| All men may be created equal, but all dogs are | | | | problems with children, especially new babies, is the |
| certainly not; at least not in the sense of making a | | | | reason dogs are given up for adoption. |
| perfect family pet. Many people don't give much | | | | Children |
| thought to long term implications when choosing what | | | | People often begin their pet searches with a pure |
| kind of dog to get and this often leads to pets that are | | | | breed dog in mind. They have no plans to breed or |
| returned to the breeder or that end up in the pound as | | | | show the dog, but still seem to think a pure breed is |
| unwanted animals. This is a sad ending to something | | | | necessary. This is often not the case. Mixed breed |
| that started with such love and can be avoided if the | | | | dogs are often more intelligent and have fewer |
| decision is carefully made and all implications are | | | | genetic health defects. They can be found in shelters, |
| considered. Here are a few things to get you started | | | | saving the hefty expense of a pure breed. |
| in making this important decision. | | | | On the other hand, it's harder to predict the character |
| The first consideration is the size of your and yard, if | | | | traits of mutts. Often these traits don't appear for quite |
| you have one. That cute little Mastiff puppy might look | | | | some time and once they do, you already have the |
| cute and have plenty of room in you two bedroom | | | | dog. A pure breed can offer a better indication of how |
| apartment, but 200 pounds later he might take up | | | | the dog will behave as an adult. |
| more space than you have. Those living in abodes | | | | The final thing to consider is your lifestyle. If you are an |
| without yards should think twice about getting a breed | | | | active person and plan to take your dog along on your |
| of dog that is extremely energetic. If dogs don't have | | | | excursions, you'll need to find a dog that can keep up |
| an outlet for their energy, they often become | | | | with you. A Chihuahua is not a good choice for |
| destructive and take out their frustrations on the | | | | someone who enjoys 10 mile runs with their pet. On |
| furniture. If these are your living conditions, it's best to | | | | the other hand, a greyhound doesn't make a good lap |
| stick to a small breed or even consider adopting an | | | | dog for a person whose idea of exercise is flipping the |
| older dog that requires less exercise. | | | | channel. There is a dog that is right for everyone; you |
| If you have children or are planning them for the near | | | | just need to put a little thought behind your choice. |
| future, certain breeds should be avoided. Any dog can | | | | A dog can make a great addition to any family. Any |
| do well around children if properly trained, but it's easier | | | | lifestyle can be matched to the right breed of canine. It |
| to avoid the hassle and pick a breed that does well | | | | just requires a little foresight and some realistic |
| with little ones. Some excellent choices include | | | | decisions. |
| Retrievers, St. Bernards, and Labradors. Often, | | | | |