My god, I've been dogless since April, and what a dead gray world it is.

I've managed to wait to adopt another because I've got other important business to attend to (like traveling to retain my permanent residency in my adopted country - very difficult to do with a dog) but honestly what is even the point of anything ever if you don't have a dog? Why even be alive?

I am afraid that I won't ever have a bond with any other dog like I did with my girl, though. 12.5 years together, and she was PERFECT.

And screw the people who are all like, "You have to show your dog you're dominant."

Bullshit. My dog was a peer. I respected her more than most people. Dominant my ass.

I'm not much for puppies, tbh, adult dogs all the way for me. Still, dogs aren't solidified into the people they're going to become until year two or so, so Fish has time to become the type of dog you want.

You know what years of animal rescue taught me? If a dog is already mentally sound, here's what they need to be well-behaved: exercise, consistency, and lots of time with their person.

If a dog is mentally screwed up already, what they need to be as well behaved as they'll ever get is exercise, consistency, and time with their person (but they'll still be a little fucked up probably).

Anyway, your little fish has ears very similar to my late dog's ears. Even before my dog died, I thought, "I'll know my next dog because she'll have ears like this."

So maybe you got my dog by accident.