I grew up with two Alaskan Malamutes. I thought our first dog was a wolf. I later learned that dogs come in all types of shapes and sizes. During the lifetime of my dogs, I breed them three times, caring for the pups until they were sold. Walking my dogs was therapeutic. I would talk to them as if they understood me. After I moved, I did not own a dog because I worked too many hours to be a responsible pet owner. I would, however, walk and pet sit my friends' dogs whenever they were unable to. I remain calm around dogs and am not afraid of their behavior. I understand that I may get scratched or dirty because I am dealing with animals. On the other hand, I treat the dogs like a human and respect their space because they are part of the family.