There are several reasons for wanting a dog; the love for dogs is one reason. You will want the dog to be happy in your home and in order to be a good dog owner, you have to make a sincere, thoughtful commitment. Before you adopt a puppy or adult dog, consider what kind of companion you will be, not what kind of dog you should get. Try to match your lifestyle and personality to the needs of the dog.

With all of the different breeds of dogs to choose from, it can be overwhelming when trying to select the right dog for you. Each breed can differ in size, shape, strength, temperament, etc. With so many choices available, an impulsive decision can easily result in your owning a breed that doesn't fit your personality and lifestyle.

When faced with all the different choices, most people do things to simplify the task. There are various strategies. One is to go with your past experience. As a child you may have been bitten by a Rottweiler and vowed never to get near a Rottweiler again. Or you may recall with fondness the summers spent with a Golden Retriever and decide that, that breed is the best pet for you. Another way to select a dog is by appearance. You may have seen a particular dog in a book or in a pet shop that caught your eye.

Purebred or Mixed Breed?

What you want from a dog usually determines whether you are in the market for a purebred or a mixed dog breed. The benefits of purebred dogs are consistency of appearance, size, coat type, and color. Personalities and other characteristic features of purebreds can also be better predicted than those of mixed breeds. For example, if you plan on getting a Cocker Spaniel, you can be assured it will grow to a certain size...it will be similar to other Cocker Spaniels in appearance, temperament, coat, eye color, etc.

The adult appearance of a mixed-breed puppy is nearly impossible to predict. Mixed breed puppies may or may not grow up to look like their male or female parent. Their coats may be wiry, smooth or somewhere in between. Adult sizes are tough to determine when either or both parents are from mixed breeds.

Purebred dogs usually have more inherited faults and deformities than do mixed breeds. Mixed breeds tend to have a stronger resistant for diseases. A mixed breed puppy is more likely to have its own individual personality, seemingly unrelated to either of its parents. Although not consistent, the temperaments of mixed breeds tend to be quieter and more stable than those of purebreds. Temperament is partially inherited and partly the work of experience and training. Many purebreds have a remarkable quiet temperament, and some mixed breeds on occasion are unpredictable.

Before you choose a purebred or a mixed breed, first decide what you expect of a dog. If your desire is to show your dog in competitions, obedience trials, field trials, herding, rescue, or other AKC events you will need to start out with a purebred. If you want a companion, a family dog, or a childs pet and have no dreams of winning any ribbons, a mixed breed should fill your need perfectly.