Puppy Love

You have come to a decision, you want a dog. You're taken in by the soft fluffy coat, the beach ball belly and the smell of Frito paws. (Well, I think they smell like Fritos.)Before you bring this ball of fur home, you must do your homework. You need to ask yourself some basic questions.

1. What type of person am I?
Ask yourself what type of life you are living. Are you a busy work-a-holic up at the crack of dawn and coming home from work long after the sun goes down? If so, a Gold Fish would probably make a better pet for you. Maybe even a Pet Rock.
2. Am I an active individual?
Ask yourself if you love being outdoors, playing sports, etc... Active individuals and families have time for an active breed of dog. Vice-versa, a laid back individual or family would require a calm dog with low activity requirements.
3. What level of patience do I have?
Every dog needs some form of obedience training, some more than others. Choose a dog that will fit your level of patience and that of your family. There are some dogs that will hang on your every command and perform it willingly. There are obstinate breeds that could care less that you are training. It's their way or the highway! And then you have the breeds that are thick headed. No matter how hard you try to train with them, all your dog hears is BALL, BALL, BALL, SQUEEKY TOY, BALL!
4. Do you live in a house or an apartment?
Many people fall in love with the little fluff ball that grows up to be a BIG hairy thing with four feet.
Are you ready for this? Do you have the room for this? Purchasing a puppy is a HUGE responsibility. You can not or should not purchase a puppy and then discard your pet because it did not fit into your life style.
You now have a responsibility to your pet. Your pet will depend on you for its welfare.
Ok, you want to choose the right dog for you. The best place to start is the American Kennel Club. http://www.akc.org/breeds/index.cfm?nav_area=breedsTake your time and read all about the breeds, you might find some of their history interesting. Go to a local dog park and watch how the dogs interact. Ask questions of the owners. Owners love to talk about their dogs, their breed, history etc... You'll learn a lot this way and possibly make some connections.
Now that you have figured everything out and you are ready to purchase your puppy, where are you going to get your puppy from?
I would like to see you support your local breeder. Breeders have pet quality dogs as well as show dogs. In some cases you can get these dogs for half the price of their show siblings.
The difference between the two could just be markings. You're still getting a great dog.
Of course there are plenty of dogs at shelters that need to be adopted and are in need of a loving home. But that will be for another post on another day. Do your homework, take your time and pick a breed of dog that will give you and your family lots of love and happiness.