Two of her sons, however, were not so fortunate. See, two years ago Sadie had a litter of 7 pups, which we did not intend to keep. We already had four dogs and didn't need any more.

We cared for pups though and watched them grow each day. My husband and I would swap stories about cute little things they did.

The dogs all looked so much alike that we found it confusing to talk about them without names. Eventually, names started emerging on their own.

For example, there was one brown dog in mix. (How he got this color and look is a mystery.) So we called him Brownie. Not cleverest of names, but it helped us identify him.

Next there was Tipper and Bubba, who we ended up keeping. Tipper has a tiny patch of white on tips of his front paws... hence name "Tipper."

Bubba, as his name might suggest, is a big brute. He's biggest and meanest of litter.

But, if we knew we were going to keep these guys, we might have gone a different route in choosing a dog name. Bubba doesn't exactly say, "Son of a princess," but his attitude definitely does.

So here are some examples of different ways a dog name can make a difference.

My advice? Think about all times you'll use name. Find out a little about who your dog is before giving him a name. And, think of yourself 10 years older than you are now... will you still like to say that name and think... I chose that?

About the Author:

Tina Spriggs is an expert dog lover whose lifelong interest in canines provides the motivation for her site. To learn more about dogs or to find gifts and toys for them visit her site at Dog Gifts and Toys for Dog Lovers.

Animal behavior can sometimes become frustrating as we've seemingly tried just about everything, and no matter what we do, they still sometimes do things we don't want them to. But that's what separates animals from human beings: fact that they are indeed animals. Our expectations can sometimes be set too high and we come to think of Rover or Mittens as a 'little person.' It's when we do this, that they will ultimately 'fail' our logic every single time. One cannot allow himself to set behavior standards so high that we no longer accept our animal counterparts for what they are. When behavior becomes an issue, and lead and kennel have not produced adequate results, next step is seeing an animal trainer or animal behavior consultant who may be better able to assist you.

Finally, but not leastly, animals are forever. Love your animals. When you open your home and hearts to animals, you have instantly become their lifetime mentor and surrogate parent. They look up to you for your time, patience, compassion, understanding, food, shelter, healthcare and everything else in between. Without you, they are helpless. The worst thing someone can do is abandon or willfully neglect his devoted dog or cat.

Below are some alarming statistics and vital information (1) from Humane Society of United States:

* One female dog and her offspring can give birth to 67,000 puppies. In seven years, one cat and her young can produce 420,000 kittens. * Every year, between six and eight million dogs and cats enter U.S. shelters; some three to four million of these animals are euthanized because there are not enough homes for them. * Living creatures have become throwaway items to be cuddled when cute and abandoned when inconvenient. Such disregard for animal life pervades and erodes our culture. * Abandoned and stray companion animals who survive in streets and alleys of cities and suburbs pose a health threat to humans and other animals. Each year communities are forced to spend millions of taxpayer dollars trying to cope with consequences of this surplus of pets. These public costs include services such as investigating animal cruelty, humanely capturing stray animals, and sheltering lost and homeless animals. * Free-roaming cats--owned cats allowed to go outside as well as stray and feral cats--often are hit by cars or fall victim to disease, starvation, poisons, attacks by other animals, or mistreatment by humans. * Leaving a dog outside for long periods, especially if he or she is chained or otherwise tethered, can be physically, emotionally, and behaviorally detrimental. Dogs need companionship, care, exercise, and attention. Leaving a dog outside for an extended period without supervision not only deprives animal of these things, but can also lead to behavior problems (including aggression).

For further information about pet adoptions and Humane Society of United States, go to: What to Consider before Adopting a Pet

In their short but special time they share with us, it is important to remember that animals belong in forever homes. Are you up to challenge? Some thoughts to ponder.

References: 1. The Humane Society of United States

© 2005 Animals are Forever By C. Bailey-Lloyd aka. Lady Camelot Public Relations Director & Staff Writer www.HolisticJunction.com www.MediaPositiveRadio.com