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Picking a Pet
4 Tips to Help You Prepare and Select Your New Family Member
By April E. Clark
In some cases, new pet owners become so by taking in a stray or abandoned animal. For Tari Clidence of Batavia, Ohio, a sad situation turned into a match made in heaven for her family when her husband finished mowing the lawn one afternoon. "I bought Winston, our Lab, from a breeder but our other dog is a stray we found in our garage," she says. "They look like dog versions of Laurel and Hardy. They love each other."
Clidence says that while adding another pet to the mix has been challenging, it has been a blessing in disguise. "Cleaning up after them and keeping up with treats can he hard, " she says. "The little one likes to steal treats from Winston and eat them really quick. Also, we had Winston trained not to jump up on people and we find this little dog that does it all the time. Now 86-pound Winston thinks he can jump on you or just plop on your lap. They both give lots of love."
For the Behnys, owning Guinness has brought more than its share of happiness. "He's my best friend and he provides companionship and unconditional love," Josh Behny says. "I recommend families own a pet. As the kids get older, they can learn responsibility, as well as respect for animals."
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