by Donna Fallesen

Created on: November 16, 2008

The time has finally come, and your entire family has decided on adding a new dog to the household! You are ecstatic and you can not wait, but you have not come to the decision of what breed and you are possibly having trouble deciding! Do not worry and do not fret, because you are only a search away from finding out the perfect breed for your house and home.

Trying to choose between so many different animals can be confusing, overwhelming, and rather daunting. You do not want to end up making the wrong decision, so you had better start your research and really look into things before you make up your mind. Different breeds come with different problems, different behavior, different health issues. You will want to read up on all of this so that nothing comes as a surprise to you and your family.

The best ways to research are on the internet, at the library, or even buying a few books down at your local bookstore. It's a good investment for the future to purchase a dog book because they come with all sorts of information that you will need in your dog's training.

Now, what will you be researching exactly? You have to take in consideration what the entire family wants. Are you looking for a big dog or a small dog? That all depends on if you have space and the temperaments of the animal. You would not want a big dog that does not get along with kids if you have children. You would want a family dog, and that is why it is important to look into every aspect of each breed.

If you live in the city, you would want a dog that does not require as much exercise or outdoor entertainment as some other breeds because you will not have much space to let them run free. Their exercise is normally monitored by an activity level, low being the best for the city situation, high the best if you are a sporty type and have the time and space for your dog to go wild.

Allergies can also be the deciding factor in your breed choice. You may choose to find a dog that has little to no shedding, which will help with any fur or skin allergies you come across. This will save you countless days of noise blowing and itchy eyes!

That brings us into your dog's fur type. If you can not upkeep your animal's coat, you would want one that is easily groomed with a simple bath instead of a long process of coat brushing and special fur products. A dog with less grooming is also ideal for those of us who can not afford the weekly trip to the groomers!

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