I've owned a dog -- a jack russell terrier named Tootsie -- since 2003.   I only wish I got her sooner, as she has had a very positive effect on me and my family.    I have to walk her, as we are city dwellers and can't let her stroll the streets on her own, but that gets me out of the house at least twice a day, and there is an informal club of dog owners that meets in the park each night.    Having a dog has eased the transition from being parents of children to being parents of adults, and we dote on the dog like fools.     But there is a great deal of love and affection that comes with her, and she helps us meet new people all the time.