Pets and Pet Help

The first most IMPORTANT question to ask yourself is:
What purpose does my new canine serve for me?
Well some of the answers to that is herding, guarding, hunting, show, learning experience for your children, ext. and the most common in the home is simple- being a four-legged companion. Having a dog for learning experiences for the kids is fine only if they aren't to young and not just to be the family experiment. For that and only to keep the kids occupied try something smaller and that doesn't need to much care such as a hamster, cat, ferret, and maybe a nice sturdy bird.

The second question:
How active am I?
Your activity level dictates to a certain degree what type of a dog will best fit with you. A Jogger, for example can handle almost every type of activity level, a couch potato, however, would mach up with a couch potato style dog such as a Bull Dog not a hyper active dog such as a Border Collie. A backpacker that wants a dog to carry part of the weight needed needs a strong fairly large dog such as a German Shepard, and a little old lady that sits and wants to snuggle with a lap dog doesn't want a St. Barnard she would want maybe a Pomeranian, Chihuahua or a Maltese or a small mix.

Third question:
How much space do I have?
The dog is the "thing" that depends on the space that they need. Someone who has a rural home surrounded by 80 acres can probably accommodate any breed. A 200 hundred pound Great Dane wouldn't do well in a 1 bedroom apartment. Please understand that over ninety percent of the dogs owned by Americans today are housedogs they spend the vast majority of their life within the owner's home. If this will be your situation, look at your home and yard and be realistic about the amount of exercise your pet can achieve within those confines. But size isn't everything because it seems like a Yorkshire Terrier never runs out of energy its like they go 80 miles per hour everyday compared to a St. Bernard that sleeps 16 to 18 hour a day and that's why large dogs can do well in small homes and apartments- as long as they get the recommended amount of exercise for that breed.

Fourth Question :
How much grooming am I willing to do?
Longhaired dogs are more of a haste to tend to because it gets tangled in with long grass, weeds, or brush. If you don't want to do extra work then you already have I would recommend a dog that doesn't need more then a bath and once in a while a brush or two such as a Boxer or a German Shorthaired Pointer.

Fifth question:
Is the age of the dog important to me?
For most owners you envision you bringing home a cute, 2 month old puppy. This is a decision you need to think carefully. For most first time dog owners a puppy is the worst choice.

Sixth question:
Do I want a pure-breed or a mixed-breed?
For many the answer is already set- Well when I was a kid we had the top of the line Doberman Pincher so right now I also am getting one. Sometimes the question doesn't even enter your mind until you read that getting a shelter dog is now the top thing. Personally, I have two Boxers, and I wouldn't care less if they were the top of the line, best of breed. For me its the personality that comes shinning through that pamered pooch!