Today, March 23, has been designated as National Puppy Day. The purpose is to bring awareness to the public that there are thousands of puppies waiting in shelters and rescue groups as well as foster homes to be adopted into their forever homes.

If you have been thinking about getting a puppy, today is a good day to look into it. Make sure you do your due diligence. Puppies are incredibly adorable and can steal your heart very quickly. But they are also a huge responsibility. Make sure you understand the time and patience commitment involved in potty training, behavior training and socializing your future furry kid. There are also the costs of vaccinations, food, toys, bedding etc. etc. The biggest commitment however, is your time. Puppies should not be adopted and then left in a crate for hours at a time while you are away at work. If you can't spend time at home with a new puppy, please DO NOT GET ONE!!! Wait until your are on vacation and have time at home to spend with him or her. I love puppies and I want to see them adopted into loving homes with responsible and caring pet parents.

Also, PLEASE do not purchase your puppy from a pet store or on the Internet at Craigslist. These are almost all Puppy Mill puppies and we do not want to support these horrible facilities.

In the meantime, go online and check out puppies at Petfinder and all of the other wonderful humane societies and rescue groups. These are the best places to find your new "Furry Kid".