When I decided to buy an overpriced Rhodesian Ridgeback puppy, I vowed never to become one of those “dog nuts.” You know the type: owners who knit sweaters for their pooches and seek the advice of canine psychiatrists whenever Muffy messes on the carpet. My dog would stay off the furniture, wouldn’t tug on her leash and would never ever beg for table scraps. Five years later, I can say with confidence that my pet knows who’s boss.