Many would-be pet owners select animal companions purely on the basis of what they find "cute", or how they think that animal will reflect on their own image. These motives/actions can lead to irresponsible choices and ownership.

Far more important than the appearance of a prospective pet is how well you can care for it. You can insist on being a "dog person" all you like, but if you do not have the skills, patience and family support to provide training and hours of meaningful interaction with a dog every day, you must accept that at this point in your life, you perhaps have the means to be a "fish person" or a "hamster person", but not a "dog person".

When selecting a pet, you must take care to choose a species and breed with physical, mental, emotional and social needs that match your own physical, mental, emotional and social capacities.

A pet that needs plenty of outdoor workouts, interaction with lots of friendly people and animals, a great deal of demonstrated affection and daily training and playtime must go to a home where its owners are fully ready to give it all the outdoor workouts, socializing, pampering and training it requires.

Even a hamster, that needs only in-cage exercise-wheel workouts, must be properly fed and watered, have its cage cleaned, have regular interaction with you, and get medical care when needed. If you can barely care for yourself, can you look after a hamster?

Never underestimate an animal's need for attention and interaction with you and other humans-unless, of course, you are keeping pet cockroaches, in which case I have nothing further to say to you.