This is a question most people don't stop to think about, but should. Most of the time when people think of getting a dog, they think about getting a puppy. They think of the cute ball of fluff running around the house making the family laugh. They want to nurture and raise the dog from a pup.

There is nothing that inspires adoration like a young puppy. No matter the breed or mix of breeds, there's something about a puppy that's a few months old that is just, well, precious. With their big, innocent eyes and puppy fur, their spastic movements, and the way they will fall soundly asleep at one moment then bounce to life the next, they are endlessly entertaining and adorable. It can be pure pleasure to nurture and raise a little ball of fluff into a confident and trusted companion.

But think about it: Do you really want a puppy? Is a puppy the best fit with your family's lifestyle? Having a puppy is like having a two-year-old in the house. Puppies want to get into everything, and they use their mouths to explore. They need to chew, and if you don't supply a variety of toys, they'll chew what's available.

Puppies need to be kept on very strict schedules in order to be housetrained. That means taking the puppy out first thing in the morning, several times during the day, and last thing at night. It means monitoring the puppy during the day to try to prevent accidents from happening. It means making a real commitment to training and socializing, because when your puppy gets big and he doesn't know what's expected of him, he'll make the rules.

It may be cute to have your puppy curl up on the couch with you or sleep in your bed or jump up on you to greet you, but then don't be surprised if you meet with resistance when your pup's grown up and you don't want him doing those things anymore.

What Older Dogs Have to Offer

When you get a six-month-old youngster you obviously miss the utterly adorable stage of 12 to 24 weeks. But let's be honest, a six- to twelve-month-old puppy is still pretty darn cool — and cute. These slightly older puppies are generally a bit calmer, they're usually house-trained, sometimes they've been taught other aspects of basic obedience, and they have a sense of what to expect from people. While the circumstances of their needing a new home may have left them feeling anxious and insecure, in the right home with the right kind of attention and rules, they will soon relax and settle in.

There's also the feel-good part of getting a slightly older puppy, because whether you adopt one from a shelter or a purebred rescue group or just take one in from a neighbor, you are essentially saving that dog's life. Yes, you are inheriting behaviors that the dog has learned from its previous owners or circumstances, but contrary to the old saying, you can teach an old puppy new tricks.

YOUNG PUPPIES VERSUS OLDER PUPPIES: PROS AND CONS

Bringing Home More than One

In the search for your new canine family member, you may meet a litter in which more than one of the puppies is available. You may also work through a rescue group that has a pair available that in their opinion shouldn't be separated because they are so close. In either of these scenarios, you are faced with the tough question of whether you should take on the care of not just one, but two puppies (or older pups or dogs).

The prospect can be daunting: Double the supplies, double the training, double the food, and double the vet bills. Then again, the prospect can be encouraging: The dogs will always have each other for company; if there are several children in your home, having more than one dog can reduce possessive feelings; you become an instant extended family.

John Whalen lives with his wife and three sons in Maine. When it came time to finding a dog for their family, they all wanted to start with a puppy. They decided on the kind of breed that would be best for their lifestyle (an English Labrador Retriever), and they found a breeder with a litter to choose from. When they got to the breeder's, there were just two puppies left. One appeared to be shy, and the other was obviously very attached to it and somewhat protective. “We had to take both,” John said, “It just didn't seem right to separate them.”

The Whalens' Labs — Maggie and Gracie — are now nearly five years old. How has it worked out? John describes their companionship as “remarkable” — they are still practically inseparable. The family is not sorry that their girls came together; in fact, they describe puppyhood with two as “double the fun.”

They say the pluses of having two dogs includes that they always have each other, which makes it easier when they need to leave them with a pet sitter for a few days, and that they entertain each other, which takes some of the pressure off of the family to provide it all themselves. There is less possessiveness among the boys, too.

The biggest challenge, according to John, is the training, because they want to be together. For the Whalens, life wouldn't be the same without their sister dogs.