Yes, go to the shelter and find a dog there. At the shelter, you will only spend approx. $100 on an adoption fee, and there are always a variety of dogs looking for homes.
My dog is a shelter dog. He is half black lab, half greyhound. He is the perfect mix for the occasionally playful. Being half greyhound, he is inclined to be a couch potato, but being half lab, he also has a good play drive. If you want to play, he wants to play. For his size, he really does not require much work or exercise. He was easy to train and is still well-behaved seven years later. I should note that when Jack does run--he runs like the wind. It's BEAUTIFUL.
However, as a puppy, his nickname was "Houdini Dog." He had such a strong desire to be with the people that he would escape his dog run and try to get into the house. Also, if greyhounds get loose they try to lead you on a merry chase. We countered this by ignoring him
Since he wants to be where the people are, he invariably just gives up and comes inside when he notices people aren't following. Now that my parents no longer live in a house with a dog run, Jack is an indoor dog for the most part (as he desperately wants to be wherever my mother is). He attempts to act, for the most part, like a human. It's kind of freaky sometimes.
He is very loving, caring, and wonderful fun. I would definitely recommend mix-breed dogs--they have fewer genetics-related health problems than purebreds. You'll find all kinds of wonderful dogs at the shelter, and they're all in need of homes.