We know someone who recently made a spur-of-the-moment stop at an animal shelter and walked out a few minutes later with a new dog. A dog that wasn't housebroken. That nipped. That needed a crate.

    Our friend had the best of intentions -- everyone wants animals out of shelters and in homes -- but this was not the best way to adopt a dog. The process takes planning and work. Here's a game plan for someone seeking to bring a dog home.

    Think it out

    The worst mistake that people make is impulse adoption.

    Don't pick an animal because it reminds you of your old dog, or because you pity the animal, or because you lost your job and need to feel loved, or because the kids want one, or to save a marriage or relationship.

    The No. 1 objective is to save a life. People don't realize the number of amazing dogs being euthanized. Dogs make great companions. They're great from a social perspective. Nothing breaks the ice like a dog when you're out meeting people.

    Once you have a good reason to adopt, use your head. Also ask yourself: Do you have the time to feed, train and exercise a new dog? A puppy needs two years of intensive training; older dogs, a year. Can you afford the financial investment? Even routine medical care isn't cheap. Does the entire family approve, not just one or two members? Everyone will need to pitch in. Will a new dog get along with other pets in the home?

    If you're looking at a puppy, know how big it's going to get. If it's from a shelter or one of those "free-to-good-home" ads, take your best guess and be prepared for an adult dog that's 10 to 30 pounds plus or minus that estimate.

    Choosing a breed … or not

    Figure out what you want: big, small, male, female, energetic, laid-back, etc. Every factor should be considered.

    Is there a purebred that appeals to you? Study up and learn more about that breed's dogs, from how big they get, to their temperament, to how much they shed. Talk to a rescue group that deals in that particular breed. It can tell you a breed's quirks -- and it might even have an animal that would be a good fit.

    If you have no particular breed in mind, consider a mutt. There are a lot more mixed-breed animals needing homes.

    They also tend to be less prone to breed-specific health problems, and there's a school of thought that they're smarter than purebreds. They're also going to cost a lot less, in most cases.

    Just remember, the bottom line isn't always the bottom line.

    我們看到最近一些人在動物收留所門口一時沖動，幾分鐘后帶著一條狗出來了。這些狗沒有經過訓練。這種領養有點盲目，寵物也需要一個箱子。

    我們的朋友意圖很好-大家都希望動物離開收留所，生活在家里。但這不是最好的收養動物的方式。我們需要計劃工作過程。介紹一個策略給想要帶一條狗回家的朋友們。

    仔細想一下，人們犯的最大的錯誤是沖動地收養。不要因為一只狗讓你想起了你以前的狗，或者你同情動物，或者你丟了工作，需要安慰，或者孩子喜歡動物，或者為了拯救一段婚姻或者愛情，而去收留一只動物。

    第一的目的是挽救一條生命。人們不知道有多少很不錯狗被安樂死了。狗是很好的伙伴。從社交的角度他們很有用。沒有什么象狗一樣，在你和別人碰面的時候打破你們之間的堅冰。

    一旦你有了收留他們的好的理由，請你好好想想。也問問你自己：你有時間喂養，訓練，遛他們嗎？一條小狗需要兩年的大強度的訓練；老一點的狗需要一年。你能支付的起經濟投資嗎？即使是常規的醫療也不便宜。是不是全家人都同意呢，不僅是兩個或者三個人同意。每一人都要努力投入。一條新的狗能夠和家里的其他寵物和睦相處嗎？

    如果你想養一條小狗，你就該知道它會長成多大的一條狗。如果它來自收留所或者那些"免費到你家"的廣告，你就該好好猜猜準備好那條狗在估計的體重的基礎上多于或者少于10到30磅。是否要選擇品種？

    想清楚你要什么樣的：大，小，公，母，精力充沛，懶散等等。每一個因素都要考慮。

    有那種純種的狗對你很有吸引力嗎？專門研究和學習狗的品種，比如它們能長多大，他們的脾氣，它們的排泄量。向處理特殊品種狗的人詢問。這樣會獲得特殊品種狗的怪僻-或許這樣的狗并不適合你。

    如果你已經相中了一種特殊的品種，考慮一下雜種吧。有很多的混合品種的動物沒有家。

    雜交動物它們的品種有關的健康問題也少，有一個學派也認為它們比純種動物更加聰明。它們的花費在大部分情況下也少很多。

    記住，底線永遠不是底線。