Editor's note: Barry Courter has a 24-year-old son who is a college graduate and a 19-year-old daughter who is a sophomore in college.
Q: Dad, what are your thoughts on pets?
A: I've had good ones and bad ones, and I've been a good pet owner and a bad pet owner. They are great, if everything falls into place, but you have to be fully committed to caring for them and have the resources to provide for them. Tying a dog to a tree and changing its water bowl every couple of days is not being a good pet owner. Leaving a pet unattended for long stretches while you travel or work long hours is also cruel, so take that into account. But it's hard to beat a loving pet.