long, drawn-out “meows.” He seems to have aspirations of being a weather-kitty with his uncanny ability to predict a storm. Whenever a storm is headed East Dallas’ way, Mozzie finds sanctuary under the bed, Gibson says. “And I can always tell when it’s about to let up, because he comes out.” Mozzie has never bitten Gibson, even playfully, and he’s a bit of a cuddlebug, Gibson says. “He is quite a character.”

6458 East Mockingbird Lane Dallas, TX 75214 • (214) 823-8500

Django People’s choice

DJANGO WAS FOUND WANDERING A FIELD in Oklahoma, says owner John McStravick. The people who found him took him to a vet in Oklahoma City, and one of the vets is a friend of the McStravick family. “[Our friend] asked if we could foster him,” McStravick says. “We agreed and ended up keeping him for ourselves.” McStravick says Django’s favorite pastimes are patrolling the backyard for squirrels and napping. It’s a dog’s life.

Finley

Most colorful

FINLEY’S PREVIOUS OWNER DIDN’T LIKE his noise and mess, but his new mom, Bianca Trejo, doesn’t seem to mind it one bit. “Finley is an example of the perfect pet,” Trejo says. “He’s the most relaxed pet to have around. The gouldian finch’s beautiful, bold colors make it impossible not to sit down and watch.” Finley serenades Trejo with his melodic songs, and when he’s not doing that, he can usually be found playing on his swing.