Dogless women
I know exactly how you feel. When my late husband's last beloved super bird hunter and beloved lap dog Springer died almost three years ago I vowed I'd never get another dog. Same problem; too old. It only took me two weeks to realize that I can't stand to live without another living creature breathing the same air. I figured I'd look for a rescue of mature years, house broken and leash trained.
Since I'd notified late DH's hunting pals and Shadow's breeder of her passing I received condolences and from the breeder the offer I couldn't refuse. He had a 3.5 yr. old brood bitch which, like all his breeding stock, was fully trained, field trial super star and his personal favorite hunting pal. She'd recently had a serious life threatening uterine infection which necessitated not only 5 days on IV antibiotics but being spayed. When she was released from the hospital he took her into his home where she was on IV fluids for another 5 days. He and his wife tended to her in the house until the surgical wound healed. He said that she was a perfect lady while in the house. He'd decided that she deserved to be a beloved pet and he just didn't have the time to give her the loving attention she deserved so he gave her to me despite the fact that I wouldn't hunt her. She has suffered from a panic disorder since arriving which the vet says between that devastating sickness followed by the flight from Cleveland to Charlotte and complete change of environment were no doubt responsible. That situation has gradually improved with medication, my efforts to resocialize her and the addition of a young rescue of some border collie heritage who is perpetually joyful. He's downright medicinal for Kit and me. He is Rocky which is his macho name to compensate for his castration just before I adopted him.