My last dog died a long time ago. In retrospect, it was my sister Renee's dog. His name was Deion. He was a mutt named after Deion Sanders. I named him, but he was my sister's dog for sure.

I am very excited. I need a friend. I spend a lot of my day alone. I waited a long time to make this decision. I wanted to wait until I was ready, and it's time. I need a companion. I think a lot of dads and husbands will be able to relate to what I am about to say. Kids, wives, girlfriends, whatever your situation. Family is complicated.

Dogs are simple. They need to eat, sleep and poop. They need you to love them and care for them. I can cover all that. I can clean up an accident, I can feed you, I can walk you, put you to bed and love you. None of those things have ever been an issue. People, however, require more, and I have never been good at the other things that people require. I can't wait, frankly.

What do I need to know? What concerns do I need to have? What am I missing? It's been so long since I had a pet, and I need your help. Tell me what's what.


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