Diwali is known as the festival of lights. Over the years, it has degenerated into a Festival of Noise. Cacophony that awakens a sleeping infant, startles a sick patient in a hospital, agitates the elderly and affects the health and sanity of all animals. We, the people behind the campaign firmly believe that change can begin with a single person. Can we count on you to support our campaign for a happy and peaceful Diwali? Please take a moment and visit the webpage and make a pledge not to burst noisy and air polluting fire crackers! Please re-post this and share to all so we can change things for the better!

VISIT: http://www.woofmag.in/diwali/ TO PLEDGE

Always remember to forget
The things that made you sad
But never forget to remember
The things that made you glad.

Always remember to forget
The friends that proved untrue.
But don't forget to remember
Those that have stuck by you.

Always remember to forget
The troubles that have passed away.
But never forget to remember
The blessings that come each day.

They have a life!!!

I just got a black Labrador Retriver adopted! He is in a good home now, with people who love him. I am not saying his previous owners didn't look after him, they did! He was a very well kept dog with no signs of abuse whatsoever.
So, you may ask why this sweet and cared for dog was given up. Were the owners moving out of station or out of the country? Or could they just not manage looking after this noble animal who loved them and missed them when he stayed for extended periods at our pet sitting facility?

Here is Maxs' story.

Max came to us for boarding about 8 months back. When his owner got him here so my husband and I could see if he was friendly or not, she burst out into tears. I was taken aback with her behaviour and asked her why she was crying since we don't really get bawling owners. After a long pause, she told us that her house had been robbed by her house maid. Max was looked after by this maid while she attended to her kitty parties and outings. Now, since the maid was all poor Max had to call his own, he was sulking by not eating. I comforted her and told her not to worry and since Max would be boarding with us for a few days, he would be well looked after. I genuinely thought she was crazy about her dog. "I was so wrong!"

He stayed with us and went back home. The owner was happy he was eating again. Well, Max was being bought up in a Gujrati household and the only form of his natural food (meat) came from sachets of packaged dog food and he was more than happy to eat chicken at our place, which ofcourse the owner said he could have. He gobbled down all that was served to him and then wanted some more.

Two days after his return back home, I got a call from his owner. Max was up fror adoption!! I tried to convince her that she was making a very wrong decision and that she should reconsider. I also asked her what made her change her mind after 2 and a half years of having such beautiful and well behaved dog. She then explained that since she was without a maid, Max was tearing up the house when left alone. Every evening when she got back, she would find pillows torn apart with cotton all over the room, furniture chewed up among the many other things. What did she expect, did she think that she would walk into a perfect house; just like she had left it? Max was used to having someone with him all the time... he had company and someone who would talk to him. Now, he was left all alone and he was obviously bored and had resorted to entertaining himself as well as getting some kind of attention from his owner. He was craving to be loved, to be spoken to, to be pet and pampered. "Was that so wrong?"

After a lot of convincing, Maxs' owner said she would try for a few more days and keep him till then. I did not get a call from her for over 5 months and I was happy that she realized she loved him and could not part with him. "I was so wrong!"

The phone rang on March 30th. The owner was getting her house renovated and needed Max to board with us from 16th April onwards. I booked him in and he came to us on the 16th. A week later she called and dropped by to meet him and settle the dues but did not take him home as the work was still in progress. That same night, 10.45pm, the phone rang again. She was now certain she didn't want him. This time I did not try to reason with her. That evening when she had visited, her husband had seen a pug we were boarding and commented that their next dog would be a pug! I am almost certain that is the reason she called and said she didn't want Max anymore.

We had a friend who was waiting since months to adopt a lab. I called him at 11pm that same night and he was overjoyed to hear the news. Max was picked up from our place. The owner did not bother to meet Maxs' new parents. She did not even bother to bid her farewell to her dog of 2 and a half years.

This is not only Maxs' story. This is the story of all those dogs who are bought as a commodity, who are bought because Mr. XYZ has one and they want one too. I hope and pray that people realize that dogs are not toys, "THEY HAVE A LIFE."

Rising to be Reincarnated

"Zombies" we ascend from our graveyard
As our pale bodies try to walk away
From the tormented creed

Treading, full of hopes...
As we depart from the old cemetery,
Where all the illusions are now buried

With ripped chests,
Taken the organ that supplies tainted life
Ready to end the core of all these sufferings

And with sewed ears,
Deafened ourselves from the tempting sound of siren,
No more lullabies that would deceive and hypnotize "us"

We are now ready to raze their crypt,
free ourselves from the devil's den
And dwell in a genuine land that we always yearned...

Hey all I just had to blog this down.

My husband, 2 dogs (Magic& Laika) went to this awesome place in Talegaon on the Mumbai Pune Highway. Talegoan is just about 3 hour drive from Mumbai and with the Expressway its a pleasant drive (after Chembur).

Ok.. so getting to the place. It's called Japalouppe and is an Equestrian Center run by Rohan More. Rohan is a very fun and talkative personality and an animal lover... You will notice that as soon as you reach his farm as you will be greeted by atleast 4 of his 8 dogs!! Yup you heard that right, eight!! Being an equestrian center, Rohan also has about 27 horses... all wonderfully kept and well looked after. All the dogs there are friendly and eager to meet anyone who visits...

The cottage where we stayed at the farm was very sweet and cozy.. nothing fancy and posh.. but that's just how we like it... basic is the best... Being in a wheelchair, I was a bit disappointed when we got there because the entrance to the cottage had 2 steps.. which would have been difficult to go up with my heavy power chair... But that was magically taken care of too... Just minutes after our arrival, Rohan got his workers to start building a permanent cemented ramp. Before we got up from our evening siesta.. the ramp was ready!!! I wish more people in India would be like Rohan.. It doesn't take much of time, money or effort to make places more wheelchair accessible... Wish more people and our lethargic government realises that and does something about it..

We all had such a wonderful time.. Food was simple home-cooked meals.. vegetarian food in the afternoon and non-vegetarian at nights....Magic (our lab) just couldn't get enough of the farm. He wanted to play with the horses, chase the geese and of course harass the baby horses and run around with them... For four days he just wouldn't want to come back into the room...he wanted to play and we let him do just that!! He too got yummy meals of bowl fulls of beef and rice which he happily chomped down!!

Laika on the other hand has always been a daddy's' gurl... Although she did have her play with Magic; she just wanted to sit and enjoy the view most of the time. The weather was perfect, with the frequent rains and all the trees painted in hues of bright greens...it makes you just want to sit there and sip on some hot tea and eat hot and spicy freshly fried bhajiyas ;)

After 5 days at Japalouppe, I strongly recommend you all to visit... For all details regarding the stay visit their website http://www.japalouppe.com/

I am feeling a whole lot better,

Than I was the other day,

Thank you for your help,

That is what I want to say,

Brought me round to thinking,

That what I did was wrong,

Although we are not talking,

You still helped me get along,

I want you to know I am sorry,

I mean it from my heart,

For every stupid thing I did,

To make us drift apart,

I care about you very much,

You will always be a part of me,

I will make something of myself,

Now you just wait and see,

I will keep on dreaming,

That I meant something to you,

For this does give me comfort,

And it helps to get me through,

I am such a pain in the ****,

But I will try my very best,

To let you get on with your life,

And give you a bit of rest,

Remember all my good points,

If there are any that you know,

Please forget all the bad ones,

Before you turn away and go,

I know that you have left me,

I cannot promise not to cry,

But I do love you my friend,

I guess this is my last goodbye.

Don't take things for granted...

You know the saying “you don’t know what you have till it’s gone” well that is true.
We take things for granted every day.
We wake up and go about our day, like every other day, not realizing how easy we have it compared to others.
You never know when one day might be your last day. .
So if you take anything away from this let it be that you never go to bed angry with anyone, call a friend out of the blue just to say hi and never keep your feelings bottled up because who knows if you will ever get the chance again to say what you wanted to say.
I have a friend for a long time and I was just so over come with emotions that I couldn’t even talk the last few moments I got to spend with him.
Of course he already knows how I feel about him and I told him I was gonna miss him.
I guess there’s never really the perfecting thing to say, but as long as they know how you feel they will always have you in their heart.
I have never been close to any one so much, so I didn’t know the feeling.

I suggest if you can give your loved one a gift to remember you by before they leave, they will really appreciate it and always remember you when they see it.

Relationships in life should be valued...

Why do you exchange your thoughts to me through your dreamy eyes...

Why do you know what's inside my head...

Why do you understand what I feel deep inside...

Why do you want to stay...

Why did you exchange your thoughts to me through your dreamy eyes...
Why did you know what's inside my head...
Why did you understand what I felt deep inside...
Why did you go away.....

I MISS YOU.... PLEASE TALK TO ME...

YOU ARE THE BEST FRIEND I HAVE

I DON'T WANT TO LOSE YOU.

Heaven and Dogs

I got this one while browsing through the net. Wanted to put it up here for people who haven't read it already...

A man and his dog were walking along a road. The man was enjoying the scenery, when it suddenly occurred to him that he was dead. He remembered dying, and that the dog walking beside him had been dead for years. He wondered where the road was leading them.
After a while, they came to a high, white stone wall along one side of the road. It looked like fine marble.
At the top of a long hill, it was broken by a tall arch that glowed in the sunlight. When he was standing before it he saw a magnificent gate in the arch that looked like Mother of Pearl, and the street that led to the gate looked like pure gold.
He and the dog walked toward the gate, and as he got closer, he saw a man at a desk to one side.
When he was close enough, he called out, "Excuse me, where are we?"
"This is Heaven, sir," the man answered.
"Wow! Would you happen to have some water?" the man asked.
"Of course, sir. Come right in, and I'll have some ice water brought right up." The man gestured, and the gate began to open.
"Can my friend," gesturing toward his dog, "come in, too?" the traveler asked.
"I'm sorry, sir, but we don't accept pets."
The man thought a moment and then turned back toward the road and continued the way he had been going with his dog.
After another long walk, and at the top of another long hill, he came to a dirt road which led through a farm gate that looked as if it had never been closed. There was no fence. As he approached the gate, he saw a man inside, leaning against a tree and reading a book.
"Excuse me!" he called to the reader. "Do you have any water?"
"Yeah, sure, there's a pump over there". The man pointed to a place that couldn't be seen from outside the gate. "Come on in."
"How about my friend here?" the traveler gestured to the dog.
"There should be a bowl by the pump." They went through the gate, and sure enough, there was an old fashioned hand pump with a bowl beside it.
The traveler filled the bowl and took a long drink himself, then he gave some to the dog. When they were full, he and the dog walked back toward the man who was standing by the tree waiting for them.
"What do you call this place?" the traveler asked.
"This is Heaven," was the answer.
"Well, that's confusing," the traveler said. "The man down the road said that was Heaven, too."
"Oh, you mean the place with the gold street and pearly gates?Nope. That's Hell."
"Doesn't it make you mad for them to use your name like that?"
"No. I can see how you might think so, but we're just happy that they screen out the folks who'll leave their best friends behind."

Life

Twelve years ago if someone would have asked me, "where do you see yourself ten years from now" ... I would have answered, "probably on a farm with a lot of animals, trying to deliver a calf into the world." That's what I wanted to do, to be a vet and work with animals.

The vet thing didn't happen!! for obvious reasons. Our accident changed my life completely. From being mad and eccentric (like most parsis are) to being wild and free, I had it all. Free to do what I wanted and when I wanted. My parents were never unreasonable (that's what I feel now, didn't then) and always let me be myself!! Maybe that's why I had such a hard time after our crash... I couldn't be myself anymore... and I couldn't do what I wanted to do...when I wanted..

I could never have imagined myself just sitting in one place and working from home. I always chose to be outdoors rather than being cooped up at home. I just wanted to freak out at every opportunity I got.

Life has a weird way of changing course. You are happily napping in a car at 5 am on your way to Bombay from Pune and the next second you are jammed inside it, with your skull ripped apart and your arms and legs fractured. You can hear loud voices of the people that mean the most to you, shouting and moaning in pain. My dad was driving that day (as he usually would) and my mom was in the seat next to him.. An ST. bus had just rammed into us. The impact was so hard that my sisters' door flew open and she was thrown out if the car along with our doberman, Ebony. I don't want to get into the gruesome details and freak people out reading this but, the accident was bad.. So bad that both my parents passed away the very next day..

Life didn't stop there. I continued to live after that.. always thinking why I wasn't smashed to pieces like they were, why didn't my brain pour out when my skull cracked...Twelve years later, I still don't know what my purpose here is. What difference would it have been if I would have just passed; that same day my parents did.

I am and will always be passionate about animals and even if I can never help delivering a calf, my craziness about life will never die out..

"When the going gets tough, the tough gets going"

My Serenity

The darkness blooms

beyond sight

Inside myself i hide

I've given over to the temptation

of the thoughts inside my head

I beg for forgiveness for my sins

Only silence answers

I beg to understand my place

Please give me the eyes to see

Grant me the serenity to see

To understand what I cannot change

Yet, I lack the courage to fight

Will you stand beside me or forsake me

I've fallen

broken myself

unmending pieces fall around me

I beg to find my home

Grant me the serenity to see........

Don't turn away

I pray you've heard

The words I've spoken

Dare to believe

Oh For one last time

Then I'll let the

Darkness cover me

Deny everything

Slowly walk away

To breathe again

On my own

Carry me away

I need your strength

To get me through this

Dare to believe

Oh For one last time

Then I'll let the

Darkness cover me

Deny everything

Slowly walk away

To breathe again

On my own

Past

Time, she slips beyond us all.

So busy looking for our futures are we.

Our pasts slip away from us.

Like a ship foundering in a storm,

Struggling for breathe as the crest takes her down.

I saw you in a dream long ago.

I see your face before me now.

I only hope that I know you as well

In that unforseen and forsaken future.

Will you sail away with my past?

Will I find you hiding amongst childish memories?

Or will you stand beside me as I pass into eternal slumber?

Will you be my past or my future?

You've taught me about love, glorious and free,

And you've shoved me face first into misery.

You've pulled me back from the chasmand yet allowed me to fall into the pit.

What does this mean?

Are you my past or my future?

Thoughts

Thoughts keep passing through my mind.
Some pass quickly.

Those that don't pass are the ones that mean something in my life... Maybe I just need to analyse why I get these thoughts.. maybe I should try and just let them pass. But they don't pass.. they keep themselves imbeded in my mind and prop up at any given time. What should I do? Think of something else? I do! But they are back, back to haunt me.

How can I let go?

Magic'al Angel

My life changed the day I lost my parents and woke up in a hospital. When the whirlwind of operations, doctors and physiotherapy ended, I was faced with having to re-evaluate my entire way of life. Living with a disability is an endless struggle to perform even the simplest of tasks. For most people, dropping a pen is an inconsequential event. When you are seated in a wheelchair, with limited mobility, the pen is often out of reach. Being forced to constantly ask for assistance of others is depressing, especially when I used to be so active before.

I had resigned myself to this dependant lifestyle, till one day I got a call from ‘Canines Can Care’. A beautiful black Labrador puppy had been donated to the organisation and they wanted to know if I was interested in an Assistance Dog. Until then I had only seen Assistance Dogs on television and would have loved to have one but I was not aware that this was possible in India. When ‘Canines Can Care’ approached me and offered me the puppy, I was thrilled! I knew right then that I definitely wanted him.

The day Magic, my Assistance Dog in training, entered my life the world became a sunnier place to live in. He has become my companion when I am alone, my laughter when I am sad and most importantly he has become my best friend. I always refer to him as my “Magic’al Angel” because that’s what he is for me. The first time I saw him, I fell in love. He has brought immense happiness and love into my life. He does not judge me for what I can or can’t do, Magic just loves me unconditionally. Sometimes when the two of us are home alone, he just sits by my side and keeps me company and I feel safe. When I am sad he licks away wounds no one can see and his gentle spirit calms and comforts me. He’s brought back confidence and hope, once lost, and since the day I got him, I knew nothing was going to be the same again.

‘Canines Can Care’ gave Magic to me with a purpose. He helps me live my life independently; independence is something extremely precious to a disabled person. Magic’s formal training is now over, and even though it was a long and trying time, I can now proudly say that I am an owner of a trained assist dog. He obeys all the commands given to him, from a simple “Sit” to a command such as “Fetch it” where he lifts up a dropped object which otherwise would be impossible for me to do. Magic now knows my needs so well that sometimes when I drop something and he hears it fall, he himself gets up and fetches it for me. He is so smart that there have been times when he wants a treat and a hug, he purposely drops down something or gets something that he knows I use and places it on my table. He then looks at me as if to say, “where’s my treat?’ It’s has been so easy and so much fun training Magic as all his training was done using toys and food as motivation and we both have thoroughly enjoyed everyday. I still remember when Shirin got Magic to meet me on the first day; he was a frivolous 5 month old pup. I would wonder how we were ever going to calm him down as he was always running around. Now, when I look back I can just see how much my Magic has achieved over these few years and how he has transformed himself just to make me happy. This is what I think unconditional love is!!

Being wheelchair bound, I have to have someone around me all the time. Magic is by my side now to give me company. Magic is not just an assist dog to me; he’s my best friend too. He knows all my secrets and I can depend on him completely. He is so protective of me that when we both are home alone and he hears someone’s footsteps and the main door, he immediately barks to let me know of a stranger. If he realises its someone we both know, he just sniffs through the door and tries to figure out who it is. This has made me more independent as otherwise I always had to be dependent on another person.

I cannot imagine my life without Magic; he’s given me a new reason for living. I go out with him to different places and interact with different people. Having him besides me makes me feel wanted and loved. Most importantly, however, I now have someone to take care of and that makes a big difference to the meaning in my life. Giving responsibility to a disabled person changes the way they look at life. I have a more positive outlook now because I feel useful.

I am indebted to ‘Canines Can Care’ for helping me turn my life around. Today they are paying for Magic’s training and veterinary bills. ‘Royal Canin’ – a dog food company has generously agreed to give me his food free of cost, and I am grateful to them too. Hopefully if people come forward to help defray costs and sponsor Assistance dogs, more people like me can be helped.

I lost so much and felt so depressed and miserable and lonely for so long –till a Magical Angel bounded into my life and changed it. The love and trust he brought into my life will stay with me forever.

Expectation - Human Nature

I've always been told, ' Never expect anything and when you get it you will be happy.' I am not sure if I believe in this statement and don't think this can always be done.

There is and has to be some kind of expectation in any relationship. "Has to" well yes, has to!

A parent expects a lot from their child; to do well in studies, to be a good person, to do well in life, to prosper and so on. A child in turn also has some expectations of his own; to be loved, to be understood, to be forgiven, to be accepted...

The same goes for a husband wife relationship however here the expectations are much higher. A couple meet each other mid-way in life and it takes time before the other person begins to accept the others flaws. They expect each other to understand what the other is going through. To co-relate and to live together is extremely important for a marriage to work and extremely difficult.

It's alright to expect but don't expect that your expectations will be met with. There's no harm in trying, there maybe an understanding one day.

It's not easy to stop when you feel so connected to the opposite person. But you can try! If you can't stop like in any kind of addiction, be prepared to get your heart crushed and shattered.

Live with what you have... Hope for a change in attitude but never for a complete "change"!!

LEARN TO ACCEPT AND NOT TO "EXPECT."

Life Lessons From Your DOG.....

If a dog was a teacher you would learn stuff like:

1. When loved ones come home, always run to greet them.

2. Never pass the opportunity of going for a joyride.

3. Allow the experience of fresh air and wind in your face to be pure ecstacy.

4. When it's in your best interest, practice obedience.

5. Let others know when they've invaded your territory.

6. Take naps.

7. Stretch before rising.

8. Run, romp and play daily.

9. Thrive on attention and let people touch you.

10. Avoid biting when a simple growl will do.

11. On warm days, stop to lie on your back in the grass.

12. On hot days, drink lots of water and lie under a shady tree.

13. When you are happy, dance around and move your whole body.

14. No matter how often you are scolded, don't buy the guilt thing and pout! Run right back and make friends.

15. Delight in the simple joy of a long walk.

16. Eat with gusto and enthusiasm. Stop when you have had enough.

17. If what you want lies buried, dig untill you get it.

18. Be loyal, never pretend to be something you are not.

19. When someone is having a bad day, be silent, sit close by and nuzzle them gently.

If people just would take these simple pleasures of life in their bad times... I guarantee that they would see the brighter side of "LIFE"

Ebony

Dogs have been in my life since I can remember. I did not have dogs growing up as my dad insisted we needed more space for a dog. Everytime I met a stray or a friend's dog, I would mope, cry and make a big tantrum. But it didn't help!

At the age of 16, when we moved to Pune, my dad finally had to give in to years of my begging and pleading. He took me to an Army Cantonment where he had found out about a female doberman who had had a litter sometime back. I jumped onto my dad's Kinetic Honda and couldn't wait to get home the dog I had always wanted. We reached the house to be greeted by barks and whines. The door opened and out ran 5 cute little black and brown puppies. All of them had different coloured ribbons in their necks. The owner told us that he hadn't named them as he wanted the new owners to give their pup a name. He just used the colour of the ribbion they wore to identify one from the other. The pups were over 2 months old and I was in love with all of them the very instance I laid my eyes on them. There was one pup with a bright blue ribbion who kept tugging at my skirt and trying to rip it apart. She was one of the females and I guess she chose me. I immediately picked her up and told my dad I wanted her and she was the one we took home that day!

I carried my new puppy in my arms and made her sit on my lap and held her tight. She was scared of the traffic that drove past her. Dad and I reached home and my mom and sister Ayesha were eagerly waiting for us. I put her down to show her off to them. They loved her. She was a pup but had strong bone structure and a solid frame. We named her EBONY.

Ebony grew up very fast just as most dogs do. She got taller by the day. She developed a deadly infection at the age of 6 months called Parvo virus but she was too strong to give up on life. She fought hard through her illness only to become more stronger as she grew up.

My dear beloved Ebony left me at the age of one. She accompanied us in our car the day we had our accident and we couldn't find her after the crash. I will never forget Ebony as she was the light of my life.....

Please don't abandon me, I love you.

Dogs are known since ages to be a man’s best friend and companion. Having a dog around the house would seem to be a lot of fun but it is not. Making this decision impulsively, can lead to frustration, disappointment, and eventually, may result in the surrender of the dog to a shelter or rescue. Ultimately in the end the dog who is loyal and thinks of his owner as his family has to end up without one for no fault of his.

The decision to get a dog is not something to be taken lightly. An adorable puppy can tug at our heartstrings but, in the end, will require a significant investment of your time and money for a significant number of years. Socializing and training a new puppy is time consuming and, occasionally, frustrating. It can increase the amount of stress on the family, and the dog, working to provide the constant supervision, socialization, and training that is necessary to successfully integrate a dog into a family environment. This is especially true if the primary caregivers are working outside of the home and/or have young children, an elderly parent, or other persons and/or pets to care for. This does not mean that it cannot be done. But, prospective dog owners often underestimate the investment of time, energy, and money, required.

In India, the tragic fact is that, millions of the dogs are abandoned annually. And, most often, it is the owners, not the dogs, who are responsible. Impulsive or poorly thought out decisions; the selection of a difficult or headstrong breed because it is 'popular' or you like how it looks; or, for that matter, any dog selected for looks rather than temperament, 'match' to your lifestyle, and your ability to provide proper care and environment; the lack of consideration of the lifestyle changes you may experience over the next 12 to 14 years; as well as the lack of proper socialization, training, physical activity, and attention -- these are all major contributors to the need for so many shelters and rescues.

The responsibilities of dog ownership are quite a few. However if you are interested in getting a dog for the RIGHT reasons, be sure of selecting a breed best suited to your lifestyle by visiting your local shelter or rescue facility. Better still, adopt a stray dog. There are so many dogs on the streets that would make excellent pets. All they need is love and companionship. If you really love a dog then you would not insist on a breed. A dog is a dog after all, isn’t it?

Ask yourself this:1) Are you, and all those who live with you, committed to spend 12+ years providing health care, food, grooming, training and attention to a dog? Do the people who live with you also want a dog?

2) Do you have the time and/or resources available . . . To take your dog for walks and to the vet? To bath, brush, clip, and, otherwise, groom your dog as often as necessary? Will you want to play and, perhaps, work on training daily, with your dog? Are you willing to take your dog to puppy socialization, kindergarten, and basic obedience classes?

3) Are there lifestyle-altering events that could occur in your foreseeable future? - A baby, caring for an elderly family member, a divorce, job uncertainty, etc. And, how would you deal with these changes as they impacted your ability to care for a dog?

4) Is your personality conducive to dog ownership? Do you often feel 'stressed out'? Do you like to have total control over your environment or 'space'? Are you a 'neat freak'? Are you flexible? Patient? Answer honesty - nobody but you will know AND, more importantly, nobody but you will have to live with the results of your trying to 'fit' your personality to a dog.

5) Are you physically able to care for a dog? Are you economically able to provide care for a dog?

6) Is your environment prepared for a dog and/or are you willing to make the investment of time and money necessary to insure that it does? Is there a yard or park-like area for your dog to walk and relieve him- or her- self? If your dog will be outside for any period of time, will you provide a secure and comfortable shelter for your dog? Although you may have a secure and comfortable location for your dog while it is outdoors, dog should not be left outdoors, unattended, for extended periods of time. They can be taunted, released, stolen, or worse. Tethering can cause serious physical harm or death in the event of an entanglement or other such accident. Further, prolonged tethering can cause undesirable behavioral and personality traits to surface. Additionally, garages may contain chemicals, tools and other items that can be dangerous and/or harmful to your dog.

7) Will your dog be alone for long periods of time, daily? Can you arrange for the dog to be let out for a romp, given water, medication, and playtime, as necessary, during the day? Or, will you become angered and frustrated by behavioral issues that may arise due to the fact that your dog is alone for long periods of time? (i.e., relieves him or herself indoors; chews up a blanket, your shoes, your favorite chair cushion; barks incessantly, causing your neighbors to become angry or, perhaps, even call animal control on you; etc. Do not plan to leave your dog outdoors or in a garage all day while you are away! If this is in your plans, I suggest you revisit the question "Why do I/We want a dog?"

8) Are you willing to spay/neuter your dog, as soon as possible, to reduce the chance of an accidental breeding?

9) Do you travel frequently? Will it be difficult for you to find quality care for your dog when you are away? Can you afford such care?

10) Do you really LOVE dogs? If you are truly motivated by your love of dogs, or a particular dog, you most likely don't need this page. You've done your homework and are ready for a lifelong commitment. You will train and play with your dog, provide appropriate veterinary care and nutrition, you will bath and groom him or her, happily, and the occasional behavioral problem won't throw you for a loop.

And, remember to incorporate the same thoughtful consideration on whether or not to get a dog, and which breed or mix, when your friend, coworker or relative offers you one of Fluffy's puppies. Dogs are never really 'free' or 'cheap' and, in reality, require significant financial, physical, time, and environmental resources. At a minimum, none of these, or other such reasons, are sound selection factors for getting a dog and selecting a particular breed or mix. And, remember, if it is difficult for you to find information on a particular breed, or a breeder of the breed, it follows that you will most likely also have difficulty finding local support services that are familiar with the training, health care, and maintenance needs of that breed.
Therefore, just as in marriage or parenthood, you must be willing to be somewhat flexible and sincerely committed to responding, responsibly, to deviations from your expectations.