At The Drake Center, it’s no surprise our families are a bit…furry. From dogs and cats to horses, chickens and an emu, we’d like you to meet the loves of our lives—our pets. 

Proud pet parent: Mike, veterinary care provider

  • Alexx, borzoi
  • Guthrie, borzoi
  • Broker, borzoi
  • Tilly, borzoi
  • Troubadour, borzoi

If you had to choose, would you say you are a cat person or a dog person? Why?

I really enjoy both cats and dogs. At this time, however, I only have dogs. My back door to a wild property is always open and I have lost a cat in the past.

How did you get your pets? Why did you choose those particular breeds?

My wife, Karen, is the smart one in this family. She researched the Borzoi breed for almost two years. They are exotic, beautiful, intelligent and very prey-driven, as all sighthounds are. Karen was looking for an American Kennel Club (AKC) champion with the primary goal of performance and running in the field, which she has achieved with our dogs. Then Karen went way outside her comfort zone. She made arrangements to go to Iowa to see a family who did not know her, or her them, to look at puppies. And the rest is history.

What is special about your pets?   

I feel my dogs are so special in many ways. They are very family- and pack-oriented, loving animals. It is fun to watch them play—they make me laugh and absolutely love us. I can’t wait to get home after work. They literally take the stress right out of me. Of course, when I’m home I get to enjoy them all day long!

What is the cutest thing about your pets, physically?

Physically, the cutest things about the dogs are their long heads and huge eyes. They peer into my soul on a daily basis. They are so tall, they put their front legs over our shoulders and give us kisses on the nose.

What do you let your pets get away with that you probably shouldn't? 

Our dogs own us and the house. If it is raining or cold outside, I’ll attempt to close the back door and they stand right there, wanting the door open. I’ll open it and they go back and lay down. Or worse, they go out and play in the rain and bring it into the house. Karen tells me it’s their house, too. Oh well.

What is your favorite memory or story about your pets? 

I have so many stories and memories about my pets, it’s extremely difficult to pick just one. In October 2007, we were evacuated from our home because of the fires. Our plan was to pack everyone up and go to my sister’s house in Sun City. Well, the I-15 North was closed, so we came back to I-5 North and it was a parking lot. I called (Drake receptionist) Lorraine and she welcomed us to spend the night at her home in Escondido, which was safe. We finally got to the house, settled the dogs in the backyard, sat down and took a deep breath. The dogs were very excited and jumped over the fence, running up and down the hill of Lorraine’s property. Unbeknownst to them, however, Lorraine has a lap pool, which was covered at the time. Thinking it was a solid surface, the dogs ran right into the pool and were shocked! They crashed right through the covering. Thankfully, lap pools are shallow. They were able to stand up and get out.

What do your pets bring to the dynamic of your family?

This might sound different, but my pets are the dynamics of this family. They give love, joy, happiness, laughter, entertainment and a shoulder to lean on. They listen to all my babbling and never tell me to stop! I honestly can't wait to get home from wherever I am and receive the most incredible welcome! They all say, "I sure missed you, daddy!" l'm truly blessed to not only be in this business, but to have a pack like this! I thank them every day.