Tell me about your dog....

Now that my kids are no longer needy & I've retired from my job, I'm ready to invest my spare time into a pet dog. We have 2 cats that aren't very friendly so the canine will need to hold her own. I'm looking for a medium size; small enough to pick up and put in my lap but not so small it's a yapper. The fence will be built in a month so meanwhile, I'm scoping out critters. Pure breeds or a puppy are not necessary though I want to be careful to get a mentally healthy animal. Providing the dog hasn't been permanently traumatized, I have no problem rescuing.

I realize no one can tell me what the best dog for me would be but how about some stories about your "best friend"? What makes the dog so important to you? Does your dog have characteristics (good or bad) worth reporting? I'm a functional T10 in a manual chair with good core strength that's diminishing with each passing year. Though there are 2 ABs in the household, I want to do as much dog-maintenance as possible myself. So if any of you have tricks for picking up poop or bathing or any other ordinary dog duty that is made complicated by the paralysis, please share your opinion and wisdom.

I'm really looking forward to having a different BFF for some unconditional love (unlike what the cats have to offer!) Any relevant thoughts would be appreciated. Thanks.

Tell me about your dog....