[asianthree]

Our 2 oldest children, take in abused dogs, rehab them, and then find a home. Every other year take a puppy to train as a service dog. Plus they each have their own dogs. Both work full time. Their budget per year is $10,000, each, out of their own pockets, for vet bills, and needed multiple surgeries, food not included, which is home made, to get them to a healthy weight.

Both of their homes can be calm, and chaotic on any given day. Each new dog, has to be housebroken, usually because they have never been out of a cage for up to 7 years at puppy mills. Some have never eaten from a bowl.

They are taught to use the same area, in their yard only. Once accomplished, when walking, none use any lawn, except for their own. They are have to be taught to receive affection, even petting is very new to them.

Once they have graduated, the dogs go to a loving home, to live the rest of what is left of their lives.

Sometimes there are failures, which is why they have adopted dogs. While a challenge, they will always have a loving home. None of their guests have taken the place of their spouse, or their children, they are loved, and are an added addition to their home.

Both of our children do find it very different when they visit, TV and see dogs in the grocery, or shopping in a store, which they find strange. They do understand strollers, sometimes a new rescue gets wagon rides, because they haven’t walked any distance, for a long time. They also find it uncomfortable to watch those who take a small dog on a leash into the crowded squares.