It's important to take many different variables of your lifestyle into consideration before choosing a breed of dog for you. Bringing a puppy or dog into your life is a huge commitment and you should be knowledgeable about what type of dog you're going to live with for the next decade or so. If you're thinking about getting a dog but you're not sure what kind will be the right for you, take the time to discuss your ideal situation for life with a canine. Some families are more than thrilled to adopt a mixed breed (see "temperament testing" below for mixed breeds) but others feel that they need to know more about what personality, medical and behavior traits are more common in what they are getting.

Do you want a companion to run with in the park or a dog that will be happy cuddling with you on the sofa? If you have small children in your life you'll definitely want a dog that has the patience and security to deal with lots of kisses and hugs and little hands all over its face.

Do you live on a farm, in a penthouse apartment, a condo, a house with a yard? Wherever and whatever you live in is also extremely important in deciding what dog will be right for you.

If you grew up with a certain breed of dog and have great memories of growing up together you need to understand that you most likely won't get the "same" dog just because it's the same breed. In addition, if your dog growing up was male it doesn't mean that "male" is the best gender for you and your family now. You need to take the time to research, think and find the best dog for your life. That includes talking with a trainer or veterinarian about what is the optimum personality / temperament that you would mesh with. Additionally, after you make the decision as to what kind of dog you want to get, you need to find a reputable breeder.

PET STORES DO NOT HAVE QUALITY BRED DOGS! Don't be fooled by places that tell you "we have representatives hand pick our puppies from litters and we know all of our breeders." NO REPUTABLE breeder would sell their puppies to a store, PERIOD. Ethical breeders want to know exactly where each of their puppies are going and make sure that the people purchasing the puppy will make a good life for the dog. In addition, when you purchase a dog from a pet store or broker you are paying a lot of money for a dog just because they have "papers". Most dogs that are sold through stores come from puppy mills, this often means poor quality and poor health. If you are buying a puppy and the papers state that the puppy is from somewhere in the Midwest, that's a real good sign that the puppy has most likely come from a puppy mill. DO NOT BUY PUPPIES OR ANY SUPPLIES FROM STORES THAT SELL PUPPIES & KITTENS.

WHERE'S THE "RIGHT" PLACE TO GET A PUPPY OR DOG? The few places that I recommend getting a puppy/dog from are: Reputable / Educated Breeders, Independent Adoption Agencies, Breed Rescue Organizations or Animal Shelters.

ADOPTION AGENCIES - These organizations foster puppies and dogs and try to find good homes for their "homeless" friends. Some organizations foster the dogs/ puppies in there homes and can tell you a great deal about the dogs/puppies personality. It's worth it to look into adopting a dog/puppy that really needs you!

BREED RESCUE ORGANIZATIONS - If you really love a specific breed of dog and want to help give one (or two) a home, several breed specific organizations are out there. Sometimes you'll find a dog that is mixed with a prominent breed although you will often find a pure bred that needs a home too. These dogs are also usually fostered in private residences and again these people would be able to tell you a lot about the personality traits of the dog/puppy. Some organizations will let you take home a dog on a trial basis to see if everyone gets along. Please keep in mind that it will take time for your adopted friend to get adjusted to its new life. Give him/her time and a lot of affection.

SHELTERS - Depending where you live and what type of shelter you visit depends on whether or not you'll have a good experience in this environment. Some shelters are considered "NO KILL" where they make every effort to place every animal that has been surrendered to them. In other places the dogs/puppies have a matter of days before they are put to sleep. Unfortunately, the United States is so overpopulated with dogs and cats that thousands are euthanized everyday. "Each day 10,000 humans are born in the U.S. - and each day 70,000 puppies and kittens are born; millions of healthy, loving dogs, cats, puppies & kittens are euthanized as a result. Others are left to fend for themselves in society and nature's elements." If you can help to give a good home to any of these animals it's a wonderful experience that you'll remember forever. In either shelter situation you can always ask the staff for their opinion of the dog's personality. Just remember that they aren't in their best frame of mind while they are in the cages. A dog that might look very timid and scared or even mean and nasty might be in a place that has him/her on edge. Ask if you can have the dog/puppy taken out of the cage and meet with him/her in a quiet place somewhere on the premises. You might probably see an entirely different side of the dog just because it is out of the loud and cold environment that it may have been caged in.

REPUTABLE BREEDERS - To find a reputable breeder you MUST do some research. The first thing you can do is contact GENERATION PETS and we can help recommend reputable and ethical breeders (breeders who breed dogs to IMPROVE the breed NOT to make money). We've worked with hundreds dogs and when we see a dog/puppy with a good temperament and health, we ask the owner where they obtained the puppy/dog from. From this list we've acquired we can assist you in finding the right dog or puppy for your family. The second thing you can do is look at the following "rules" to consider when you are researching your pet purchase from a breeder. IS THIS BREEDER REPUTABLE? How do you know if the breeder you have contacted is a person of integrity committed to bettering their particular breed? It can be tough to discern, especially if this is the first time you've sought out a purebred breeder. Following are a few guidelines to help you make that determination.