Gnu, a lot of that sort of thing can be avoided entirely! More animal-person grumbling, but a RESPONSIBLE person does a few trial runs at a shelter first. Go for some walks with the dog, take the kids to meet the dog, take it out for walks with other dogs to see how it socializes.... Sad commentary, but it's what happens when people see animals as possessions, they take the first cute one, thinking it's a 'thing' and not a 'being' with quirks like any human. It'd be like getting married to someone you happened to see from across the room. No one would bet any kind of money on THAT relationship lasting. I tell prospective owners the same thing I tell my dating friends: Don't go for the first cute bitch you see, man, date AROUND! *bg*