Topics for discussion:

Begin your program here - remembering to hit on some very important points.

Dogs and cats can help lower your blood pressure, sniff you for epileptic seizures before they happen, guide the blind, alert their humans who are hearing impaired that someone is at the door or the phone is ringing, locate survivors after tragedies, improve the learning curves of those with autism and will be the BEST friend you'll ever have in your life. They will love you unconditionally, protect you from harm, calm anxiety of pregnant women, help to build stronger immune systems in young children when kept inside the home at night and help build a more responsible young personality in your children.

Yet we ignore their needs and wants from our own ignorance. When they act out to get our attention, we loose patience and dump them at the pound in the most callous of ways when they become a burden and then, they die.

An easy way to get your dog to do right doesn't always include training, but ALWAYS includes giving the dog all of what it needs instead of just what you want it to have or do. The gap between the two is monumental. Learn to distinguish the difference and you'll always have good dogs at your side and a good woman beside you for life.

* Importance of spaying and neutering before the age of 6 months. No leg lifting, less likely to run away, to bite, fight and contract testicular or vaginal cancer. Plus they won't have unwanted litters.

* The importance of proper ID on all pets i.e. July 4, Halloween, natural disaster, etc.

* The links between animal abuse at a young age and future criminal behavior and committing much greater crimes.

*Spend time discussing the benefits of community service involvement. ''DO NOT STAND IDLY BY AND ALLOW YOUR FAMILY, FRIENDS OR NEIGHBORS TO ABUSE, NEGLECT OR HAVE LITTERS OF PUPPIES AND KITTENS. Then discuss with them what they feel is abuse and neglect and make sure you fill in the blanks from what they have failed to mention. Tying up on a short chain, not having proper vet care for ailments and injuries, striking the young pet in an attempt to train them.

* The absolute EVIL and irresponsibility of having even one litter of puppies or kittens. Put it into a business prospective. If your company made widgets and every year for the past 50 yrs you've had an end of year surplus of 8 million or more, a business who plans to be successful and stay in business will stop making widgets next year, Then they will review a viable plan to prevent this overage from ever happening again.

*The 'do's and don't' of having to part with a pet. First of all, you NEVER get a pet unless you are the owner of the property at which you reside. Landlords are notorious for deciding that they no longer want pets in the home you rent. Boyfriends will decide they don't like your little cat and try to force you to get rid of it. Be settled and stable before getting one.

If you must part with your pet, do NOT take it to the dog pound. They will kill it the same day. see http://21stcenturycares.org/truestory.htm

Do NOT put an ad on Craigslist for free dog or free cat. Find a rescue org that will take it until it finds another forever and loving home.  see http://21stcenturycares.org/freetohome.htm

The benefits of having your dog sleep inside the home at night. ( read up on this. There is NO reason to leave a dog outside at night and EVERY reason to bring it inside. Ignorance is the only difference from one home to the other. "If I'm a bad guy and want inside your home, I can slowly become friendly with it to gain it''s trust, coax it out the gate and close it behind me - leaving it out and unable to help your family or poison the barking dog . If the same home and occupants has a dog INSIDE the home, there isn't a robber or criminal in the world that's gonna try to come through that back door to do harm or take things not belonging to him. Plus inside dogs are happier, healthier, cost less in vet bills, less likely to bite a visitor or fight with another dog while on a walk, help young kids learn to read, calm nerves of a pregnant woman, build self esteem in young people. The 'outside' dog isn't the alarm you are told it is, it annoys the neighbors and if tied up on a chain for life, is literally being abused.

Benefits of starting with an adult dog from the pound and then getting a puppy at a later date since the BEST homes will have two dogs. The adult dogs already house broken, leash trained or past their digging and chewing stages. Then if you wish for a second dog, it can be a puppy that will quickly learn from the adult and keep each other company.

YOUR DOG WILL BE THE BEST FRIEND YOU'LL EVER HAVE IN YOUR LIFE. DON'T GIVE UP ON THEM BECAUSE THEY WILL NEVER GIVE UP ON YOU.