For years, my husband and I have talked about getting a second dog -- a playmate for our current dog. But our house has very small rooms. One big dog is a speed bump. Two big dogs are an obstacle course.

But we miss our black lab dearly. At the local SPCA, there is a 6-year-old black lab named Otis that no one seems to want. My husband's heart has melted.

I bought a new dog toy in anticipation of a new dog in our house. Maybe Otis ...