Loosing a fur friend is never easy, not matter how long they are in your life. And certainly none can replace the one lost.
I think if you feel the desire to have that warm little body next to you on the couch...or at the end of a leash..or under feet..then by all means...find the right new fur friend...

Take some time...search out the best fit..and enjoy..I don't think it will matter if it's another Shih Tzu or not..

Each dog has it's very own personality and breed only gives you a little "similarities".

Elisabeth, I don't have a pet. Personally never had one. But I know this, my oldest daughter is worried daily, about her dog Noodle, cause of his age, and his aches and pains.

I don't know, what she would have done the last 13 years, if she hadn't had Noodle. He was our first grand dog.

Maybe, you should give it a little longer? You know, how people say, to hold out for about a year, when loosing a spouse to make any major changes?

Just a thought. You can still get another dog, if you still feel that way a year after the date.

Moni

I keep remembering, "Tis better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all." You should look for a very special, loving puppy. Perhaps not right now, but eventually. You just have to accept that dogs do not have long lives. Now if you want long lives, get one of those parrots that live over 100 years!

When we lose a beloved pet one of the legacies they leave is that spot for another little (or big) fur ball.

Don't worry about how you will love the new pup. Our hearts are big enough to love countless beings in our lifetimes. No pet is just like another and neither are children. We love them all in the special way we reserve for them. Don't think of another dog as a replacement but as an addition to a family ready to love him/her and for the pup to love back.

I have a single "heart" dog who will always be that special one who touched my life. That doesn't mean I love my other dogs less...just different.

Elisabeth, I cried like crazy when you lost Oliver. I had just lost our fur baby the end of July and the nerves were still raw so I truly felt your pain. I always new I would get another dog when JD died but thought I would adopt an older dog because we are getting up there in years. JD died much sooner than I expected (she was only 10) and her passing was from out of no where...no signs of aging just all of a sudden sick and gone within a few days. Like you, I cannot stand being without a dog. One must grieve but at this point in my life I didn't have forever. JD was a rescue dog and the best dog we ever had. Dogs are like your kids. They all grew up in the same household and they all have different personalities. Each one has something different to offer. So while Oliver was very special, another dog whether a Shih Tzu or another breed, will be special in a different way. I say go for it. We are the proud parents of a now four month old goldendoodle...took possession of her in November. She's in trouble most of the time but I see great potential and when she grows up, she too will be great.

It seems your family has the love to give..and somewhere out there is a special furbaby ready to receive that love. I think you'll know him/her when you see find him/her!*S*

I think your heart is telling you to get a dog-or maybe Oliver is trying to urge you. The posters above are correct, even an identical breed will not be an identical dog, but a new dog will help ease the sadness. A rescue dog can be saved because of Oliver's love and your experience with him. He would want you to 'move on' and find a companion to keep you company. It can't hurt to 'look' at some dogs.

Mama always said every baby brings its own love. True with animals, too.

We had a little girl for 12 years. She was special because she was the first dog that DH and I shared, just on our own.

We're married 45 years. In the first year we were married we got a dog. Three years later our daughter was born and that dog attached herself to that girl like white on rice. Any other pets through the years belonged to all of us, which came to also include our son.

Then came our little honey, who was epileptic, so she really became our little special needs love. We always referred to her as our last pet. Let's face it, we're not getting younger and there's the possibility a new dog could outlive us.

Then our little honey died in my arms one august night, 2 1/2 years ago. We buried her. We mourned and settled into life - just the two of us.

Six months after she died I was wandering the WWW and did a search for small dog rescue. BIG mistake. Found a 2 year old poodle that wasn't far from where we live and needed a home.

That was two years ago. I cannot imagine not having that little girl in the house, bossing us around, demanding attention and treats, and just being her wonderful little self.

If you think there's an empty space in your home, there probably is. You will not regret filling the space. We did not get the same breed as our little honey. That wasn't a conscience effort, but it is a good thing that it worked out that way. We're never tempted to compare her. She's completely unique because there are no similarities.

Sorry to have written a novel here. He had a house fire two weeks ago. Not only did we make sure to get her out, I had enough sense to grab a coat for her too. We're all fine and with all the turmoil, she's with her family and she's okay with that.

What everyone else said, especially Wildchild. Don't worry about the love. It's not a finite thing - there's always more. I think that the best way you can honor a beloved pet who has died is to adopt another.

Consider a poodle. I understand they are ok for allergy sufferers, and the come in a variety of sizes. A full sized poodle is a 'big' dog. Their hair is like wool in appearance and feel.

However, if you let your dog 'free range' on a farm (or farmette), he's bound to collect burrs and these will be a problematic for a poodle.

After our first dog (a lab/chow mix) died, I said I wouldn't get another black dog because I didn't want to expect the new dog to act like Georgie as I knew they wouldn't and I thought I'd be disappointed.

While checking out online adoption photos, I found myself drawn to a pair of rescued puppies, black lab mixes. We ended up bringing them both home and let me tell you, there was no more worry about "George-like" expectations, they clearly were their own rowdy puppy selves. One of the girls has since passed and we've adopted another black lab mix. All four of them have had their similarities but are very different dogs.

I think, when you feel the time is right, get the dog you are drawn to.

I'm so glad that your heart is opening the way for another furbaby to enter, I don't think you will regret that. One thing about the human heart, it continues to manufacture love for as long as it beats.

By all means get another dog! Don't deprive yourself nor the dog of all the happiness you can share. You will all benefit from the relationship, whenever you feel ready for it. Bless you and bless your doggie-to-be!

Elisabeth, something to think about is becoming a foster dog owner. Many rescue organizations need foster homes for dogs where they can relearn how to live in a home. I am sure you could find a rescue group who would allow you to only foster dogs that are hypoallergenic/non shedders.

Foster owners give dogs the training they need to find a great forever home. If you foster for a while you might be able to decide if you really want to bring a new pet into your lives again, while at the same time, helping dogs in need.

I have a neighbor who does this. She is in her mid-60s and didn't want to get another dog after her last one died five years ago, because she is afraid that the dog would live longer than the good years she has left and she has no kids or family to speak of that could care for her dog if she could not. She told us last week she got Christmas cards from two of the families that ended up adopting her fosters, along with photos of the dogs and their new families. She said it's the best thing she has ever done.