BY CHERYL PATRICK LEADER STAFF WRITER
NORTH JUDSON — To pass them on the street, Ken and Kim Minix appear to be just an average North Judson family. However, there is one thing that sets the Minix’s apart from their friends, family and neighbors: Dozer, the family pet.
At this point, you’re probably asking, “What’s the big deal about having a pet — many people do.” Well, yes, you’re right there — but how many of those pets are groundhogs? That’s right, groundhogs. Those bushy little creatures we call on to determine the arrival of spring. But for Ken and Kim Minix, Dozer is not a gauge for warmer weather — he’s a member of the family.

“I don't think my wife or I have ever mentioned Dozer as our pet. He is a 100 percent family member,” Ken Minix said.
Dozer entered the Minix’s life one day when Minix was at work.
“By luck, Ken works at Kersting’s Saw Mill in North Judson. And one day, the owner’s dog had something in its mouth and a few minutes later he had something else. That's when they realized he had found a groundhog’s den with five babies, but their mother was not around,” Minix’s wife, Kim said.
“Three babies were still alive so Ken took one and his friend took the other two. We were not sure if their mommy was alive; and we couldn't leave them to die. By the look of the babies, they could not have been more than two-days-old. So we rescued Dozer and that was the start of a wonderful experience,” she said.
Dozer doesn’t seem to mind being a domestic pet or living life above ground. He’s managed to make a rather cozy cubby inside the Minix household.
“He made his den under our bed — that's where he spends most of his time,” Minix said.
The Minix’s have made their home groundhog accessible in order to make life as easy as possible for Dozer.
“We made a little ramp at the foot of our bed, so if he wants to, he can get up on the bed and sleep with us, which he does a lot,” he said.
And just like a small child would do, Dozer has no problem getting the Minix’s attention.
“If he wants something, he will let us know. He'll hold his arms up or jump around on the floor to get our attention,” Minix said.
Dozer may only be two years old, by the Minix’s best estimations, but he has far surpassed the average physique of his underground neighbors — an advantage that gives Dozer a bit of an edge at home.
“He's kinda on the big side — in the wild, groundhogs usually way about 10 to 15 pounds. The last time we weighed Dozer (about two weeks ago), he was 29 pounds. He does what he wants when he wants. Dozer even has his own baby Blankie — that’s kinda different,” Minix said.
Another unique characteristic of having a groundhog for a pet is its diet — well, perhaps having a groundhog like Dozer.  
“Dozer loves Almonds and Friskies Seafood Sensations (cat food). Every now and then, we'll give him a piece of bread or an orange — that's just for a treat. Dozer is a very clean little guy, even while eating an orange,” he said.
Taking certain precautions is a recommendation Minix makes to anyone who would be interested in having a pet like Dozer.
“There is definitely one thing you have to do if somebody wants a groundhog as part of their family and that is what Kim and I call Dozer Proofing. They really like to check things out for themselves so you have to make sure there is no way they can get ahold of any wires such as lamps, clocks, or anything that plugs in the wall,” Minix said.
Minix works in a place that can supply Dozer with a few environmental comforts that are natural for a member of his species.
“I work at a saw mill so I get lots of pieces of wood for Dozer to mess with. He’s really not bad for messing with the furniture but just to make sure, a few pieces of wood don’t hurt,” he said.
Dozer fits right in at the Minix household — he even gets along well with another special member of the family.
“We also have a cat and his name is Sid. We've had him for about six years and Dozer for more than two years. Dozer thinks Sid is his pet also; we have never had any problems with the two of them getting along,” Minix said.
Dozer is also good at communicating his needs to the family.
“We let him out when he wants. He lets us know by going to the door; and he'll stand up and just stare at us, then we know what he wants. He has a little playground out back where he digs in the dirt or just lays,” he said.
Dozer may come from the wild, but he has developed habits that make him suitable as a household pet.
“Dozer is house broken — he has his litter box and Sid has his. They never use one another’s; he is a very clean little guy. If Dozer's litter is not clean, he'll let us know we're not doing our job,” Minix said
Dozer is also a big hit when the Minix’s entertain guests.
“Usually when we get company, the first words out of anyone’s mouth is where's Dozer and can we see him? Everybody just thinks the world of him. If you could see him, you would understand. He is a very loving guy. Kids take pictures to school for Show and Tell — he loves attention,” he said.
Dozer is a lot like a small child in many ways — especially when it comes to getting what he wants.
“I know there's no better feeling or better way to wake up in the mornings by this little Guy (Dozer) pulling the covers off you and the bed because he's wanting something like food, to go outside, wants to play or just lay with you,” Minix said.
The Minix’s have many warm memories of the times they’ve shared with Dozer.
“One of our special experiences, out of many, was when he was very young, and we would get orphan milk from the feed barn and feed him by bottle. The special part was even though he was so young, if he noticed you putting his feeding blanket on your lap you better have his bottle ready because he was ready to start eating,” he said.
Having the opportunity to have a pet like Dozer is an experience that has enriched the Minix’s lives in many ways.
“Dozer is very smart, and we can't say enough about how loving he is. He has changed our lives and feels like one of our children. We hope other people have this type of experience too,” Minix said.