I've had dogs since I was about five years old. My first job out of high school was as a veterinary assistant: restraining pets, givings med, analyzing stool specimens (I'm not afraid of poop!) Met my wife 13 years ago... she bred Shetland Sheepdogs and had eight of her own- a match made in heaven. Our herd is down to one 15-year old Sheltie who's blind and mostly deaf, but a sweetie we love to care for, and a small, insane dog-like creature (a Shih Tzu). We told her she's a Chinese Sheltie so she'd feel more comfortable in the pack.