Far more important to me than the words (sir or master) is the look in her eyes when she looks at me. The melting, adoring, loving look that says "owned and oh so happy!"

Anything else is verbage. I recognise the American "thing" about addressing people as "sir" or "ma'am" as a form of politeness. However, I find the whole insistance on being called Sir or Ma'am risible.

In my considered opinion, unless you have been knighted, you are most definitely not a 'Sir' anything. I have a hard time keeping a straight face with anyone who does insist on the 'Sir' in fact.

Having said all that, my girl calls me master out of choice (hers) because she knows I am her master. I get a real thrill when she catches herself in public and stumbles over my name, since she has been instructed not to use anything but my name in public, but occasionally starts to say 'master' instead.