[Patrick del Poker Grande]

As for getting a dog, there's a lot to think about.

First, what do you want - a purebred dog or a mutt? What breed(s)? From a breeder or the pound? NEVER from a pet store.

There are pros and cons to everything. Purebred dogs from a breeder and parents you choose give you a chance to pick out pretty much whatever you want in your dog and you'll know pretty well what he'll be like when he grows up. Cons are that this may lead to a higher chance of genetic problems and purebred dogs can be much more expensive up front.

Getting a mutt from a pound or a dog from a rescue can be a very rewarding endeavor. You're potentially saving this dog's life and they can be every bit the pet that a purebred dog will be. Cons include not knowing exactly what the dog will end up being like - temperament, size, fur, whatever. Another potential problem with a rescue is that you have no idea what this dog has been through up until this point. For all you know, the previous owners could have beat the crap out of it and it'll react violently over small irritants or it won't ever go near a full-grown man.

What breed do you want? Do you want a big dog? A small dog? One that'll climb up on your lap and sit there all day, or one that wants to run at top speed for 9 hours out of the day? Long hair or short hair? Everything is an option with varying degrees of consequences for each choice.