You can pick up after your pooch and make sure he plays nice, but it’s your dog’s breed that truly speaks volumes about what kind of owner you are.

Got a Beagle? You are inquisitive and willing to learn new things. The Beagle is constantly questioning. If you own one of these dogs, chances are you are a curious, willful person who is loyal to friends, tough on enemies and pretty stubborn.

Those with Cocker Spaniels are family oriented and nurturing. Gentle, playful and sweet in demeanor, they are the perfect size for smaller children. Owners of these dogs display the same affectionate qualities as their pups.

It appears affection–and an affinity for a pet–go a long way when times are tough.

“Pets have become more like family than an animal left in the dog house in the backyard,” says Daisy Okas, assistant vice president of communications at the American Kennel Club (AKC). “Just as people are not going to skimp on their children, they are not going to cut back on their dog.”

Humans are so devoted to their canine counterparts that despite the economic downturn, it seems pet owners aren’t willing to cut back on canine-related expenditures.

In fact, spending on pet supplies and over-the-counter medicines is expected to reach $10.5 billion by the end of this year, according to the American Pet Products Manufacturers’ Association. In 2007, spending reached about $9.9 billion.

What does this say about us?

“Animals provide a consistency to the ups and downs of our life, whether that’s the downturn in the economy or job stress,” says Shari Curran, director of Therapet Foundation, a Whitehouse, Texas-based not-for-profit that provides animal-assisted therapy. “They don’t care whether you won or lost a bunch of money in the stock market; they provide unconditional love and react the same way every time you come home.”

Dogs are such an important part of many families that even President-elect Obama felt his daughters would need a furry friend when they move into the White House. They are likely to choose a hypo-allergenic breed like a poodle or miniature schnauzer, given his daughter Malia’s allergies.

But the breed the Obamas choose will also affect how they are perceived by the country. That’s because owners typically identify with animals who have similar personality traits, quirks and physical activity levels, Okas says. To identify which breeds bestow which qualities, we asked the AKC and ASPCA for insight. Their answers are based on scientific studies of breed behavior and the buying habits of pet owners.

Canine Characteristics

Owners of Golden Retrievers, for instance, tend to be social butterflies who prefer to be in group settings, while Chihuahua owners are often mischief-makers, taking after their high-energy canine.

“All toy breeds were bred to be companions,” says Okas. “So Chihuahuas, along with Pomeranians and Maltese, may have a hard time being home alone all day.”

Poodles, America’s choice for the next presidential dog according to a survey conducted in August of more than 42,000 Americans by the AKC, tend to have owners who are detail-oriented and appreciate art and culture.

But the type of breed does not always tell the whole story.

Dr. Emily Weiss, Ph.D, certified applied animal behaviorist and senior director of shelter research and development at the ASPCA, advises those seeking a new member of the family “look at the individual dog and their personality and characteristics, not just the generalizations of the breed.”

Since each individual dog has its own unique personality, regardless of its breed, it’s essential you spend time with the pup in order to evaluate if its energy level, amount of training and disposition are a good fit.

Ingela Levett, 63, was the Founder and President of Rawhide Rescue. A non-profit rescue group of foster homes that worked tirelessly to find “forever homes” for dogs. She helped save over 2000 dogs and brought happiness to so many people.

The Dog Files would like to send Ingela’s family our condolences. For the brief period that we knew her, she certainly touched and changed our lives forever. She was clearly one of those lucky few people that were doing exactly what they were meant to do with their lives.

Below is Episode Two of The Dog Files. It focused on Rawhide Rescue and, in particular, Ingela. We hope you enjoy it and take away an idea of how many lives Ingela Levett has touched.

Bentley does not seem too concerned following his first adventure behind the wheel. Fortunately, there were no injuries.

A dog left in his master’s idling van just wouldn’t stay in his barking space - and wound up crashing into a Long Island coffee shop Wednesday night, police said.

The short but ruff ride by Bentley, a 50-pound mutt owned by musician Bryan Maher, ended without anyone getting hurt - just a lot of head scratching by witnesses at Cool Beanz in St. James, L.I.

“I ran inside the coffee house to sign up for open-mike night, and I left my car running because it’s cold outside and I didn’t want my dog to freeze,” said Maher, 60. “The next thing I knew, I looked up to see my van coming at me in the window, with Bentley in the driver’s seat grinning at me.”

The boxer and Shar-Pei mix, rescued by Maher from the pound about a month ago, somehow managed to put the car into drive as Maher, 60, was talking to Cool Beanz owner Patricia McCarthy.

“Bentley was driving a ‘92 Ford van!” marveled McCarthy, 57. “I was astonished, very much so.”

The crash left the shop’s glass front window cracked, some patio furniture busted and the van with minor damage, but neither Maher nor McCarthy was mad at the lovable dog, who was unscathed.

“Aw, Bentley was wagging his tail afterward,” said McCarthy. “He really is a sweet dog.”

Maher was grateful to McCarthy for taking it in stride - even booking him for Saturday night - but said he had learned his lesson.

“This is the first and last time I’ll ever put the car in park,” he said. “He’s a smart dog - obviously, he can drive a van.”

He’ll make sure his companion, who loves to ride up front with him, stays warm without the heater on.

“Bentley will be getting a nice doggie coat for Christmas,” Maher said.

Sgt. Thomas Healy, of the Suffolk County 4th Precinct Police, said the case would be classified as a motor vehicle accident - a really, really weird one.

“We’ve seen a lot of crazy things, like little kids putting the car in drive, but never a dog,” he said.

BY Kerry Burke and Debbie Tuma
DAILY NEWS WRITERS

London, Nov 19 (ANI): Oasis star Noel Gallagher recently became a Bond himself-he saved a pooch belonging to a former Bond Girl from thieves.

The rocker fisted away wannabe dognappers after he saw a few hooded lads trying to steal a black labrador belonging to Caroline Munro, 58, who starred in the 007 flick ‘The Spy Who Loved Me’.

The 41-year-old musician saw the youths trying to nab a dog tied up outside a supermarket when he was near his 2.5million pounds mansion in central London.

Noel gave them a right ear-bashing and threatened to take them all on. And it was just a matter of seconds that the gang fled from the scene.

“Noel was so brave - the blokes could have been carrying knives but he just didn’t car,” The Mirror quoted a neighbour as saying.

The neighbour added: “He’s a tough bloke and he doesn’t like people taking what isn’t theirs. So he tackled them and they quickly did one.”

Then the Labrador was finally reunited with Caroline - who played ill-fated helicopter pilot Naomi in the 1977 Bond movie.

The ex-Bond babe showered Noel with thanks after the incident.

“So she was ever so grateful for what Noel did. She’d have been devastated to lose him,” said a source. (ANI)

This is one of those moments.

If you want a dog, please contact your local shelter or a reputable breeder in your area, because if you buy a dog at a puppy store, chances are, this is where they came from.