Since I cannot have a dog in my new apartment, and having her helped me so much (she's back with my mother now), I have thought long and hard about what pet I should now buy. It had to be small.
The things about the dog that helped me were the scheduled play times, the cuddles, the routine of feeding and cleaning. If I wouldn't get out of bed for me I would manage it for the dog. Cause I had to. And then eventually because I wanted to. And I actually felt happy. And connected.
So after looking at birds and fish and hamsters and small rabbits and lizards- I've settled on getting a male