I can't imagine life without a dog, Anne. I tried it and was miserable. We have been a two-dog family now for almost 16 years. Our current two, the Heeler and the Mini Poodle, are such a joy. Training Spud, the poodle, took a while because he had been abandoned twice by the time he was 10 months old. We've had him for 4 years now, and he still forgets once in a while and marks something in the house when he gets excited and anxious, but those occasions are very rare. Peanut, the Queensland Heeler, is 10 but acts like a puppy. When we brought Spud home, she acted as if he was her puppy and corrects him and protects him like a good mom should. Having two dogs is a blessing most of the time, because they keep each other company and well-exercised. Peanut was devastated when Archie died and went into a depression for a couple of months. But she perked right up when Spud came to live with us; it gave her a job and a purpose.