Kate O'Hara got her dog Pachuco two years ago as a gift and he's a great example of a gift that keeps on giving. More on that to come.

Pachuco is a English Bull Terrier (or Hinks Terrier) and as a breed he's recognizable for being in the movie Patton, as 'Spuds MacKenzie' a character in a series of beer commercials from the 80's and more recently as the "Target Dog" used in print, display and on television.

His name refers to "Zoot Suiters" of the 1940's in Los Angeles. "They wore the big suits, and were fancy men," said O'Hara," we gave him that name because two years ago on Christmas Eve when it was snowing he wouldn't go out into the snow, so we had to carry him out to go to the bathroom for about a week."

He eats Arcana dry dog food purchased at Pet Elements (just south of the Morgan Junction) and if there's a treat he likes, "It's bacon," said O'Hara.

Pachuco sleeps a lot, nodding off about 8:00 p.m. and staying asleep until about 11:00 a.m. but has bursts energy unique to the breed called 'Hucklebutting" in which he will run around madly. "They'll jump off the couch, run under chairs, run into different rooms and then they just kind of crash out." Pachuco will Hucklebutt a couple of times daily according to O'Hara.

His best friend is an Australian Cattle Dog, named Zip whom, "He's known since we first got him when he was about 12 weeks old. He loves the older more dominant females and he's very submissive."

Pachuco is limited in the range of toys he plays with because he destroys them quickly but enjoys tennis balls (which he pops) or 'Kongs" supposedly indestructible dog toys which he "tears up" according O'Hara.

But about how he gives back, Pachuco is also a kind of therapy dog. O'Hara's fiance is a Marine Corps veteran who is disabled and has been diagnosed with PTSD and anxiety disorders. "Pachuco just kind of helps him stay really calm," O'Hara explained,"Pachuco can hear things that we can't hear so it kind of reassures him that no one's around." Pachuco is also "Very protective of me which makes my fiance feel better when I'm taking him out. When he's not around he knows there's someone with me."

They got Pachuco after doing research, and finding a breeder in Graham. After talking with the breeder for a while he offered to just donate him. "It was really nice of him. They drove him out on Christmas Eve in the snow so we could have him."

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