It sounds silly but getting a dog changed my life. I was in my late 20s, having too much fun and no responsibilities. Getting that dog made me a caregiver to another being. I had to tend to her needs. Feeding, walking, etc.  It made me more reliable and productive. The wild card is how much you wind up loving the critter.

I want to have a dog at some point in my life but it's not easy to tell if I am ready for it.

I asked the local animal shelter if I can walk some dogs to get experience but they only want experienced dog walkers since their dogs aren't easy to handle :(

That's all you can do. As a pet lover every heartbreak I say never again, but I'm not happy without at least a dog and a cat in my life. People? Not so much. :)