A dog is for life alot of times especially after christmas people get dogs then get fed up with them and throw them out on the streets or be very cruel to them. The dog shelters are overrun with dogs in January and Feburary. If you are planning to get a dog you need to be sure that you are going to keep it and think carefully about the type of dog that you are going to get to make sure that you can meet its requirements.  A dog is a big responsibility.