Biscuit is a 9 year old Yorkshire Terrier who, according to owner Lew, Judy and Rachel Townsend was conceived on 9/11. "We weren't there, but the breeder was," said Lew. Biscuits father is from Nanaimo in British Columbia, Canada and his mother is from Seattle. Sybil Evans was the co-breeder from Issaquah.

The Townsends shop for Biscuit's food at either Next to Nature in the junction or Pet Elements south of the Morgan Street Junction and they get him Natural Choice Duck and Potato, small bites. He enjoys Buddy Biscuits for treats.

Most small dogs are unaware of their own size of course and Biscuit is no exception. "He's an Alpha Male," Lew said, "He's all muscle and tendon." That in conjunction with good hearing make him a good guard dog.

He has an outsized personality too but he's modest about it and seems to take everything in stride. Even the range of outfits the family has found for him including a genuine Mexican sombrero, a hunting outfit, a leopard print bow in his hair and for an obvious reason, a ruffled dress. Why obvious? "Because it's adorable on him and the girl's outfits are cuter than the boy's outfits," said Judy.

Biscuit is a natural ice breaker socially the Townsends acknowledge. "I'd say we've met more people because of him, because of his presence," said Lew, "people just want to come up and say hello to him. He makes friends very quickly."

Despite Biscuit's deeply masculine traits he has a soft side.
"He's incredibly empathetic and he understands when people are feeling low," Lew explained, "and he will soothe people naturally."

Lew plays the grand piano in their home and Biscuit has a bed underneath the piano bench that he enjoys curling up in when the music is being played. "He likes the classical, " said Lew, "He likes Debussey (…) he appreciates all music but he has gravitated to Debussey. It's his romantic side."

This is a dog surrounded by a lot of love from everyone.

Rachel, who is in High School is a writer, and a film maker and when she was 10 years old she wrote and assembled a picture book with captions called "The Life of Biscuit."

The Townsends are sailors and Biscuit loves to go, staying on the windward side of the sailboat (though they've never put him in the water he does wear a lifejacket, "double XS", Lew joked),

"He has good sea legs." said Lew, but they keep him on a tether while on board.

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