I want a puppy way more than I want a baby

Reading Zarathustra's blog reminds me of this strange intense love I have for dogs. I don't have a dog because rents are so high I cannot afford to leave myself at the mercy of any landlord. I have no evidence for this but to me dogs are capable of morality. (I'm not even sure I literally believe that.) Was it because I read Julie of The Wolves one too many times in grade school. Oh, my family dogs! I will always love them but especially the last one. He died a few years ago. He was a person (another Scott Peck concept I picked up from grade school? Or some other young adult novel I read?) He had inner and outer beauty. Australian shepherd...male. I swear: He was capable of unconditional love and had a sense of humor as well. He was fluent in several languages, in fact. He used to help me with my calculus homework and break up family fights. (Really--he would stand on his hind legs and put his paws on your face if you were fighting.) He had psychic powers.

I had to make my husband understand and appreciate dogs before I could get serious with him. He was a cat lover before. Any man who ever wanted me has always known: You must be able to recognize the humanity of the canine to hold a place in my heart. I'm suspicious of those with affinity for felines alone. Dogs, being persons (but better in many ways than homo sapiens) are not all charming and wonderful. Some are not good at witty conversation and have bad taste. But those who are special are immortal in spirit.