I was thrown out (not physically, you understand) of the Brownies in 1955 because I preferred to take my friends` dog for a walk on Sundays instead of going the Church Parade. He was an absolute sweetie called Rex.
I didn`t manage to get a dog of my own (a lovely GSD bitch) until I got preggers with my first child in 1973. Haven`t been without one, since, though.

I grew up with the family dog, we were more or less the same age right down to the weeks. When I was old enough to start playing out on the street and venturing to the park I took the dog with me. I can just remember taking the dog with me everywhere from then on, she was my ultimate best friend.

Shaney died at 11 and we got another dog within a few weeks. Since I was alot older, it became my responsibility to walk the dog and Mindy and I used to walk for miles, we'd be out half the day in all weathers. When I think about it now, we used to go places that were perhaps a little too far from home or a little too lonely.

Even as a small child I had books on dogs (my bible now is Bruce Fogle's Dog Breeds Encyclopedia!) so there arent many breeds I cant recognise.

I have been without a dog for a few years but as soon as I got my own place and settled in, I had to get one and 1 became 2. We dont have room for anymore, not even at a squeeze otherwise i'd have several. My main interest now is in the mutts and getting involved with doggy sports.

So i'd say that being raised closely with a dog from almost newborn got me into them. That would be 1977

My parents got Sam, a Miniature L/H Dachshund, before I was born, when they got their first home... he was fantastic when I was born, guarding my pram and apparently saw a man off when he came too near my pram outside a shop...aww!! I was devastated when he died He slipped a disc for the second time and there was nothing they could do... then Dad decided to get a bigger dog and we got Tess, out first English setter, there were a few where we lived and Dad fell in love with the breed... Tess was great... a little naughty, though easier than Jamie!!! But she died too soon, aged just 8 years from bone cancer She collapsed in my grandad's garden and was put to sleep the next day....
Years passed and the craving for a dog never left... then in 2006 finally I was in a position to get another dog and I contacted LOTS of different breeders of different dogs and researched... I ended up back with an English setter....Jamie
I have always adored animals, more than people if I am honest and could never understand people not liking them...

If i'm honest, i've always preferred animals to people as well so you're not alone!

Whilst still living with my parents, slowly the animals all died and my parents said that we were having no more. I've had everything from the usual cats, dogs, varying rodents to newts, spiders, budgies and fish.

Although life would be far cheaper and less complicated without pets, for some of us, life is also incomplete without pets.

I grew up in a rural area (it isn't any more - just another concrete urban wasteland) and animals were part of life from day one. My gran kept chickens and budgies, the old girl next door had a pig, everyone had cats and dogs, and from the age of 10, I "volunteered" myself as a dog walker for an elderly lady down the road who bred Alsations (I say Alsations not GSD's as they were huge, four-square dogs, not today's banana-backed version). The first family dog I remember was Trixie - a collie cross that we got from the local farmer. When she was about 3, she got out of the garden while in season, and presented us 9 weeks later with a beautiful litter of pups. We kept one of these - Rusty - and the others were given to friends and neighbours. Rusty was my constant companion from the age of 10 to 17. When I was 11 or so, I first read the Jack London classics, "Call of the Wild" and "White Fang" and decided that one day I would have my own team of sled dogs and travel the frozen north trapping beaver and fighting off grizzly bears etc. During the incredible winter of 1961/2 when it snowed on Boxing Day and temperatures remained below freezing till the end of March, I decided that Rusty was the next best thing to a husky and we used to go out on a home-made sled running down the local hillsides at suicidal pace.
It took me another thirty years before I got my first Siberian Husky, but whatever the breed (or none) life without a dog (or, preferably dogs) just doesn't seem right.

I have never been without a dog in my life and would never want that to happen to me. I see all sorts of people in this world with different likes and dislikes but it seems to me the ones that love animals are so much nicer.

I can honestly say 'dogs' have made a big difference in my life and good for people as they get older (lets just say over 70 and I'll leave it at that) In the last 15 yrs I have been working to improve the health of the yorkshire terrier
and although I don't breed, I have helped in many other ways.

I've loved animals, especially dogs, all my life, but although I had all sorts of animals as a child, e.g. cats, rabbits, hamsters, guinea pigs, chickens, fish, birds, my parents never let me have a dog, because they felt they themselves did not have the commitment necessary to own one. I was adult when I had my first dog, but have never been without one, two or three since then. They enrich my life, and I cannot imagine being without. I am now in my sixties (only just though!!!) and have already decided that there will be no more young dogs or puppies. I will take on older or elderly dogs that need homes. God willing, I shall be able to give them a few years of love and care, and they will be able to give me huge pleasure.

Wanda that is exactly how I feel. If I lose Crystal and I have it in my heart to take on another dog at my age, I would want an older dog. There are so many older rescues that a young family would not take on and understandably so but I would love to give one a few wonderful years.

Goodness here goes my mum and dad have had dogs since before i was born but the first dog was there already when i was born he was a border collie named Fonzie and i have some memories of us playing in the garden when i was still in my walker lol, we had to have him put down due to him having sever fits by this time we had already had wozel who was a red setter x rough collie a beautiful dog but he bit somebody out side the shop one day completely out of the blue he was very used to kids, well he had three of us climbing on him.(it might be some thing to do with the child he bit roller skating passed him again and again to annoy him)he obvcourse had to be pts we then started to help re home dogs so we had a few that didn't stay with us long,then came satchmo a wonderful keeshond who was one of the best dogs to train and was very loving he died 2 years ago of old age being 13 was a good innings. now i have my own house i have honey a ridgeback x staff and my mum has Tara who is northern Inuit or husky gsd malamute mix and badger bob tail borer collie also fantastic dogs also we have had lots of other pets too ie snakes,rabbits,chickens,ducks,cats a skink and a scorpian and many more, I'm sure we will not stop there as we are very animal mad lol.

Gawd,lol well I am 52 and I can honestly say all my life, so a looooooooong time.

Mo