Originally Posted by
williams 
on my way to recovery i decided to adopt myself a dog, it really helped me alot on them boring nights at home, instead of reaching for the beer i went out for a walk with the dog, and instead of buying alcohol i spent the money on the dog instead
this is one of the reasons I decided to adopt too. The weather was getting nice, I was bored and in the 30-40 mins. I would spend taking a nice walk in the evening, it could be the difference between staying sober or taking a ride to the liquor store. most of the people at dog parks are sober, it's nice to get some fresh air and the dog is usually ready to go even if i wake up at 6AM. He never admonishes me for wanting to take him out. He likes anything I like and he never steals the remote, lets me style his hair. This is my first toy breed, i previously had a chow and an Akita. It was just a bonus that he loves the cats, the antics that happen bring laughter more than feeling bored and depressed.
The rescue group made sure he was neutered and suitable for my lifestyle, they even paid for the first grooming and i got $200 worth of Petsmart coupons for various items. BUT be sure you have a couple of hundred set aside for teeth cleaning, vet check-up, heartworm meds, flea treatments, it adds up quick. (the cheapest source is drugstore.com which also does free delivery and 5% back quarterly on your purchases).
it sounds like you have thought this out thoroughly and if you are the type of person I am, it can only HELP in sobriety. (i won't tell you about the long conversations i have with the dog, but he always agrees with me which is nice).