Buckshot, Katie and Obu-Jet used to be stray dogs but with an $800,000 inheritance from their deceased owner, they can now live the high life.

The Maryland dogs inherited $400,000 and a house in Hagerstown with roughly the same value when master Ken Kemper died of cancer last year.

The beagle and two Labrador now live at their house and caretaker Roy Grady is tending to their needs.

With the money, they get excellent health care. Veterinary bills of Katie ran up to $6,000 when she broke her legs and hip last summer.

They could also afford weekly spaghetti dinners at a local restaurant. Grady said the treats come complete with meatballs and garlic bread.

Grady described the dogs as "most loving" unlike the pampered and ill-tempered Trouble, the Maltese of late hotelier Leona Helmsley who was also left recently with a $12-million inheritance.

The dogs are now about 10 years old. Karin Anderson, Kemper's long-time friend and executor of his estate, said the remainder of the inheritance will probably go to an animal charity when the dogs die.

Kemper used to work for the federally funded Voice of America. He was fond of bringing home stray dogs when he returned from overseas assignments.