Hannah is one of the best dog mothers I have seen. Here, she keeps the two sisters under control while Leroy (with the blue collar) stays outside the fray and watches. Hannah is right with the dogs when the move quickly or squabble, or when someone approaches him. She licks me, then licks him, but she is paying attention. She teaches them to play nicely,  reassures them when they are frightened, intervenes when there is fighting, cleans them when they are dirty, and feeds them generously when they are hungry.

I see her teaching them good dog etiquette, she never lets things get out of the control. This is a critical time in the development of a dog, their treatment and experience in the litter plays a profound role in their development and worldview. Hannah is doing a lot of important groundwork for me, I suspect I will be thanking her for years.

This is a reason I advocate knowing as much about a dog as possible.

Sometimes it is just not possible to know the breeding and litter history of a dog, that doesn’t mean it can’t work. But my approach is to work hard and gather as much information as possible. In this case, all the information I need is available to me, and I am taking advantage of it.

I have a sense of what Leroy will be like, especially regarding his temperament and attention span and demeanor.

I am quite certain there will be no aggression issues, that he can focus on people already. A dog that can pay attention to people can be trained well. These puppies are healthy, smart and affectionate. I credit Robin with much of that, and Hannah with most of it, she is the kind of dog I think of when I mention dogs that pass along the best qualities of dogs.

There are many ways to get a dog, there is not one way for anyone.

We are all different, live in different environments, have different dispositions and goals, physical capabilities, emotional needs, families and lifestyles. I always want to say to people (I don’t): give the dog a fighting chance. Think about whether he or she and your life really converge and make for a good life together. Don’t get a dog just to make a statement to others.

Getting a dog doesn’t have to be a crap shoot, really, not if I am thoughtful and do my homework and preparation. The best dogs, like the best things in life, often take hard work and careful thought. We have a long road to go, but so far so good.

I never get cocky with a dog. Fate, a beautiful herding dog from Wales, doesn’t want to challenge sheep. Is this her nature or my mistake? I don’t really know, but she is a wonderful dog and we love her just the way she is, but still,  wonder…. I have trained border collies before to work sheep, this one should have been a cakewalk.

So you never know and I never think I have it all figured out. I am different from  you, and you are different from me, what my dog does or doesn’t do doesn’t necessarily have a thing to do with me. And vice versa.

Dogs always surprise me, that is part of their challenge. When you see a mother like Hannah, the odds grow.