I have always lived with dogs. I grew up in a family surrounded by Springer Spaniels, as well as Labradors and Rottweilers, providing them with the utmost care and attention - daily walks, fun mealtimes, lots of catch (if that's what they want!). My firmest belief about dogs - besides how lucky human beings are to have them - is that you must meet them where they are. They want to play, you play. They want to rest, you rest. They are highly intuitive - they know when we're happy, when we're sad, and they adjust themselves for us. I believe it only just we do the same for them, and create the warmest and most welcoming environment possible. A story: I adopted an Australian Shepherd/Border Collie mix in 2011 who had been abandoned by a nearby farm. After a trip to the vet, I learned Shep (as I named him) had heart-worms. I knew we had to have it taken care of, and so we underwent the month-long process of having them removed. This involved several pills a day, and unfortunately, Shep had to live in his crate for most of the time, as being too active would be disastrous for his condition. For a large, energetic dog, that can be torture. I spent that entire month taking care of Shep, walking him with care and sitting by his crate, and finding different ways to entertain him while he was stationary. This is indicative of how I feel about all dogs: they deserve the best, most affectionate care we can afford, and then more.