You are convinced that you are in the right frame of mind to get a pet dog. The question in your mind is “Should I buy a dog or adopt one?” The answer will depend on a lot of factors. If you adopt, you are actually helping an unfortunate dog get a permanent home. There are thousands of them, victims of natural disasters, or just severed from their original owners.

But adopted dogs may not be trained dogs. They are usually past the housetraining age and that can cause some problems. They might have been attached to their own dog couch and he might resist sleeping in a new one. Taking care of an adopted dog will involve a lot more of you than the cute puppy that you saw in the window of the pet store. But you can get lucky and bring home a loyal, well behaved older dog who will be your friend for a long time.