"My dog is cooler than your dog"

I want my dogs to carry themselves with arrogance, to cover ground effortlessly and stand over it with authority, to look at you with a sharp, dark expression, to carry their ears on top of a clean, flat skull, to wear a jacket with the trademark texture and color banding. I want a forechest and a 12 o'clock tail, powerful thighs and short hocks. I want ribspring.

I want a dog to stay on a table when I tell him to, and to come when he's called, and shut up when he's told. I want him to stand his ground in the center of the ring when he faces an equal. I want confidence, but I don't want teeth. I want him to wake me when he needs to go out in the middle of the night.

And I want his children to do the same.

I want to look into their faces and see their great grandfather and remember what made those shivers go up my spine the first time I saw him..