Doggie Demands

We are pondering getting a dog. We've been thinking about it for a while. It would force us to walk, give us some additional joy etc... Today a family member said "It is a big responsibility. If you want to go out of town, someone needs to watch it. It has needs and demands that you must fulfill. It is a commitment." I, without thinking blurted out "Isn't that the point?" Well, I have been pondering why I said that. Well, you parents would know better than me: aren't the biggest joys in life those that have "strings attached". Don't we all long for responsibility and commitment? Isn't part of the joy of parenthood the very fact that it makes you grow as a person? Isn't there something that we instinctively long for when fulfilling the needs of a dependent person like a child (or in this case, an animal)? Don't children long for this as well when taking care of a pet or a younger sibling? A three and a half year old boy in my Family Time class was so excited and proud to show me how he was nurturing his "baby" (a stuffed animal) because he had swaddled it in a scarf during learned relaxation time. This is how this little one relaxed...by pretending to care for another person. Commitment...where along the line did this become something undesirable? As a parent, isn't your commitment to your family directly related to the joy you experience as a parent, husband, or wife? So, I say "yes" to more commitment because I think it means more joy...So, if anyone knows where we can get a cockapoo locally, I'd appreciate a lead (all white would be nice)! Have a blessed day!!