KAT AND RICK DUNLAP-
Rufio Ricardo and Sugar Joy

The American Dog reports

Photo by Theresa Cozzone

This past summer, Rufio, the 1 year old Neapolitan Mastiff, learned to swim. “The only problem was, we would let him out for a midnight tinkle, and we would find Rufio doing midnight laps!” Kat says their nighttime rituals are comical. Rufio, a normally laid back dog, takes an evening race throughout the house, knocking things over with his “big feet and bowling ball head…and figure eights seem to be his specialty.” The Dunlaps’ 4 year old Great Dane, Sugar, does not want to be bothered with such nonsense. “Her idea of heaven is her nightly walk with ‘Dad,’” says Kat. Later, Rick takes a little piece of hot dog and then points up, and she goes straight up to bed. “I usually find the two spooning when I finally make it to bed. She is such a daddy’s girl!” Rufio has been featured on two Hallmark cards, and the Dunlaps created his own greeting card line at wWw.RufiosRumblings.com. Part of the proceeds goes to NeoRescue. “Rufio also supports the Humane Society and Big Dogs Huge Paws Rescue (he appears on a charity shirt for Chippendogs).” The Dunlaps cannot imagine a day without their fur-kids. Kat says, “A life without dogs is not a life at all.”