Carreer change help

I 'm on here because I need opinions and or advice. I figure this thread may have been discussed before so if you want to refer me to older threads that would be okay.

I spent my last seven years as a regional straight truck driver and loved it I spent one or two nights a week in Rochester and Buffalo NY every week and coverd 8 other states from my home base in Pa I had a 30 some odd foot Freightliner. Truck was brand new had just been issued a new truck.. I'm class B got air brakes Haz Mat tanker and passenger endorsements
But all good things seem to come to and end and unfortunately I lost my job my routes were unusually lucrative for a straight truck job. I was downsized basicly out of a job.

So I am trying to decide exactly what in trucking to do now.

I am considering changing to tractor trailer, I have a couple of main considerations. A. I have a dog and want her to go with me as I was not allowed to take her in my old job. B. I need training I don't mind not taking my dog during the training process and definately feel during that process it is better if a don't. C I have a case of the worries as to handling a tractor trailer. I am not the world's best at shifting and my Freightliner was an auto matic , not saying I can't shift just that I never was that hot at it but then again I never got a lot of practice at it either. However I can back a tractor trailer into a dock (simple straight back) though it takes me about six tries. I have a horse trailer and truck and I can back it and always get it where I want it not saying I don't sometimes have to work at it but I'm always confident with it and recently learned how to alley dock it in my driveway to get it under my pine tree eh ummmm natural garage. so I usually do get it where I want. The company I drove for had two TT s both standard shift, and I occasionaly had to move them to get my straight truck into the docks and as I said I also could back them but I only backed them on three or four occasions..
I'd like to stay in a straightt truck job but I'm having trouble finding work in my area and I would like to see more of the US especially the midwest, west and south. I don't want to be an owner operatror.
I"'ve always had to pretty much pull myself up by my bootstraps in life and its no different this time. I can't afford to buy a truck like the expiditor companies want you to do..
And there is a farm I want to buy so buying an expensive truck is beyond me with this farm on the burner. And I really do not want to be an owner operator.

I found a thread on the pet list here about companies that allow you to take your pet and Werner is one they listed and I know they train iniexperienced drivers. I don't want to start a hot debate about Werner or any companies just want opinions and or thoughts.

To really get down to brass tacks. My ideal here would be a company that trained me, allowed pets and the occasional passenger had auto shift trucks and sent me west and southwest and teated me well in terms of their contractual promises. And they pay me at least 35,000 a year. I made double that at my straight truck job but am realistic in not expecting to make that at least not as a green driver. I had what I feel was an unusaully lucrative straight truck job and I didn't start out making a lot even in that job, it built over time.

At any rate all opinions and advice will be appreciaed.

The above is why I joined. But to be a bit more social I am 47, a neat freak, eat healthy work out type, have two horses and a pony, one dog an 11 year old Weimaraner, had the breed for years. love to drive. Love upstate NY don' t drink coffee, don't eat in diners, don't smoke and miss my job and being out on the road very very much. Me in a nutshell.

Roxanne