Marjorie - I know how it feels to lose someone you love and is part of the family. The trait of a doxie is that he/she feels as part of the family. We have lost two doxies in ou r married lives. We now have two standard, red, long haired doxies. brother and sister, named Myles and Corky from Murphy show. They are three yrs old. They give us a lot of love and we give it back with a chewy or two. They love to be among people - they are definitely not a watch dog, but they can bark as one. I know there is another doxie out there just waiting for you. Edie