Luxor is an Egyptian Pharaoh Hound. These rare dogs are among the oldest known domesticated dogs, with Egyptian records and artifacts dating back over 5000 years. They were the private pets of the Pharoahs, kept in the palaces and used for hunting small game. They are among the brightest and fastest dogs in the world, in some regions raced much like greyhounds in America. They were often buried with their masters, the most famous being the effigy found in King Tutenkamen's tomb. The image of these dogs became for the Egyptians the model for their god Anubis, who was responsible for bringing one from death back to life, hence the black coloring. (All Pharoah Hounds are actually the same fawn color as Luxor.) This association with Anubis is apparently linked to their mysterious amber eyes that glow at night, much like a cat's. They are also the only dog known to blush when they are excited or happy: their ears, nose, and eyes become pink.

In late antiquity they were introduced to the island of Malta and are now the national dog of the island nation, used primarily for rabbit hunting. In the 1960's during British rule of the island the governor's wife became enamored of the Pharoah Hounds and brought several back to England to breed. It is from these that most of the Pharoah Hounds in America derive. There are only about 1500 registered Pharaoh Hounds in North and South America. They were accepted into the American Kennel Club in the early 1980's.

Ludwig is a Doberman Pinscher, a breed that was developed in Germany in the late 1860's by Louis Dobermann, a tax collector, for protection in his work. Doberman's were bred primarily from Pinschers, Manchester Terriers and Rottweilers. They served as guard and patrol dogs in the First World War and were recognized by the German Kennel Club in 1900. They are strong and capable of great speed. Despite the media stereotype of a vicious killer, they are among the most affectionate of family dogs.

Fr. Bernard, LaserMonks CEO, is the Abbey Hundmeister and tries to keep the two of them in line. Luxor is incredibly intelligent and headstrong. Trained in Latin and in Hand Signals, he obeys when it suits him i.e. when His favorite English word is part of the deal, "Treat." He has learned to open all the doors in the monastery, as well as wake me up in the middle of night to go outside by touching my touch-lamp with his nose, not once, but three times to the highest brightness. He loves grapes, and chasing bunny rabbits. Ludwig is the gentlest, most affectionate dog I've ever encountered, but has a burned out bulb (or two) upstairs. He loves 3 letter monosyllabic activities: Run, Eat, Dig in that order. He's afraid of the dark, of cold, and especially of Poinsettias. The greatest evil nemesis on the planet for both dogs is our upright vacuum cleaner.