do not get a dog at a pet store. it is hard to know where they came from. pet store dogs are frequently inbred. my folks gad an inbred eppileptic beagle. getting a dog from the pound is a noble option, kinda like adopting a kid from the third world. put alot of thought into this though, as it will be with you for years. i'd do some research as to what kind of dog you want. my parents recently got a hungarian visla. (i think i misspelled visla) check those out. they're like 50 or so lbs and really cool. don't get a golden, they're cute puppies, but stupid.