HOW DO YOU KNOW YOU'VE SPENT TOO MUCH ON A DOG?

HACKENSACK, N.J. (AP) How do you know you've spent too much on a dog?

When the dog house costs more than your own.

A kennel for 20 drugsniffing dogs being built next to a new jail has
already cost Bergen County $236,000 $32,400 more than the average county
resident pays for a house.

And the price is going up. Sheriff Jack Terhune is asking county
freeholders to approve $38,000 more to connect sewers, water and
electricity to the dog's facility.

The kennel will have heated rooms, individual sleeping quarters, a grooming
area, an office, a food preparation room and a locker room for trainers.
Each dog will have a private, 4by4foot stall connected to individual dog
runs.

The freeholders delayed a vote on the payment last week until they could
learn more.

Freeholder Anthony Cassano, who has toured the proposed kennel site,
defended the project, which has been slashed from an initial $500,000 price.

``This is not the Taj Mahal,'' Cassano said Wednesday. ``This is not a dog
house you can put cars or Cadillacs in.''