I was thinking of getting a dog

I haven't had or cared for a dog since '03, and have felt the need to get one. But before I just dive in, I am going to volunteer at fostering for a while.
Has anyone else fostered? If so how did it work out for you?

I've never fostered, but I wish I could! Our shelter won't even let me foster a cat since my dobie isn't spayed-so I can show her. She's never had pups, but they don't care, I'm irresponsible regardless of the fact that the other dog and all four cats are spayed/neutered and are up to date on shots. Athena has every dang shot in the book, I spend over $200 every year just to get her yearly shots so she can go to shows. That's just another one of my peeves about the shelters in our area....anyway!

I think fostering will be a great idea, but keep in mind that many haven't been in a house and probably aren't potty trained, or 100% potty trained. So you might have a little bit of work ahead of you! You might also get stuck with the dog for many months which is why many people end up adopting their fosters. Many people I know that have fostered ended up adopting their fosters, so be prepared for that as well! :P

When buying/adopting a dog, breed research is one of the most important things you can do IMO. Know the energy, health, and grooming requirements. And research the genetic disorders/problems for any breed you are thinking of, that way you can be prepared for any problems that could come up and what colors/patterns have more issues. If you adopt from a shelter, that's obviously not going to be an easy task because you don't know the parents or they may be mixed, but at least you will be somewhat prepared for potential problems/requirements.