A friend of mine wants to get a dog, and I’m trying to help him in his search. The main criterion is that the dog does not shed, or, at worst, sheds very little.

Then, it should not be too big…or too small. Cute, but not too cute. Can bark, but only on rare occasions…or if my friend’s life is being threatened…or if some unknown person is trying to sneak something from his refrigerator. And, of course, the dog has to be good with kids, even though my friend’s kids are all over 30.

Yeeesh, I never knew he was so choosy and that this quest would prove to be so difficult. Actually, in all fairness, it’s not entirely his fault. He has had to strike some bargains with his wife in order to bring a dog into their home. She is, how I should I put this, a little obsessive-compulsive when it comes to being neat and orderly. And though she is, at heart, a good person, this has not made the quest an easy one.

I did have one suggestion, which my friend balked at, although it looked – maybe for a second or so – as if he was considering it.

At any rate, the search continues. A Shiba Inu? No, they definitely shed too much. A Boston Terrier? Too small. A Greyhound? Don’t like their looks. A Fox Terrier? I got no response on that suggestion.

So I’m still on the lookout. And even though my suggestions have not been enthusiastically received, I have, through this process, met some pretty cool dogs, along with some pretty cool owners.

Undeterred, I will keep looking and know that, somewhere, sometime, the right dog will come along. If not for my friend then, perhaps, for me. And my criteria are much simpler: 1) must be a Red Sox fan and 2) must enjoy fishing. Oh, and if he or she enjoys staying up late and watching old westerns, that would be a big plus.