"You need a dog," she said. "You need a dog."

My life had been void of canine companionship since Travis, my 14 year-old golden retriever friend, had left this earth four months prior. Although, I spent several weeks free from worrying about vet bills and the like, something was missing. My two children complained when they stayed with me, and my son still cried over Travis.

My friend had found her own dog through Home At Last. Her prodding was gentle, if not relentless. "You need a dog."

So, the four of us piled into the car and headed for Home At Last on a hot August afternoon. I had met a Home At Last dog named Geneva before one of the newscasts at Channel 27. While she waited to go on, I began rubbing her ears. That’s when my parental canine instinct began to twitch, and I realized my friend was right. I told the kids about Geneva but warned that we were simply on a cat-finding mission, and that we wouldn’t make any decisions that afternoon.

When we arrived at the sanctuary, Geneva and her ‘roommates’ were barking and tumbling in spite of the heat. The kids liked Geneva, but everywhere they turned, they met another potential best friend.

One of them presented in a logical manner, considering the weather. A small Aussie mix bounded up to the gate and cooled himself by jumping into his water bucket. Made sense to me. As I walked through the field Isaac and his pals shared, he followed my every step. When it was time to leave, I realized that I hadn’t chosen Isaac; he had chosen me.

After receiving mixed results from the children (one liked Geneva; the other preferred Isaac), my son finally said, "Dad, any dog you bring home will be OK with me."

After a night’s sleep, it was clear to me–Isaac belonged in my home. So back we went to change Isaac’s life. And my own.

I renamed Isaac "Derby" to reflect my passion for another breed of animal. The moment Derby bounded out of the car, he connected with both my children. They enjoy chasing each other around the yard, and the nights my children stay with me, both boys (my son and Derby) begin each night with their heads on the same pillow.

It took some time for us to adjust to Derby’s vivacious spirit, but he’s whip smart, social, and always ready to offer an endearing paw.

My friend is out of my life now, living in another state, but still in my heart that she recognized was not quite complete as long as it was void of a critter.

"You need a dog," she said. "You need a dog."

Dick Gabriel is a long-time favorite in Kentucky sports media. He can be seen and heard on WKYT-TV and the UK Sports Radio Network. Geneva was also adopted into a nice home.