Mutt or purebred. We had the craziest Boston Terrier ever when I was in my teens. But overall, I love the breed -- good with kids, smart (at least my current one is too smart for my own good), affectionate. But we had mutts growing up as well and one of my most beloved dogs ever was a mutt. OTOH, while I've found goldens to be affectionate (lots of them around where I live), I just don't find them to be very bright. Kind of boring to me. So it just all depends on your personality, the size you want and the characteristics you want. And NOBODY should pick out your new baby but you!