A dog's life? Readers share their pet stories

We asked Guardian readers to send in stories about how animals had affected their family life. Here's a selectionMurphy's lawless reignI first saw Murphy on the day my dad died. Dad would have loved him. We decided at once that this bundle of black labrador was what we needed to cheer us up. We had always had rescue dogs, but Murphy was the first puppy we ever had. He became my fourth child and was not much bigger than my husband's shoe. From that time of sadness came years of joy.Like all labradors he was driven by food and became adept at stealing it. At Christmas he stole the chocolate gifts hanging on the tree. He would nonchalantly slink past us with the tell-tale silver string hanging from his mouth, avoiding eye contact. When we had the builders in, he got into their van and stole their lunch, leaving the silver foil evidence on the lawn. When I stood at the door to say goodbye to friends after coffee, he would creep to the sugar bowl and then innocently come and stand next to me with a white, sugary nose.But he had his uses as well. We walked him in the woods nearby and everyday he would bring home a log. As he grew stronger the logs became branches that would block the lane as we walked home. Even now, years after his death, we still have "Murphy's log pile". Mary AdlingtonOur feline facilitatorsSome of our pets have come and gone (chickens, fish, guinea pigs) but cats have been a constant since before our three children were born.Trying to talk to my teenage son wit...
Source: Guardian Unlimited Science - Category: Science Tags: The Guardian Cats Family Birds Features Life and style Animal behaviour Pets Dogs Source Type: news