DANVILLE — Every campaign season, there is a lot of talk about bipartisanship, but opposing sides never seem to figure out how to get along.

My grandmother, Dathal Dubois of Danville, seems to have found the answer.

Dathal has a Maltese, a Boston terrier, a Bichon Frise, and a Chihuahua all living and playing together in harmony. Dogs have always been a part of her life.

“Growing up in Mississippi in the 1930s, I can’t remember a time when there weren’t dogs in the house,” she said. “When my family moved from Westville to Danville in 1963, we had three Boston terriers and we always had a dog except for a time from 2001 to early 2003.”

When her husband of 58 years passed away in February 2003, Dathal decided to get another dog.

“Julius hadn’t been gone very long and I had wanted a little dog when I saw a picture of one in the paper the Danville Humane Society had,” Dathal said. “She wasn’t groomed at all, but I couldn’t resist her when I saw her. I had to wait awhile because someone had lost a similar dog they thought might be her but I’m so glad I was able to get her. She is a good and lovable dog who has been a wonderful companion.

“My grandson thought I should call her Little Miss Marge because she took to me so much that she seemed like a little version of myself.”

Little Miss Marge is an 8- to 10-year-old Maltese who weighs 6 pounds but acts like she weighs 60.

A few weeks later, a Boston terrier, Stony, became part of the family. He continues a family tradition of Bostons and the name comes from the Civil War general, Stonewall Jackson.

“My son Fred always had Bostons growing up and he had a Boston named Stony in the 1980s,” Dathal said. “My grandson Michael wanted another one and he has been a very unique dog. He knows when Michael is due to come home and on many occasions has been able to tell when his vehicle turns off the main road. That is really something given how many cars come down the road.”

Stony recently turned 5 and has a fondness for chicken and cheese.

Though Little Miss Marge and Stony got along well, Dathal felt Stony needed a playmate more his own size.

Enter a Bichon Frise, Kilgore, who is 5-8 years old and named in honor of country music legend Merle Kilgore.

“We got Kilgore down at the county shelter and he reminded me of Duncan who was a dog I had in the ‘70s,” Dathal said. “He has had some health issues since we have had him but he has been a wonderful dog with a great sense of awareness. He often can sense deer and squirrels that are hundreds of yards away.”

The most recent addition to the family is a Chihuahua puppy named Mitzi, who is not quite a year old.

“The county shelter had me on a list for little dogs after we got Kilgore and I went down to look at her,” Dathal said. “It only took one look. There was just no resisting that face. She was called Punkin at the time but I thought she had a sophisticated look about her so I went with Mitzi because it sounded more sophisticated to me.”

Mitzi likes to chew everything she is big enough to grab hold of and enjoys barking at the waves on the lakefront.

The four dogs have a unique set of recreational activities.

“They all like to go down to the lake and float on this ski toy called a Y-not,” Dathal said. “Each dog has its own life jacket and it’s quite a sight to see them sitting together as they float along on the water. They really do like to be on the water as they also go out in the little fishing boat in the summer and even in the bigger ski boat on occasion.

“Quite often they go riding in Michael’s 1956 Packard and I still have a bike I bought for my son Fred in 1955 that Michael has fixed a basket to the back of, which allows them to go riding two at a time. They have even taken road trips to Mississippi, Arkansas, northern Indiana and Ohio.

“I make every effort to make sure each dog is treated the same and receives plenty of attention, which I think is the key to why they all get along so well.”

Dathal stressed that three of the four dogs came from local shelters. Even if someone is looking for a full-bred dog, she urges him or her to consider the Danville Humane Society and the Vermilion County Animal Shelter first.

John Dubois is an author who also does freelance work for the Commercial-News.