The great thing about buying a purebred dog is that you know what you're going to get - before you get it! You can accurately predict the looks, size, personality and physical characteristics the dog will have as an adult. Of course, every dog has his own slightly different look and a unique personality. But purebreds will generally all look and act the same way.

If you go with a Purebred dog, there's no surprises later on. And if you choose the right breed suited to your wants, your not going to end up with a dog that does stuff that you don't want it to do and drives you up the wall. For example, one that sheds hair all over your spot-less house because he's a high-shedding breed, or one who digs up your beautiful garden because he was bred to "dig", or one who requires so much time and patience for training that you give up.

So we'll assume, that with this advantage, you have decided to go with a purebred dog - as opposed to a cross or a mixed-breed dog.

When choosing what you "want" in a purebred dog, here are some of the main points to consider. Some of these breed characteristics may or may not be important to you - just so long as you understand that you have the choice:

1) Easier To Train
Some breeds learn faster than others, making training easier.

2) Low-Shedder
Some breeds shed hardly at all, meaning less vacuuming, less grooming, less allergic reactions (if you have allergies).

3) Easy To Groom
Dogs with short coats only need a quick brush every few weeks. Dogs with medium and long coats require daily brushing for up to an hour per day. If you don't brush a long haired dog daily, mats and tangles will form, making your dog look ugly and even eventually pinching the skin and causing your dog pain.

4) Clipping & Trimming Required
Medium and Long coated breeds have hair like humans, it keeps growing longer and longer and eventually needs cutting. You will need to spend time clipping and trimming your dogs coat frequently, or you will have to pay a professional groomer regularly to do this for you.