I wrote earlier my attempt to explain this desire for a dog, and have continued to pick away at it. I have to admit that part of the reason is this idea that getting a dog symbolizes for me (much as getting a diet book does for other parts of the population) beginning, even enabling, a healthier lifestyle.

Enabling, because I’d be willing to do things I won’t currently, like going out to run alone.

The question, then, is: Is this a good enough reason? I’m praying about that, because, by itself, I tend to think not. But I also think there are other reasons than this.

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So I said last time that dogs that can’t be trusted off-leash were off my list. And, yes, I do have a list.

Actually my desires have shifted between a specific breed, a combination of characteristics, and a breed with those characteristics.

Jay likes the idea of my having a list.

J: Maybe this way we’ll wait longer before getting a dog.
A: Either that, or we’ll know God really wants us to have one.

But my current image, while I have a breed in mind (Brittany), is more about age and accomplishments. I would *love* to find a dog at a similar level of training as the dog we re-homed a year ago.

But here’s what we’ve talked about:

• Running
• Skijoring
• Frisbee
• Tracking

Tracking I haven’t done before, but I think would be really fun. Retrieving is rather a given, like obedience training, since my girls really got into throwing while we had our cat.

Stop it. We did not let them throw the cat.

He didn’t retrieve, of course, but he did chase balls down the hall, to the girls’ great delight.