ohhh! about dogs owning the owner....it sounds too much familiar. I've had a cairn terrier during 3 or 4 years. I spent more time out walking the dog than at home, at university, at the airport or whatever all together. he was just insatiable. at the end he neither wanted to stay at home but escaped to the neighbor. and yes, I gave him with a ribbon around his neck and said goodbye. it was becoming too difficult to handle and, in the meantime, I never had any sane canine relation with him: or I was out walking and then he almost behaved, or he neither replied when I called him. I was quite ***** off at the end....but it seems much more happy right now, and probably I'm much more relaxed to tell the truth.....