I think you have a good plan but your current living situation is going to make it very hard. I think that's why you are writing so I am not telling you anything new. Sleeping on the floor must make you very tired.

Is there a happy medium? I don't know much about owning dogs but I do about pets. What if there was somebody you could work for on a pt basis or volunteer and they had a kennel? Then you could work to get on your feet, get an apt, etc. I am not suggesting getting rid of the dogs. You would need to be able to visit them when you wanted. With any luck you could apprentice. Using your analogy... Most artists would love to have the proverbial cottage in the back where they could go do their art. Most are lucky if they can afford to rent a studio to work in.