The time has come to adopt a new family member. You’re still reeling from the loss of your beloved dog and you aren’t sure what route to take.
The bar has been raised and you know what sort of dog works for you. The sad news is that you can’t ever truly replace your dog and if you try to, you may never be able to move forward.
With that in mind, one option you might want to consider is to let someone else pick your next dog for you.
I know, it sounds like an odd thing to put in someone else’s hands. It is a life-altering decision, after all. You would want this person to be someone who knows you almost as well as you know yourself. A family member or best friend would likely fit the bill.
The first thing you would want to do is give them a guideline to follow. You wouldn’t want a 120 lb giant when you are more of a 10 lb mini sort of person and vice-versa.
With that said, you don’t want to handcuff them. You’re giving them the power to decide and if you’ve set your guidelines too strictly, you’re essentially still deciding yourself.
Trust is going to be a huge deal in all of this, but if you have someone you truly trust, they won’t lead you astray.
They will choose the perfect dog for you. It won’t be an attempted carbon copy of your previous dog and you will be able to move forward. Believe it can happen.
In all of this, remember, YOU have final say. If you feel strongly that the person deciding has erred in their judgement, tell them, and get back to the drawing board. You don’t ever want to be in an uncomfortable living situation with a new dog. It wouldn’t be healthy for either of you.
Have fun with it and you’ll find the right dog. Truthfully, they tend to find you.
