Should you get a big dog, a small dog or one that’s partway in between?



One that has long hair, or perhaps a short coated breed that requires minimal grooming?

A dog that will fit in well with your children or do you want one for companionship?

These are just some of the things you need to ask yourself before you can start narrowing down the breed of dog you’re after.

As you no doubt have already discovered dogs come in many shapes and sizes, some require more exercise than others, some need special grooming, some still might be pre-disposed to certain medical conditions.

One of the best places to start is to narrow the field down by eliminating what you don’t want/can’t have.

If you live in a small, confined area it may be too hard for you to give a larger breed the exercise it will need. So stick with the smaller/miniature breeds.

If you know that you won’t have the time to maintain/groom a dog that requires it, don’t select a dog that will need constant attention unless you have the ability to take it to a dog groomers etc.

If you have small children make sure you choose a dog that can both grow with them and has the temperament to handle a bit of rough treatment. Some dogs are not suitable for small children, they can be snappy, while others, often the medium to large breeds, are well suited to the roughhousing they will endure.

For the elderly, often a smaller dog is great for companionship, and they don’t require anywhere near as much exercise as the larger dogs.

Once you’ve narrowed that list down, do some more research. Talk with breeders, your vet, local animal welfare, canine association etc. and get all the information you can on the breeds you’re choosing from. If you’re not fussed on whether it’s a purebred or not and are happy to rescue one from the pound/welfare ask as many questions about it as you can to try and determine whether the pup will fit into your lifestyle.

Now that you’ve chosen your breed do some more research. Ask around and find out who are the reputable breeders of your chosen breed, follow up by making sure they will allow you to see the parent(s) of the puppy, and will let you visit their kennels. Check with the vet to see if they have any knowledge of the breeder and can help you ascertain whether they get their regular checkups, puppy vaccinations etc.

After all that comes the hardest part of all: waiting. Once you’ve chosen your breed, selected the breeder and picked out your puppy you’ll find yourself having to wait until the pup is at least eight weeks old until you can bring it home. To help make the time go quicker, use it to prepare your house for the new arrival.