I have loved dogs all my life. I used to walk around my neighborhood just to see the dogs, not the people. The house at the far end of our block had a big ole St. Bernard and I’d crawl into his dog house to be with him.  I am an indiscriminate dog lover, size does not matter to me. Once I see a dog, everything else just fades away. I am concentrating fully on the dog, not the people or the surroundings.

When I was younger my Dad brought home a miniature poodle puppy.  As he was a French poodle, naturally we called him Pierre.  We had family dogs before him, but Pierre was the one I remember most from my childhood.  He went everywhere with us and even slept on my bed at night. I really loved that dog.

I think it is very important to understand all that having a dog entails. It is a great responsibility that one must undertake the entire life of the animal.  The library has lots of useful information about different dog breeds, their needs, and what are their unique idiosyncrasies. Both the books The Complete Dog Book or Dogs are great places to start.

Before I picked out and bought the first dog I owned as an adult, I read lots and lots of dog books trying to select the one that would be best for me. I ended up getting a miniature Schnauzer. Charlie was the best dog I ever had.  He was the dream dog, easy to train, interested in what I was doing, and he always wanted to be with me. He was very obedient and would do what I asked him to do. Now there is always a flaw in any dog, even the perfect ones like Charlie. If Charlie did not know you; YOU were a STRANGER! He was very firm about not having strangers near his house.  Basically, if he could see it, that was his, his yard, his street, etc. Barking is one of the joys of being a schnauzer, no matter the size, you never have to worry about anyone or thing sneaking up on you. Charlie worked diligently 24/7 on security detail.

If you are going to share your life with a dog, a sense of humor is very important, and an understanding that dogs do not think, feel or react as we do to different situations. We have several books on why dogs do certain things. Try Inside of a Dog: What Dogs See, Smell, and Know to get started. By learning about the different breeds, you can have a wonderful experience as a dog owner, and find the right breed for you and your life style.