Our dog, Sonny, had a tick problem. Have you ever observed one of those little suckers' And that's exactly what they are-ticks survive by sucking the blood out of their "host" animal. Well, let me tell you, Sonny was a great host! He wore special collars and got dipped to kill the little parasites, but somehow ticks would still attach themselves to Sonny and have a feast. Their "feeding frenzies" caused them to swell up to several times their normal size. Many a tick lived a full life by feeding off of our Sonny. What do Sonny's ticks have to do with marriage' Every couple that comes to the altar brings its own set of expectations. Whenever I stand before a bride and groom, I have the uncanny ability to read their minds. As I watch them look into each other's eyes, I know what both of them are thinking: This person is going to meet all my needs. That's when the trouble begins. I call this a "tick on the dog" relationship. Problem is, in far too many marriages, you have two ticks and no dog! Neither partner's legitimate needs get met, as each tries to feed off the other.