I had one dog growing up as a child, Suzi, a poodle from Heidelburg, Germany. We adopted her from a woman who couldn't care for her. She was wild and full of joy. She would run in huge circles in the yard and pull us down the street on a walk and we cooked food for her. That started my love affair with dogs. She died when I was 15. It broke my heart. I had cats during my 20's, 30's and 40's, but no dogs. Several years ago I kept telling my husband that I wanted a dog, but we were both traveling too much, so it was put on hold. One day we were walking down Montague St in Brooklyn Heights, and we saw a table with a dog rescue. There were a few dogs out front. My husband said, there's a pupoy under the table, and ran over. We picked up this little black lab mix with the chubbiest pink tummy and it was love at first sight. We brought her home that day. Ebony. The love affair began. We saw her through puppyhood and training and wonderful years of adventures. Her joie de vivre reminded me so of my Suzi. She had two knee surgeries and Cushings disease. She lived to be 14. We adopted a beautiful boy, Casey, from the ACC. He was perfect. A black lab mix that looked like a small Greyhound. He lived to be 11 and half. He died from complications from a brain tumor. When my husband's aunt couldn't keep her Yorkie, we adopted him into the family. He was sweet and silly and so tiny after my 80 and 50 pound Lab mixes. He died short of his 18th birthday. That was just over a year ago. We are now dogless. While I was away performing during the summer, my husband decided the void was too huge and became a foster to a 75 pound pitbull terrier, Rocky. When I got home and met him, I fell in love too. It was difficult to say goodbye, but he recently found a wonderful home on Long Island. I tell you all of this because my experience with different breeds and sizes have been varied and I am an 'owner' who is in it to the end. I am dedicated and love animals; my own, and treat other's dogs as I would my own.