Hubby floored me today while we were in here geeking on our 'puters, by announcing that he wants to get another puppy. Maybe another Great Dane. He thinks we should get her (being the only female in the house I would demand that any other pets be female so I'm not too outnumbered) before Indigo passes away so she could possibly pick up some of the traits Indigo has that we love in a dog (a.k.a. manners).
After picking my jaw up off the floor, I initiated a discussion bringing up all the reasons we had decided to be dog-free after Indi. He acknowledged them, but reiterated his desire to get another dog.
While I love Great Danes, and if I lived in a place that were not as crowded as our new neighborhood will be I would want one again, I don't think a Dane will fit into the environment we are moving to. So I started talking breeds with Hubby. I presented to him some breeds I've favored for a while, and that I would like to have if I didn't have a Dane, and he liked one in particular. A Border Terrier.
There is a dog show this Friday through Sunday nearby, and we will be making a trip out to it so he can see this breed up close and personal (internet pictures only give so much detail).
I strongly suspect that between now and then he will reverse his feeling about wanting to get another dog, but in the case he doesn't I want to do this smart. While lots of good pets are found through pet stores, I refuse to buy from any of them. The whole back yard breeders and puppy mills scenario is something that sends my blood pressure through the roof. The pound is nice, but we would like to know background information on the pet we purchase. I'm always open to Rescue pets, so that will be explored through local breeders if and when we are ready.
I can't help but wonder what got Hubby on this subject today, and will see if I can draw him out into more conversations on this after he wakes up from his nap.