Thank you all for the warm welcome! I will heed the advice on quantity: definitely want happy girls.
I live in Brevard County, Fl. Does anyone have advice particular to the area? Encephalitis or other problems like heat/humidity? Maybe we could start a thread for state or regional issues, or is there one already that I've missed? What do you do when there is a hurricane or tropical storm? Have you had trouble with the heat and any particular breeds?