What to do after your Special Interest falls through?

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So for as long as I can remember I loved dogs, I wanted to be a vet, I wanted to train dogs, I wanted to draw dogs (and I still do)! But I’ve never been able to have dogs, until recently I became an adult- moved out of my parents house and now love on campus. I was planned on getting a service dog, one from the shelter as I couldn’t afford a breeder (well I could but, whole other thing) and so I went to shelter and adopted a dog, Doof. He was a very good dog, a bit big, a bit excited a bit- much. A lot much actually and I couldn’t handle it- as much as I read and researched and knew just wasn’t enough. And if that wasn’t enough I had terrible Allergies the whole time too. I had to take him back but now I’m left feeling empty and sad. It feels like my whole life has been taken from out underneath me. Dogs were my first and most intense special interests but now every time I see something about dogs I get sad because I’ll probably never have one . If anyone has any tips or anything on how to deal with it I’d be very grateful.

Here is a link to an article on the subject: Dog Allergies

A couple points from the article:

It's not the dog's hair or fur that's the real problem. Instead, people are usually allergic to the dander -- flakes of dead skin -- as well as the saliva and urine. So, no matter how long or short the hair, any dog can potentially cause an allergic reaction.

Filter the air. Central heat and air conditioning can push dog dander into every room in your house -- even those that the dog isn't allowed in. A central air cleaner -- as well as filters on the vents themselves -- can help.

So I guess there may be a few points of advise here. My dog is an outside dog. He lives outdoors and never comes in the house. The only exception is that when the temperature falls below -10 degrees F. I will bring him indoors in the morning and let him sit by the wood stove until the outdoor temperatures warm up. That approach will limit your exposure to allergens.

The second point is if your dog is an inside dog, filter your indoor air. Remove the allergens from the stale air in yout home, especially your bedroom. There are many types of whole house systems available that can be installed in the duct work of your HVAC systems. For example a REME-HALO, that will minimize your exposure.

ALSO: Allergic reactions can change over time, even disappearing in some cases. Most people with allergies first develop them as children or infants. But as they age, some individuals seem to leave their hay fever, pet allergies or even food allergies behind.

I've buried three dogs and there really is no direct getting over the separation aspect apart from time.

You perhaps should consider looking at breeds that don't shed hair as much like poodles or a short haired breed. There is also something else to look at, finding out exactly what you were reacting to. Normally it could be either the hair or the dandruff so maybe something for you to investigate. I think it important for you to find this out and maybe there is something on the market to help with it.

After my special interest fell through, I dug into another mystery to find out why.
Regarding dogs: Every pound of domestic dog translates roughly into one less pound of wild dog, and many are endangered. Most pet dogs are semi-neurotic from living in an unsuitable environment and not being listened to. The happiest dogs are dogs who can use their special abilities to work as partners with humans who value their intelligence.

About allergies. Something springs to mind. The first is that there are long haired dogs and there are short haired dogs. Allergies to cats are common and the majority of cats are short haired. I am wondering if this has anything to do with it, and if a long haired dog which does not moult like a short haired dog does could be an idea.
You said the dog was a bit much. Ah. A young dog! An old dog is usually easier in this way BUT older dogs can be stubborn and also it is the young dogs that one can train. Older dogs are like older people. They have been there and done that so if one tries to tell them to learn something, they do not see the point. Why should they? They have probably forgotton more then most youngsters know!

Anyway. Those were a few ideas.

Also before I finish. My mother spent a year or two helping clean neighbours houses. They were/are two wealthy families who both tended to use modern cleaning products. If there was a surface to clean they had a spray for it!
My mother stuck to the traditional cleaning ways like using vinegar for windows etc. One thing that stood out was both these two families had pet allergies. Yet we don't and we don't use these modern cleaning sprays.
It may not be right, but it is a thought that my Mum had as an observation.

I got my dog, probably an Alsatian/golden retriever looking under a year old. He was rescued from the pound by a friend who just didn't have room for him. I suspect that his previous owner had been a disappointed disciplinarian. Anyway, that dog was plenty big to be a nuisance, but he was never a problem at all. I barely had occasion to issue a command, as he usually had the situation figured out without reading my mail. He ran free in Winnipeg, making friends I met later, and would heel so well that I didn't need to carry a leash to go through stores and offices. He knew when to do that, and how far to range around otherwise.

Create another special interest.

I haven't been bored or lonely for over 30 years.

Am still trying to deal with loss of special interests but will always remember all of the details of them
Time for new special interests ...looolzz

It is hard to get replacements for special interests, that’s why they are special.

If I have a special interest fall through, I fall back on a previous special interest.