What programs do you use to design/make a pet?

[Axed]

So I've using Photoshop cs3 (on my labtop cs4) for pictures all year for my yearbook class and I was wondering, is it also a good program to design pets and things?, and if so what tools are best? (like brush or pencil tools).

Also feel free to post any programs you use that you find really good.
Thanks!

[VoodooBallerina]

I like gimp and paint.net. I have photoshop but I don't really use it.