Some Puppy To Love

When I was growing up, we always had a dog (or two) in the house. My first memory of a dog was a beautiful black and gold German Shepherd named Mindy. She was already a senior when I was very young so my memories with her are, unfortunately, brief. After her, we had Bambi, a black shepherd who I spent most of my childhood with, playing with her day in and day out. She was a no nonsense type of dog, and also the sweetest you could ever want as a best friend. It’s not surprising that my first dog as an adult was another black shepherd named Roxy. Roxy was my heart. She was the kindest dog I have ever had. She was protective of my kids but loving to all. She has been gone for about five years and I still miss her greatly. It’s funny how you can attached to a certain breed. German shepherds are easy to get attached to, of course. They are intelligent, fast learners who very quickly ingratiate themselves into a family. They are incredibly strong yet fun-loving, adore kids and have

It's a beautiful, sun filled day, one that I thought might never come after the long, harsh winter we've had here in New York City. I'm in the third hour of my son’s baseball double-header and all I can see before my eyes are Rawlings cleats, Rawlings gloves and baseball uniforms issued from our league. In school, it's a different story. On gym days, all you see are Nike sneakers. Nearly every kid in my son's class has Nike gear except for my son.  I made it a point to never again buy another Nike product when the company endorsed convicted dog fighter Michael Vick as their spokesperson. Being a pet writer, I have read numerous horror stories of the devastation that was incurred upon countless dogs that were tortured in his multi-million dollar dog-fighting ring that spanned six years. After that, it was inconceivable to comprehend how a company that prides itself on family values could ever want such a person to represent them. My kids agreed with my vow to