I thought I would start this thread for you Deb since a lot of us are always interested in hearing on how you are doing with your search for your "Heart." I know a lot of prayers and good thoughts are going out for you to find that perfect dog.

(Besides, how often is that dog icon used?! )

Oh, Luvd_Lioness!  Did you ever give me "homework"!!!! 

When I saw the title of this thread, I thought DeborahMichelle has a wonderful, loving, sharing HEART, why would she be looking for one???  So I scanned a lot of her threads and realized she's looking for a perfect dog, as you did cite!!!!! 

DeborahMichelle . . . . . with your loving heart, HEART will come to you, and with your intelligence, you'll know it immediately!  See how much confidence you have given me in yourself!  A lot!

Why you are looking for a "matie" to be about 40 pounds is what you believe is proper?

I'll tell you a short story of how a poodle kept me "aware".  I was sick once, and I passed out on the foyer floor.  Our poodle, came to my head, licked my forehead and stayed with me until my husband returned.  Was it a few moments?  Was it a couple of hours?  I'll never know!  But the poodle's loving attention and hovering kept me focused.  If I had had a wireless phone with me, I (myself) would have called 911, but I didn't have one! 

Also, you mentioned, DeborahMichelle, that you would like to NOT have a male.  I'm pretty sure I know why!  No stopping at every tree or fire hydrant, right? 

Well, if you get a dominate female ~ she will be worse at stopping at EVERYTHING!  SHE wants/needs to "mark her territory"! 

No.......I'm not giving you advice, I'm giving you more options!  HEART will find YOU, and I don't want you to miss the "little" girl or boy because you feel YOU know what you need and want! 

With love and FAITH, I firmly believe (and know) HEART will find you!

THank you so very, very much, dear  Luvd_Lioness, for startign this thread for me.  Love in Him, Deb

Dear Just Me, Thank you for ahving told me about dominant females who mark their territories.  You are right that it wsa the constant marking that made me want a female.  But now you've set me right.

Your poodle was respondign to you just as a Service Dog would do.  (Some SERvice Dogs alert by nudging you beforehand [before a seizure or diabetic episode, for example.  Others respond, as your poodle did.)  Yours in Him, Deb

Dear Toni, THank you for your kidn prayers!  I really appreciate them!  Love in Hiim, Deb

Dear All, As I mentioned in Daily General, I'm emailing private shelters/rescue groups a detailed description of me to ask them to recommend a dog to me.  I'm only emailing one at a time.  I've started with a Buddhist group, becaause they have very attractive dogs on tehir website.  Both my personal physician, Peter, & my Darling brother want me to phone them with a detailed desccriptoin before adopting a dog, & both would prefer seeing a picture first. 

BTW, Heart's name tag/ID tag arrived today!!  Yours in Him, Deb

 Dear Deb,

Heart will be here soon, I have a feeling. Have you contacted the training schools? I know there's at least one in CA that trains and donates animals. Veterinarians - and perhaps the Society For the Blind?

My prayers for you are daily.

Seaturtle

You're very welcome Deb. I thought this thread would help those who don't always have time to skim the "daily's" and can keep up to date on the search. I know I missed some news while I was gone and didn't really have energy to page through every post in the past.

Deborahmichelle:

BTW, Heart's name tag/ID tag arrived today!!

Heart is definitely on the way to being found!! That tag will soon have a wearer!

I hope you find the perfect "Heart" soon Deb. That will be one lucky and loved dog. Keep us posted on your quest. 

 Deb I can't wait to "meet" Heart! I will pray for you and Heart to be united soon.

Dear Seaturtle, Luvd_Lioness, Mikasha, & 4given, Thanks so much for your prayers & well-wishes for me to get united with my Heart!

Dear Seaturtle, I have emailed to &/or checked the website of every organized traiining facility iiin the country (that has a website), & NONE will train Psychiatric Service Dogs.  I spoke with the President of the Psychiatric Sservice Dogs association, & she said that the reason is what we call "stigma," that organized trainers are prejudiced agaiinst those with psychiatric disabilities.  She confirmed that tehre is no organized training facility for Psychiatric Service Dogs.  SO, we have to get dogs privately, do basic obedience traiiining with the SPCA &/or oon ooour own, & then get a private professional dog trainer to workk with us to teach the specific Psych Service Dog behaviors/skills that we need.  I am now on the VEERY iinformative PSD list-serv, & I have leaaarned that some dogs are natural responders, while others are natural alerters.  A responder comes over to you to aid you aafter, for example, a fall.  An alerter senses an episode's coming on & warns you.  You just have to work with the dog to find out which (s)he is.  Both are good.  So far as vets go, the Pets Unlimited Shelter here in San Francisco is run by private vets.  I don't know of another way to get a dog through a vet, rather than going through petfinders.com & the other 2 pet-finding websites.

Love in Him, Deb

It's JustMe ~ I didn't sleep that great last night thinking of your situation and not knowing all the facts. 

From reading you, I know you are on a super strict budget (aren't we all to some extent?)!  What I can see is that you need assurance of help in your daily life.  I read that you leave your apartment frequently, and when out-and-about, I wonder if this particular assistance is also mandatory, because people (even strangers) could call 911, if warranted?  You see?, there are companies that provide assistance by wearing a watch-type or necklace-type of "alert/alarm" (LifeGuardian Medical Alarms), which can be found when googled with a wealth of information. 

I'm sure you've thought of this, and probably dismissed it ~ but maybe further thought should be given.  At times, these companies have "special" offers, some don't even require a contract (so its service can be cancelled should you so desire).  Maybe Peter (your friend and physician) could write a prescription and it may be covered by your "medical" coverage?

You can still get your pet ~ for companionship and love!  And, should your apartment Management only permit "service" animals, again Peter could write a prescription for this purpose and simultaneously you can start the obediance portion of ownership of Heart! 

Maybe you've discussed this all before ~ just thought I'd chime in, in case you hadn't!