Screening Skills
From Chicken Soup for the Soul: I Can't Believe My Dog Did That!
By Victoria Radford

Labradors [are] lousy watchdogs. They usually bark when there is a stranger about, but it is an expression of unmitigated joy at the chance to meet somebody new, not a warning.
~Norman Strung

After considerable family begging and discussion regarding the "D" word, we all came to the conclusion that our family could responsibly care for a canine. My husband and I chose a breed that would most closely suit our family's personality and decided that we'd start our search at the first of several animal shelters in the area.

At the third shelter, we successfully discovered a medium-sized male Chocolate Black Lab mix named "Duke." This regally named dog was approximately two years old and seemed to have the sweetest disposition. He looked at us through intelligent eyes and already knew how to fetch; he happily retrieved the tennis ball that our seven-year-old son tossed for him and delivered the drool-soaked ball to my son, dropping it at his feet, while my husband and I completed the adoption paperwork. (Keep reading)