Deciding To Get Another Dog After Losing Our Beloved Family Pet

If you are a regular around here, you may remember that we lost our beloved dog, Emma, earlier this year. We all miss her so much and little things every day make me think of her.

Whenever I would walk in through the garage door, she would be waiting there for me, so excited that I was home. Whenever she needed to go outside, she would ring a bell hanging on our back door. At night, if I would get up to get a drink or use the bathroom, I would always have to carefully walk through the dark house for fear of tripping over Emma (she was a big dog and loved to sprawl out right in the middle of the floor). She loved to sit on the floor right next to us and coerce us into scratching her head. If we stopped, she would lay her head in our lap begging us to continue. She loved to run and wrestle around with the kids. When she was playing and having fun with the kids, I swear it looked as though she was smiling. It's those little things and more that I remember about her. I really still cannot believe she's gone.

We know we can never replace Emma and it's a little scary to even think about getting another dog. She was so good and sweet and loving!  I have fears of ending up with some crazy dog that misbehaves all the time. But, be that as it may, we are at the point where we really want another family pet. We love big dogs but when Emma was injured, it was really difficult to take care of her because she was too heavy for me or the kids to lift. So, as we start to think about getting another dog, we are taking that into consideration. But, I'm just a "big dog" person; little dogs are too yappy for me. I'm partial to terriers - I love scruffy-faced, bearded dogs! Emma was an Airedale terrier and I would be happy to get another but the kids aren't sure they want a dog that looks so much like Emma. I've been researching dog breeds on the internet and so far, here are a few that have caught my eye:

Spinone Italiano
I had never really heard of this breed but saw it on the American Kennel Club website. It's a big dog but I can't resist it's "old-soul" look and bearded face. From what I've read, it's a gentle breed that is loving to all and patient around kids. Sounds awesome!

Goldendoodle
This is a mix of a golden retriever and a poodle. They are generally supposed to be intelligent and friendly. Very cute but I'm thinking they might shed a lot?

Weimaraner
These dogs are so pretty with their short grey coat and blue or amber eyes. From my reading it sounds like they are happy to be part of a family but can be very energetic and sometimes stubborn. I need to learn a little more about this breed.

Irish Terrier
I'm really just drawn to any kind of terrier. These with their reddish-golden coats are so pretty.




See, I told you I was partial to big dogs.

Our other option is going to a local shelter and rescuing a puppy. This is probably the route we will take. I've been spending a lot of time on Petfinder (a terrific site where you can see adoptable shelter animals from all over the country) and there are so many sweet dogs that need to find loving homes. I'm sure we could find some kind of terrier mix that would fit right into our family. I'll be sure and keep you posted and let you know if/when we do get a new furry friend.

Do you have a dog? If so, what kind?