With the addition of Socks to the family, Cassidy established himself as top dog, though more of a mentor for the younger Socks. Several new housemates also joined the pack: Bill, Brett, Bella, and Sue were among his best friends, as well as Tom and Corinne, Cassidy's favorite dogsitters when Mark was away. He loved the biker gang as well, who would visit with treats and walks, and waaay-cool bikes. Like most dogs, he would mark his territory routinely, though he never once whizzed on a bike.

He was a damn good dog.

The Berkeley Hills were a great place for dogs, just a short walk from home. Plenty of sounds and smells to sniff. His friend Hank, a pit bull mix from SF, came to stay for a couple weeks. He enjoyed romping with Hank, and Hank enjoyed chewing things up: like carpets, dog beds, shoes, and other non-dog toys.

Sue and Mark took the dogs camping in picturesque Bodega Bay. Socks worked on her swimming skills, and Cassidy taught her the finer points of retrieving a stick. The next day, both dogs climbed the rocky cliffs of Bodega Beach, inspiring Sue to challenge herself as well. Not long after, Sue was scaling 4 story rock faces at Mt. Tam.

Sue loves animals, and Cassidy was no exception. She smiles here with Nibbles, a jack-russell mix; another of Cassidy's friends. Nibbles visited for a while with her companion Marcello, who works for ARF, the Animal Rescue Foundation. The three dogs made for quite a circus, and chasing them around the house on kids' bikes made it even more fun!

Sue's parents Marcia and Irv came to visit, and enjoyed meeting the dogs. Here Sue's father (a "caring" pediatrician) takes position for a wrestling match with Cassidy. Cassidy took him, winning 2 out of 3 falls. His dino-teddy, lower right, refereed the match. FYI - Irv has since retired.

When the CRVSADERS bike gang came to visit, Cassidy liked to inspect the various designs, and sniff the sweaty bikers where they smelled most.

Brett and Bella would join the bikers too, and Cassidy loved them both. He would whimper with glee whenever they visited. Though he never actually rode with the CRVSADERS, he enjoyed their friendship greatly.

He enjoyed their beverages a well. Here he tips a cold one for a sip, while someone's back is turned. A number of snacks mysteriously disappeared as well.

Socks also loved the bikers and their wacky bikes. Oh yes, CRVSADERS stands for: Chopper Riding Vrban Sector Anarchists Doing Eco Radical Stuff. The welding parties could get a little crazy. Cassidy didn't mind: his magnetic way with women was in full effect.

Samantha and Cassidy remained fast friends, and Lisa invited Cassidy, Socks, and the rest of us to go camping at Toad Lake near Mt. Shasta in August, 2000. Cassidy rested with a teddy before the big adventure. Sam had slowly lost the use of her hind legs, due to a screwed-up condition caused by over-vaccination. That didn't slow her down one bit: she used a cart under her hind legs to race around town. Sam wanted a nice outdoor adventure with her friends while she could still travel well, and Mt. Shasta was the perfect place to visit.