Sorry if this isn't the appropriate place, but I figured the members here would understand what I'm feeling right now better than the rest of the world, lol!

We're currently dogless. Our last dog, Harley, a pug, died Hallowe'en. We attempted to rescue a Lab from a shelter, but due to his aggression/fear issues with our young children had no choice but to return him.

I miss having a dog in the house so badly. There's an emptiness here. My 9 yo asks mournfully for another pet, and even my 3 yo points out dogs on the street with cries of, "I yuv doggies! Doggie at home, pweeeeease?"

As much as we want another dog, we've decided to wait for several reasons. First, my youngest is 20 mths old. Second, I've recently been hurt at work, leaving me with (please God) temporary nerve damage in my arm. Third, we've decided to pursue a dog from a Service Agency, and their waiting list is quite long.

Its just really lonely without a dog in the house, even amidst the chaos of homeschooling and 2 toddlers.

Melissa,
I don't know if this is an appropriate topic either, but you are definitely not alone. I've been dogless for about six years now (ever since I left home for college) with no clear sign of reprieve in sight yet. At first it was because I couldn't even afford to feed myself, now its because hubby and I can't afford to live anywhere within commuting distance of his school that allows dogs (we do have a lovely cat, which is nice, but not a very good substitute). Hopefully, he'll either be able to graduate or drop out gracefully in the next year and a half and we'll be able to move somewhere more affordable.

My toddler isn't old enough to really know what she's missing or beg for a puppy (she adores her "meow meow" and my parents' dogs though), but I really want her to grow up with dogs.

I'm a volunteer dog-walker at the local shelter, which really helps, but hubby can't babysit our toddler very often at the moment. I'm also a scrawny 5'2" and very pregnant at the moment; picture a short, awkward, off-balance, tired person getting jerked around by hyperactive 50-60lb dogs. I've decided the more difficult dogs will have to wait a few months . I think the shelter staff must think I'm nuts, lol.

For all it's annoyance and agony though, it's been a really good time to sit back and just learn as much as possible about dogs, training, and what I want in a dog (though with frustratingly limited hands-on experience, hence the animal shelter).

I know where you are coming from...back when I was in college I had the dog yearning. So I did the logical thing and got a rabbit. A black dwarf lop male (Cricket). He chewed on everything, wasn't interested in being house trained (trails of rabbit poop on the floor). I finally couldn't stand it anymore and got a female Rottie pup (Elsa). The rabbit would hump the dog. I got the rabbit neutered (so he would stop humping the dog), he grew to 15lb, and he got mean. The dog was very sweet.
My life can be such a comedy.
The moral of the story---if you want a dog you are better off waiting and getting a dog instead of hopping to instant gratification.