I've got a rescue dog. Wolfgang, a dachshund from a crack house. The craziest dog I've ever met. It was biting people left and right. Actually leaping in the air to snap, like a rattlesnake. And it would bite hard, too - drawing blood. A lawsuit waiting to happen. But I've turned it around. I still don't trust it around people completely, but it's come a long way.
I've only seen the first season or two. Some good info in there - that dogs don't have much of a long term memory and you can break their patterns. Anyway, it was always funny when he got bitten.
Then look for something with terrier in it...you have a good chance of keeping a cross bred animal smaller if it's part terrier. If you don't want a purebred, that is. You can rescue them , too. My son rescued two French Bulldogs. Not cheap mind you, but not $ 4/5000 a piece. He drove from NJ to Tennessee for one and VA for the other. I remember when shelter dogs were free ! I remember when they were all wolves, too. That's old...
One thing to consider with a dog in LA is you have to clean up the shit. So, how big a dog do you want?
As the article said is he able to push off as well with a tender hamstring? Would the last to flyouts have been homers if he was healthy?