New Dog?

Before we get started, congratulations on deciding to get a dog. After you read what we have on this page we hope it will help you with picking the right dog for you and pave the way of many years of doggy fun!

Before choosing a new dog to live with you, you must first decide if your home is the place for a dog. Do you have small children living with you? Is your home a good size for the dog you want? Do you have time to spend with your new dog? Will you be able to provide food, veterinary care, and most importantly, love? All these questions should be answered before bringing home your new dog.

Do you want an adult dog or a puppy? Yes, puppies are cute but they also come with a great deal of work. House-breaking, crying through the night, teething, and the training of manners. If you have the time and are up for the challenge, well then a puppy may be right for you. Adult dogs may lack that childish charm, but the work involved is usually quite a bit less. Most adult dogs are out of that "puppy stage", no chewing, crying through the night, needing to relieve themselves every hour or so, however there are exceptions. Adult dogs also have a longer attention spans which make them easier to train.

Mixed breed vs. Purebred. This is a topic of great debate. Here are a few points when trying to decide. A mix breed dog is one with parents of different breeds and a purebred has parents, grandparents etc of the same breed. In general, mix breeds are less prone to disease. Often purebreds can suffer from diseases characteristic to their breed. For example, Cocker spainals and ear problems, German Shepherds and hip problems, and large breeds such as Great Danes and Mastiffs and stomach problems. However, most of these problems can be ruled out if you buy the dog from reputable breeders with dogs from good breeding backrounds, but you will pay for what you get. When you buy a purebred you always know what the size and general appearance of your dog will be, but with a mix breed it is alway a surprise.