New Dog, Need Help

[Romy]

About the shedding:

You might look into wirehaired breeds as well. Overall, they shed far far less than most regular coated dogs.

I'm sorry you lost Cthulhu, but please take some time and make sure the dog you get is a good fit for your living situation. Rotties and GSDs are in many cases sharper than something like a staffy, and people have already addressed the shedding aspect.