It’s safe to say that Ashley, Gavin, Kieran, Selma, and Finlay Raphael love Miniature Bull Terriers. Hence, they have three: Taco (7), Luna (5), and Sake (1 1/2). “I like breeds a little off the beaten path and love the look of the mini bull,” says Ashley. “After seeing them at the Westminster dog show in New York and doing a lot of research on the breed, I reached out to Meghan Barnes and Stuart Cairns who breed MBTs in Ohio.”

In addition to picking a unique breed, the family is also prone to picking unique names. 

My (human) boys love Taco Bell, and Taco Bell Raphael does have a nice ring to it,” she says. “He goes to Taco Bell annually for his birthday.” Luna — or Luna Chalupa — was adopted to keep Taco company. The final addition, Sake, was aptly named as an ode to the Tokyo Summer Olympics! He and his littermates arrived a day before the festivities began. “Sake’s AKC name is Omega's Hafnaoui With The Golden Touch after Tunisian swimmer Ahmed Hafnaoui who took gold in the 400m freestyle, an unexpected finish,” Ashley says. “He’s a true Sake bomb.”

Each dog has their own personality. Taco is hilarious, feisty, and stubborn. He’s also known for eating, well, everything and attacking any source of water. “He marches to the beat of his own drum for sure,” she says. “[Meanwhile] Luna is a neurotic mess - our diva.” She really does get what she wants, including the freedom to greet any and all neighbors. “Sake, Luna’s son, is still coming into his own but is a good mix of Taco and Luna. He flexes his interior design genes and rearranges rugs, furniture, and plants. He also shows an aptitude for landscape design. At this point, we don’t think it’s worth replacing anything as we’re not privy to his vision.” 

Together, these terriers make for an entertaining trio. Ashley shares, “They all snuggle, eat mulch (we keep needle nose pliers on hand for lodged chunks in their mouths), attack brooms, trounce around tall grasses (an odd, slow-motion walk, almost like stalking prey), are mischievous, and have a true zest for life.”