Diana,
welcome to the forum. You'll get a lot of good, sound advice from these guys and gals. Love your pics of Laika, Onyx & splash but as a Rottie owner, I really like Laika and can't wait to see more pics of her.

For anyone looking to take digital photos seriously, I'd recommend a good, entry-level digital Single Lens Reflex camera and a good, medium-length zoom lens. It's a great place to start and, as you get more experience, you can always add lenses for specific needs -- portraits, wildlife, landscapes, etc.

Each of the major camera manufacturers make a great entry-level kit which matches your budget. As for which one is right for you, I suggest you go to your local camera store and actually handle the different models from Nikon, Canon, Olympus, Sony, etc. and see which one feels best to you. They all produce excellent images. What is important is the ergonomics -- how it feels in your hands.

That's my suggestion. Keep those images coming and good luck.

Jim