I would listen to the great advice all of these folks are giving here.

I'm not passing judgment because I don't know your friend or the circumstances to which the dog was stolen. If he left his dog out 24-7 or if it was a preventable situation, then a dog might not be a good gift for this person, because you don't want to get him a dog and it happen again.

The classified adds usually aren't the best place to shop for a puppy either. Find a responsible breeder or a reputable shelter/rescue organization. If he knows what breed he might want, do your homework on that breed to make sure it's suitable for this person's lifestyle. If a mutt is all he wants, the shelter is the #1 place to go save a life instead of giving an easy out for a careless dog owner. Use the internet and do your homework. There are sites out there geered towards giving good advice on finding responsible breeders and there are countless numbers of shelters on the web also. The AKC's website is one place to try. They have lists of breed clubs in your area that give referals on breeders as well as breed rescues.

Plus, a shelter dog will most likely have all of it's medical work done, including the most important, being neutered.