Type of Breed- Each breed has its unique characteristic and has been specifically bred for a particular job. Thus, picking a sporting breed or hunting breed will show their inherent characteristics and might keep chasing cats and other pets. Other dog breeds that might not suit your modern lifestyles include herding dogs, working and guarding dogs.

Types of Sizes- Never pick a puppy due to its cute looks or size as small pups of large breeds look very tiny but grow up very large ion size. For very small sized apartments, toy or miniature dog breeds work best while those in a large apartment or middle sized house can go in for small to medium sized dogs. However, if you have a large yard and big house, large to medium size dogs work well.

Concerns on Health – Knowing all the health concerns related to the dog breed that you are interested in becomes essential. It is best to buy your pet puppy from a reputable pet dealer to make sure that your pet is healthy. However, as all dog breeds have some genetic health issues, check with the dealer before buying.

In case you have a breed of dog which is long haired and which has lots of hairs then you are aware of the problem of mats and the tangles on the skin of your dog. In case the balls of hairs are left unattended, then might lead to complete skinning of the skin coat to resolve the problem. This also leads to skin ulcers, and other skin related problems. In case you want to avoid all this, then plan for a proper grooming of the dogs skin.

Level of Required Exercise – The amount of exercise that each dog breed requires is not based on size alone. It is known that some small and medium dog breeds require heavy exercise while other large breeds are calm dogs that do not require high amounts of exercise.

Experience with dog breeds – Your experience as a dog owner can help you with many breeds as some are naturally stubborn and dominant. You can seek advice from breeders and vets to decide if the breed you are looking for is challenging to work with or not.

Child Friendly Breed- With children at home or if you are planning to have kids, it is best to pick child friendly breeds as some dogs are not good with kids around. Many dog breeds love to have children around, so keep that in mind while picking a new puppy.

First, consult with a professional dog handler or a professional dog trainer to learn about certain dog personalities of different breeds, and try to match what you want with what a particular dog has to offer. Also, talk to a veterinarian about your choice of a purebred or mixed breed dog. The professional trainers and vets’ opinions are invaluable, as they handle many different dogs every day and have first hand knowledge of the characteristics, and qualities of different types of dogs and breeds.

You can choose between a purebred dog or a mixed breed dog. The advantages of purebred dogs are consistency of appearance, size, coat type, and color. If you decide on a German Shepherd breed, you can be certain it will grow to a certain size, color, temperament, coat, etc will be similar to other German Shepherds. Purebred dogs generally have more genetic faults and deformities than do mixed breeds.

Mixed breed puppies may mature to look like their dam, their sire or neither. Their coats may be rough, smooth, or wiry. Adult mixed breeds are difficult to ascertain, as are their expressions. These variations are multiplied when either or both parents are from mixed backgrounds. Mixed breeds usually have a certain amount of heterosis, which, under some circumstances, result in stronger and more disease-resistant dogs. A mixed breed puppy is likely to have a very individual personality, seemingly unrelated to either of its parents.

The temperament of mixed breeds are often quieter and more stable than those of purebreds, although this characteristic is not consistent. Temperament is partially genetic and partly the result of experience and training. Many purebreds have a notably quiet temperament, and an occasional mixed breed is unpredictable. Before you select a purebred or a mixed breed, decide what you expect of the dog. If you have a desire to exhibit it in conformation shows, obedience trials, field trials, herding tests, or other American Kennel Club sponsored events, you must start out with a purebred.

If you want a companion, a family pet, or a child’s dog and have no aspirations of winning blue ribbons, a mixed breed should fill your need nicely. Mixed breed puppies and adult dogs are plentiful, both from shelters and private homes. They cost less to buy, and may be easier to handle. Mixed breed dogs can compete in Frisbee contests, 4-H obedience, and non-AKC agility trials, and are included in the AKC-sponsored Canine Good Citizen program.

Like in any other business out there, you will find cheats and swindlers and this short article will help to protect yourself. In my day, personally dealt with many dog breeders of all kinds, including rare dog breeders and noticed the differences between the good and the bad. Here is some of what I’ve learned:

Don’t buy from rare dog breeders that do the following: Dog breeders selling puppies that are under 7 weeks old are causing harm to the dogs because early separation from the litter can damage them psychologically and socially. A rare dog breed that is damaged in such a way is more of a crime than a not so rare breed. At least it should be a crime. And besides, you don’t want a dog with personality problems. Ask the breeder how old the puppy is and do some research on the internet to find out roughly what size the rare dog breed should be. (Height and weight) Dog breeders that let you handle very young puppies are heightening the chances that the dogs will transmit diseases and pass them on to the other dogs. An experienced rare dog breeder knows these risks and many other rare little packs of trouble. Buy from a breeder who seems FAR too cautious rather than lax and permitting. Dog breeders that show you no proof that the rare dog breeds, usually pedigree dogs, have been tested for genetic and other diseases. If they aren’t up front about something then that usually means there’s something to hide. Buy from a breeder who does the following: (Generally look for the opposites of what’s listed above. Below are examples of integrity.) They belong to a rare dog breeders club and encourage you to speak with other members. Experienced rare dog breeders are usually very passionate about breeds and especially rare breeds. A good dog breeder will ask you lots of questions to make sure the dog is going into safe hands. As the breed becomes more rare, the breeder will use more caution because he has integrity. Looking for rare dog breeds should direct a lot of questions your way. The rare dog breeder will spend time making sure you understand his suggestions regarding examinations, health, diet info, etc. The breeder will be very serious about this because the dog’s safety is most important to him. Look for the rare dog breeder’s values before you look at the breeds. If he is out looking for a sale then he might lie to you, and he might endanger the dogs. Use these tips to objectively judge how likely it is that the breeder is being up front with you. Sincerely, Rusty .S Permission to the reprint rights of the article, free of charge, provided that the article remains unchanged and the authors resource box is included in the reprint.