I was raised in Montana on 7 acres with 2 dogs - a German Shepherd and a Maltese. Both were outside dogs and lived their full term in dog years. I spent many hours running around the yard and fields/hills with both dogs, chasing gophers, pheasants, bull snakes and having them protect me when scared. I turned into a city girl at age 18 and as timing would have it their lives came to an end within a year of moving from the country and having 7 acres for them to run freely on. I helped my mother take care of them both as they went through physical ailments prior to their deaths and my moving out of the house to go away to college.