Me as a child, with our pups ....  we adopted mama dog from the shelter and didn't realize she was pregnant.  When she gave birth, I screamed bloody murder, thinking our dog was dying.

I was in second grade, and had the entire class over to meet the pups when they were old enough.  ALL were adopted to family's in the neighborhood, and we got to see them grow up.

SO - I guess this "thing" I have for dogs started very early.