Help. In need of a special (small) dog for Christmas

[RobinBradbery]

My Mother-in-law desperately wants a dog. She has been very depressed lately and we think this is the right time for her to finally have another one. It would be especially wonderful to have it in time for Christmas. This has to be a very special dog as she is wheelchair bound. I have every confidence someone here on the green screen will have an idea on where this unique canine may be found.

Here is what we are looking for...

Under 10 lbs. full grown, this is a must. She will be holding the dog a lot and can't hold much weight.
An adult, not a puppy. An older dog is fine but not an elderly dog.
No Chihuahuas or any mixes thereof
Housebroken
Gets along with cats
Sex does not matter but female is prefered.
Fixed and up on shots
A lazy dog is fine
Some basic training would be nice.
Likes being held and spoiled rotten

We are willing to pay if it is the right dog for them. Dog must be located within driving distance of Pasadena (South East of Houston).

This dog will be spoiled rotten and given the best of care. Her husband is very able bodied so no worries about her not being able to take care of the dogs needs properly. It will be an inside dog but have access to a fenced backyard to take care of nature.

So, do any of you know of a dog that might fit these needs?

[perow]

I bet your local pound has a bunch of dogs that would love a new home and fit your bill.

[RobinBradbery]

I bet your local pound has a bunch of dogs that would love a new home and fit your bill.

You would think so but we have been to six now. Two didn't even want to help us because we were getting a "gift" i.e. we were not the true adopters. One wouldn't let us look at a dog one on one unless we filled out all the paperwork first. We found a dog at another but they wanted to do a home check and when they found out we were trying to find one for another person they denied us.

So that means we have to get her to go to the shelter in person. It is a chore to get her loaded up for traveling and it turns out not all shelters are handicap accesable. You would think so but they aren't. She doesn't do well at shelters anyway because of all the noise. She can't think straight with all the barking going on around her. One shelter we managed to get her into she freaked out and pointed at the first little dog she saw and said, "That one".

Now the husband won't even consider a shelter dog because of all the hassles. We have tried craigslist but have not found the right dog yet.

That is why I turned to TBH, because someone here likely knows the perfect dog personally and can point us in the right direction.

[garby]

If you can figure out what breed you want, I recommend going with a rescue group that is specifically for that breed.

I "adopted" a pointer from TexasGSP.org and it was overall a good experience that cost me much less than buying from a breeder, not to mention saving a dog's life (they found her in a kill shelter in San Antonio).