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partial explanation for the deep “friendships” we have seen develop between an older, more protective animal and another of a different species. Whether it be Koko the gorilla and her pet kitten, or a lioness and a wolf cub, the innate drive to care for an infant runs deep within all mammals.
    But a puppy’s cuteness can be its—and our—downfall. The “cute response” we feel when we get the irresistible impulse to bring home a puppy is an emotional response, not a rational one. John Grogan perfectly captures the universal experience of “puppy love” in his wonderful memoir of a lovable but unpredictable Labrador, Marley and Me . “The deal I had struck with Jenny when we agreed to come here was that we would check the pups out, ask some questions, and keep an open mind as to whether or not we were ready to bring home a dog. … I said, ‘Let’s not make any snap judgments.’ But thirty seconds into it, I could see I had already lost the battle. There was no question that before the night was out, one of these puppies would be ours.” 2
    I can’t tell you how many times I have heard variations on that same theme when I’m called in to help rehabilitate a dog with issues. Unfortunately, those stories don’t always end with a best-selling book and hit movie. Sometimes they end with the disillusioned, frustrated owners tearing their hair out, and eventually dropping off their puppy or dog at a rescue or shelter. Sometimes those abandonments result in an innocent dog losing its life.
    When you bring home a puppy, you are actually bringing home what in a few short months will be a full-grown dog—not a stuffed animal that will stay small and cuddly forever. Animal lovers, especially those of us who work with dogs day in and day out, take very seriously the staggering number of dogs languishing in kennels and pounds. In recent years, responsible breeders, rescue organizations, and even shelters have become much more aware of the consequences of homing one of their puppies with an owner who isn’t realistic about his or her ability to care for a puppy. Often they will require the potential owner to fill out a contract and will even perform a “home visit” to make sure the owner’s environment is appropriate for raising a dog. Angel’s breeder, Brooke Walker, makes all new owners of her pedigree miniature schnauzers sign a contract stating that if the circumstances change and they’re no longer able to have a dog, they will return the dog to her for rehoming. She also microchips her dogs so that if they are ever lost, they can be traced back to her.
    Two certified trainers and award-winning breeders I have worked with, Diana Foster and her husband, Doug, have been running their business, Thinschmidt German Shepherds in Corona, California, for thirty-four years now. They not only breed pedigree German shepherd puppies with excellent temperaments for pets, they also train them. Diana describes the detailed grilling she gives potential owners before agreeing to adopt out one of her purebred shepherd pups: “We have a lengthy discussion with them. The first thing I ask is if they ever had a shepherd before. Some people don’t understand how much of a dog it is, ‘cause they’re so cute when they’re little. But they have to understand what these dogs are bred for and the size and the strength and how important the early training is. I ask them why they want a shepherd. What’s the reason? Is it going to be a guard dog that stays outside all the time? If so, we won’t sell them one of our dogs—that’s not what we breed them for. Our dogs are family. Right away I ask them if there are children in the family. Do you have any dogs? Are they males or females? Are you active? Is the dog going to be with the family? Where is he going to sleep? We provide a diagram with our suggestions of how to set up your home to get it ready for the dog. We don’t want to send one of our dogs off until we have a very