Adam@Home by Rob Harrell for August 30, 2012

I see a Poodle vs. Great Dane argument coming up. Personally i’d go for a Rhodesian Ridgeback

Get a standard poodle….you don’t HAVE to give it a stupid hair do. MY choice, though would be a Labrador, a German Shepherd or an English Cocker Spaniel.

They should get a lhasa apso.

“Should maybe just you and I pick out the dog,” is an awkward sentence. Other than Yoda: talk, does any body, like that? I guess, due to the constraints of tiny comics, it has to be said that way.

I agree with MightasWell – get a dog from the pound. Many are older dogs, already house broken, and settled. You can tell what sort of personality they have. Many “fancy” breeds – Labradoodles, Cockerpoos – are only mutts, anyway. Why waste the money?

Choosing a healthy dog is a good idea, though.

I suspect it bears the caption, “Have a day.”

Pomeranian, Blood Hound, or Marmaduke.

Any guesses as to what I’d recommend?

Do NOT go to the pet store for a brain-damaged mill puppy. Go to the shelter and get a young mutt that will love you. They can all be trained if you are willing to be the alpha.

I’m thrilled that Adam’s family will be looking at bringing a shelter dog into their family. Please though, do not say that they will be “rescuing” a dog from a shelter. The shelters are the ones that rescue dogs and cats from awful situations – puppy mills, abandoned in foreclosed homes, owners who chose to not provide vet care. People ADOPT pets from these shelters. Animal shelter staff and volunteers love these animals as if they were their own pets.

Yes, rescue/shelter pets are awesome!

Enjoy your new dog Adam, because he will totally be yours….

Live on a corner lot, lots of kids play there, neighborhood yard? Mid to northern tier? Newfoundland. Pretty much baby sitter and kid herder in one.

Go for health and temperament first. Consider your life style versus the dog’s exercise/grooming needs. Take the kids! They need to be a part of the selection process as well as the care of the dog.

As for breed,get the DOG (notice I didn’t say breed) that best suits your life style because it will be with you for 12 to 16 years if things go well.

Try to find something with poodle or terrier in it, all poodles and some terriers ie. Welsh and Cairn, don’t shed.

Healthy shelter dog, heck take two!

A healthy, well-socialized shelter dog is a good idea. Spend some time with it first. Even if a dog is a mix, it would be good to do some research on the breads it appears to come from. Some dogs are higher maintenance than others.