I spent $200,000 on my dogs. I'm almost embarrassed to admit that, but their intellect makes them really valuable.

"My last dog was a 25-pound Boykin Spaniel who was beautiful, but not very smart. We have a property in Montana, so we had heard of Svalinn, a high-end protection dog breeder, and were accustomed to seeing the dogs around. One day, Mary Ellen suggested we go take a look at Svalinn. I told her, "I'm not getting one of those dogs.""

"When we got there, one of the dogs came up, kissed me, and put his head in my lap. That's when I started to change my mind. I don't spend on cars or clothes, but the dogs are worth their price We left, but I couldn't get that dog out of my head. felt he had real intellect, which gave him the ability to connect with me emotionally. I needed him, especially during the lonely days of the pandemic."

"Mary Ellen and I spent $75,000 on that dog, Elias, who is now 8. The Svalinn team brought him to our cabin for Christmas, and he was loving, gentle, and playful with our children and grandchildren. He immediately became part of the family. I was so smitten that I paid extra - $125,000, at the time - to get the pick of the next litter. Our second Svalinn dog, Rooster, is 4."

Neurosurgeon Reg Haid owns two Svalinn protection dogs after initially resisting the idea because of past experiences with dangerous dogs and treating bite victims. The couple visited a Svalinn ranch near their Montana property where an affectionate dog changed his mind. Haid and his wife spent $75,000 on Elias and paid an additional $125,000 for pick of the next litter, Rooster. The dogs proved loving, gentle, playful with children and grandchildren, and emotionally intelligent, forming deep bonds during pandemic loneliness. Haid expresses embarrassment over the expenditure given his poor upbringing, yet values the dogs more than cars or clothes.

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