Marguerite Lynch works at the Seattle Yarn shop 5633 California Avenue SW and a few years ago she was diagnosed with breast cancer. This led to finding her dog Murphy.

"After I was diagnosed my psychiatrist wrote me a prescription for a dog, she said I needed one. So I got her and she hung out in my bed with me while I was sick. I'd come home from treatment and the kids would get in bed with me and the dog would get in bed with me and she's really bonded that way." She was talking about Murphy, a Border Terrier mix that is a rescue dog the family got from a shelter in Yakima.

Then they decided they had to add another dog and went back to the same shelter and got a "sister" dog of approximately the same breed they call Sammy. "We think they're related, but who can be sure," Marguerite said, laughing. Both dogs are "around four years old."

"They frequently come to work with me and hang out in the shop," she said.

Murphy and Sammy also spend a lot of time with Andrew and Sean Lynch, 12, who are fraternal twins. They said that Murphy has a fascination with lights. "She likes to chase after lights a lot," Andrew said, "flashlights, and reflections ... she just barks at them." Sammy, also a Border Terrier is a bit more physical. "She likes to rub against the couch and make funny noises," Sean said, "She rubs her back against the couch."

Both dogs eat the same food but Murphy likes balls and Sammy likes to chew on bones (which she is very protective about).
These are active dogs but they sleep with Mom. "Because she's got a really big bed," said Sean. On school days they like to sleep in, "but we make them get up so we can walk them," Sean said.
This pair of dogs has helped the whole family and now they are truly part of it.

"They're like a perfect match, there's one for each of them," Marguerite said.

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