Deuce Bear Jones is this sweet man’s full name, although his owner’s last name is not Jones. “I wanted to call him D-Bo-Jo,” explained owner, Kristy Johannesen, who couldn’t come up with a reason why Johannesen couldn’t just as easily be shortened to “Jo”. Kristy calls Deuce her “accident”. Already an owner of two other dogs, she had no intention of acquiring a third. One day, while shopping at Petco for her two original dogs, she came across an adoption fair outside of the store. She decided to stop and check out the cute little puppies. Deuce was in a small playpen with his brothers and a …

Mugsly is this dog's first name, but "stubborn" might as well be his middle name. This little guy knows what he wants, and what he doesn't want and he always seems to find a method to get his way. If the weather is too hot outside, Mugsly does not want to walk. You can tell because he simply refuses to do so. Mid-walk with owner and Ballston resident, Maureen Churgovich, this pup will go on strike by lying down and not budging. Churgovich often resorts to carrying the lazy guy all the way home. Mugsly also does not usually like his photograph taken. Other than a few snapshots that were …

While Prince William's recent engagement means that Kate Middleton is becoming the Princess of England, little Crystal Gordon would have you believing that she is the Princess of Virginia. Whether it is her need to have her teeth brushed every night, or her love for the finest dog food that Trader Joe's has to sell, Crystal shows her human friends that she deserves the royal treatment every day of her life. Crystal's "subjects" are the people who reside in her apartment building. Just walking in and out of her home she receives greetings from almost every resident who passes by. Her subjects …

            Stella Darilek has arguably the softest ears in the entire world. Some people don't realize this, though, because she is somewhat picky about whom she allows to pet them. In fact, the only time she really enjoys being pet is in the morning when she cleverly shoves her soft head and ears in to her sleeping owner's palm to lure him awake.             While Stella and her owner reside in Northeast DC, her two primary pet-sitters reside in Ballston, so Stella considers the area a second home. She loves going on walks and experiencing new smells, so the ability to travel between …

Wandering the streets of Arlington all alone, this adorable pup might have faced a terrible fate. Fortunately for her, Ballston residents, Ryan and Kristen, found her and took her in. The couple searched, but they found no collar, ID tag, or "Missing Dog" posters. They decided to rescue her from her lonely existence and name her "Lucy". Lucy clearly comes from a rough past. She gets nervous around new people, and terrified if somebody raises their arms around her. However, she has adjusted well and is kind, fun, and easily excited. In fact, she frequently gets so excited at the sight of her …

    As a miniature dachshund, Heidi loves to burrow. Her owner, Arlington Resident, Kristy Johannesen, typically finds the little dog hiding under her comforter.             Kristy Johannesen adopted Heidi when she was only six weeks old and about the size of a large rat. Nearly three years later, the two have become inseparable. Heidi's devotion to Kristy is evident as she hovers near her legs during the interview. Heidi is less shy with her two bigger brothers.             "I think Heidi could be considered the favorite toy of her brothers (a standard dachshund and a mixed breed). They love…

It's normal in most two-dog households for one dog to be the "Alpha dog." In Frankie and JoJo's household, Frankie is the boss. What's strange about this? Frankie is a 10 lb. Chihuahua and JoJo is an almost 100 lb. Great Dane. "They get a long great, she bosses him around and he's the muscles," said Min, Frankie and JoJo's dog-walker of Independent Buddies, LLC. Min has been walking 13-year-old Frankie and 8-year-old JoJo for two years and describes them as very sweet and loving. 

Meet LeLu, Ballston resident Patrick Michal's 3 1/2 year-old Beagle. Michal characterizes LeLu as a lovable escape artist who always manages to find a way out of every fence. Her favorite toy is "other dogs' toys," and Michael said she won't play with a toy unless it has another dogs scent on it. LeLu has a great temperament, is good with people and loves to have her picture taken. Michal is looking for more local dog parks to socialize his beloved LeLu.