Dogs
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Matt
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Todd
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Todd: Hello, Matt!
Matt: Hello, Todd!
Todd: Matt, I'm going to ask you some questions about pets.
Matt: OK.
Todd: First question, do you have a pet?
Matt: Yes, my pet at my mom's house we have three pets; two dogs and a cat. My family actually raises dogs for helping blind people.
Todd: Oh, really?
Matt: Yeah.
Todd: Wow, like how do they train the dogs?
Matt: How do they train the dogs? Well, I mean it's a long process right? We get them when they're puppies and so we train them basic. You know, sit, come... really basic things. Then after they're about two year old they go to a different training school.
Todd: Oh, wow. That's great!
Matt: Yeah!
Todd: Well, how many dogs do they usually train at a time?
Matt: Oh, just one. We have our own dog and then we have a dog that we have that we are training.
Todd: Oh, OK.
Matt: Yeah, just one dog at a time.
Todd: Do you ever see the dogs you trained like out on the street or anything?
Matt: Sometimes we see them. They'll have like sort of conventions of reunions of the pets. Yeah, you get to see them every once in awhile.
Todd: Oh, wow! That's cool. Why do people keep pets?
Matt: I guess the most important thing is companionship, right? So there is always somebody there for you that will like you no matter what.
Todd: Yeah, that's true. OK. Besides cats, dogs and fish, what are some other pets people keep?
Matt: Well, I guess if you are Siegfried and Roy you can keep a tiger or lion. I guess all types of things don't they?
Todd: Yeah.
Matt: I mean, my friend has a snake. I don't know if you mention that snake, ferrets and insects, spiders...
Todd: OK.
Matt: All kinds of things.
Todd: All right. Yeah, like there is so many. What are some costs associated with keeping a pet?
Matt: Food is probably the biggest cost. But also if you keep the dog, particularly a dog in your house when they are puppies and we have a lot of puppies they'll chew up everything they can so we're constantly replacing shoes and you know, cleaning up pee from the carpet and things like that. It can be a hassle.
Todd: Yeah, OK. Thanks a lot Matt. By the way, where are you from?
Matt: I'm from the U.S.A., from Minnesota.
raise (dogs)
My family actually raises dogs for helping blind people.
To 'raise' a dog means to care for a dog from the time they are very young until they are mature. Notice the following:
- It is easy to raise your children in the suburbs.
- We used to raise chickens a few years ago.
training
school
Sometimes, they train the dogs in a training school.
To 'train' an animal is to teach it to act the way you want it to. Animals learn these things at a training school. Notice the following:
- Most people send their dogs to training school.
- He trained his dog to roll over.
keep pets
Why do you think people keep pets?
To 'keep' a pet to is have an animal that lives in your house that you care for. Notice the following:
- We kept rabbits as pets for a long time.
- Would you ever keep a pet snake?
associated
with or
biggest cost
What would you say is the biggest cost associated with
keeping a pet?
The 'biggest cost' refers to the most expensive part of something. Notice the following:
- For most people the biggest cost associated with having
a car is
the gasoline.
- What's the biggest cost associated with having a house?
hassle
Cleaning up pee and things like that can be a hassle.
A hassle is a difficult or frustrating task. Notice the following:
- Planning parties can be a big hassle.
- Is it a hassle to give me a ride home?
Vocabulary Quiz
associated • hassle
