Staci,

You know how I feel about Goldens, so it goes without saying that I think that particular breed would be wonderful for you. And a puppy would certainly be a distraction for you!

And just a word about my own experience. Unlike Shai's sudden death, Helen and I watched our Kaycee's health fail for almost a year. I knew each day we had her was precious and I worried not only about how Helen would handle her death, but myself as well. So after talking with my vet, I decided to add a little Golden puppy to our family. That was Honey. And I have to tell you that baby Honey was a blessing for us after Kaycee died. And the day after Kaycee's death, my friend's Golden gave birth to a huge litter of puppies. You know the "rest of the story". We knew we had room in our hearts to remember Kaycee, love our Honey, AND add Lilly to our family.

Everyone grieves differently, and I have to bite my tongue sometimes when responding to folks who have lost their beloved pet. Because I want to "shout" loudly to tell them not to wait, but add another to love. It really helped us to deal with our loss. Not that we weren't sad over Kaycee. In fact, we still are, and its been over two years now. But what we got in return from Honey, then Lilly, made it all worthwhile.

You will not ever replace Shai, but neither should you feel guilt about moving forward. She would want you to be happy! And we all want the same for you. I'm not trying to get sappy on you, but maybe this puppy was just meant to be.

You will know what to do. Good luck with your decision.