@amberpep Thanks for the update! Might I make a suggestion? How about a trip to the local humane society, and give it a walk-thru. I have heard many wonderful doggy love stories that have developed there!
Just look, no pressure. See what develops. I can just imagine those cute eyes and wagging tails waiting for a good home:-)
Rosemary

Hi Rosemary .....yes, that's what I've decided I'm going to do. Some of those little faces are so sad, I'm afraid I'll come home with more than one!
abby

Dear Abby,

I totally understand the "muddled-head" day. Who hasn't had one of those, or more than one, if truth be told? I had a wonderful therapist who used to say to me, when I was having one of my many muddled head days, "You don't need to decide that now." For me, that was a very helpful comment b/c I was quite good a driving myself crazy with worries/decisions/concerns that DID NOT need to be decided then and there, that were not urgent, that could definitely be put of until some time way into the future when i could better deal with them, or MAYBE, would never even need to be decided at all if i just let things take there course.

I am a firm believer that when it is right, all the pieces will fall into place. When you are ready for a dog, you'll go to the shelter and look for one. When you see the one that's right for you, you'll know it. When I first saw my rescue cat, I knew he was the one for me, even thought I looked at 4 or 5 others, had never had a cat before and thought I was a confirmed dog person. I just knew he was meant to be mine. He was 5 years old and he is now 14 years old. He is a "talker" with an opinion about everything and happy to share it with everyone who comes over.

Animal companions are the best. I don't think the breed even matters as long as the personality is a good fit. As Rosemary said, "just look, no pressure". When it's right, it's right. It will work out in the end.

My service dog, Barnabas, died suddenly in February, though the vet had told me a week earlier that he had years left in him. I still mourn. I decided to look at the shelters around my area, and found that a lot of the dogs were big, or pit bulls. But in March, I stopped by the Humane shelter in my town, and found Sadie, a 2 year old McNabb, and we instantly fell in love with each other. I've been training her to be my service dog, and she's doing wonderfully. I always recommend the shelter. So many animals need our love, and we need theirs.

What a wonderful story! That's what I'll do when the time comes.
abby

You are so right .... when it's the right time, I'll know it! That's funny ..... I always thought I was only a cat person, not a dog person. Well, Molly sure changed that! Now I'm both a cat and dog person!
abby

@jimhd, thank you very much for sharing your beautiful story. I have a french bulldog too. Barnabas and Sadie are such lucky dogs because they became part of your life.