I was 18 when my mother gave me my first dog for my birthday. We had never had a dog in the house before. He was a 4-month-old rottweiler that mom bought from a pet store.
Training a puppy, I had to read books and forums on the internet. The puppy was very affectionate and would wag his tail every time I approached him. I taught him a few words like "sit", "come here" and "walk". I started talking to him too much and I was sure he understood me. My mother kept telling me that he was just a dog and that he couldn't understand what I was saying. I kept talking to him every day and I realized later, that by talking to him, he develops his intelligence.
I grew more attached to him every day. When he was growing up, he started barking excessively when we had guests. Maybe he was afraid of people he didn't know. I thought about an anti-bark collar . But, I noticed that by meeting people he acclimated better.
My love for this dog will remain forever. He was calm, intelligent and very loyal.