Congratulations on deciding that you would like to bring a dog into your family; this is such an exciting time as dogs can really enrich your life and bring you a lot of joy. It is a big decision to make because, depending on what breed you choose and assuming they lead a full healthy life, the dog could be with you for anywhere between 8 and 20 years. They require daily exercise, their food and vet bills can be quite costly and you might need to consider the cost of dog walkers or someone to care for your dog when you go on holiday, so it is a big decision but a very worthwhile one!
Select your dog carefully as different breeds have different requirements and you want them to be able to fit into your lifestyle. What this means is that if you regularly go for very long walks, you might want a dog that will enjoy that and not one that has difficulty breathing such as brachycephalic breeds. But if you want a dog to accompany you for a couple of short walks to the park every day then you should be looking at the different breed types and what will fit in with your family best. To help you decide what breed is best for you, please see our article on choosing a breed.
Once you have looked at the options of rescuing an adult dog vs getting a puppy and decided that a puppy is best for you, you will need to prepare for a puppy coming into your home. They are going to need a lot of time and effort put into their care as this is such a crucial part of their life. See our article on Preparing for your Puppy. The puppy needs to come from a responsible breeder to avoid the potential pitfalls of getting a dog from an unscrupulous breeder. See our article on how to choose a breeder which also explains what a puppy farm is and how to spot one by looking at the adverts. It also gives advice on the questions you should ask a breeder and the reasons why you should ask them.
