But unlike Tizzie, Ellison says Jasper Typically consumes only dog food.

"He would love to eat Mather food, but we try not to allow him to eat it, "We prefer to keep him on stuff he was designed to handle."

Bossert says he takes Rusty, his golden retriever, for flights on his plane.

"He loves to fly," Bossert says, "and he ravels with me as long as we are not going to a meeting. He knows our plane."

Bossert says Rusty participates in the Phillips Brooks House pet therapy program, visiting a nursing home once a week.

"He's therapeutic," Bossert says. "Pets are very good in treating people with high blood pressure."

Mr. Ellison said raising a dog in an apartment building requires a lot of attention but does not harm the animal.

"You feel for the dog because you know they want to have lot of special treatment, though."

This special treatment includes taking Jasper to an unofficial "dog convention" each morning in the Leverett diagonal.

"There are eight to 12 dogs," Ms. Ellison says, "It's pretty strong. These dogs go out there and play, and the owners have become friends of ours."

But Mr. Ellison added that not all people enjoy the morning convocation.

"The [morning] group is semi-controversial," he says. "On occasion a dog has been known to barm, and there are students in Dunster and Leverett who complain."

Working Dog

Toby Brewster, a first-year proctor and an undergraduate financial aid officer, says he brings Whitney, his seven year-old yellow Labrador, to his office almost every day.

"I got Whitney when I was living in Maine, and it was a little tough [for her] to adjust to city life," Brewster says." That's why I brought her to the office."