Breed loyalty

I've been as transparent as I can be during this whole grief process about the dogs. I have shared my ups and downs. I have shared all my thought, as difficult as some of them may be. And I have shared all of my feelings too.

I can see that thinking about another dog was just a way to cope with the sadness and grief I am feeling. In my heart of hearts, I don't really think I'm ready for another dog. I just don't like being without a dog. I like the thought of a dog more than I like the reality of a dog.

I've been struggling with breed loyalty. I feel like it has to be a GSP or nothing. And that's not the case really. I can chose any breed that I want. And there are more appropriate breeds for us. A lab mix would be better for us. Labs are generally a more mellow dog. I see the plight of the GSP down at the Rescue and I think that I must do something to help. Getting a Rescue dog seems to be the answer. But in reality it is not the answer. Getting another GSP would probably put me right back where I was with Skooter and Moped - stressed out! And I don't want that.

So how do I get past breed loyalty? How do I 'give up' on the GSP? I think I just need to be more rational about all of this and realize that getting an older GSP will have as many difficulties as having Skooter and Moped did. We'll have issues with the cats, issues with the fence and issues with energy level. I can't keep up with an energetic dog. It's that simple.

Dream Power, a local Rescue, has some lab mix puppies that they have for adoption. That would be more difficult, going through the puppy phase again, but there is a far better chance that the cats will get along with the dog if it is raised with him. And a lab mix is less apt to want to jump the fence to run around the neighborhood.

I just want a dog that I don't have to think so much about. I want to eventually be able to go out and just leave the dog in the house, out of the kennel, and not have to fret about it.

They do have a lab mix named Harley. He's a cute little bugger. Maybe we can consider him. Or maybe I should consider committing myself!