We adopted our golden retriever from Homeward Bound. He was three years old and is the love of our life. With the downturn of the economy, some families have lost their homes and have had to give up their dogs. My sister volunteers at Homeward Bound on the weekends. She has adopted two. We also adopted a 2 year old kitty from Fieldhaven Feline Rescue. A possibility might be to foster a dog. They often have that option at the shelters. This way you can try out a breed and see how it works for you. With so many dogs and cats in shelters, I hope you will consider this option. We love our Murphy and he came potty trained and is an indoor dog that has never chewed our furniture or other objects. I will say he does love his own stuffed animals, but he knows what is his. Love him and will always adopt.