I've had a pet for as long as I've lived. My current dog I adopted as an 8 week old pup. I trained him with basic comands, and socialized him from a very young age. He is now 9 and loves playing with friends. We also homeschool so we spend a lot of time at home. If we leave it is usually not for more than a few hours. I have a 5 year old and a 3 year old who are very gentle and love to play with and care for animals. We live in a decent sized house with a big (unfenced) back yard. I'm fine with inviting your dog on my couch or bed for extra cuddles we also have 2 dog beds if they'd prefer to sleep alone.