When considering adopting a dog, there are several aspects of ownership that you'll need to bear in mind: what kind of lifestyle do you have? How much spare time do you have? Are you an active person or a couch potato? Do you have a garden? Are there small children in your household? ..... and so on.

Once you've made a solid decision to adopt a dog, you are to be congratulated - a dog is a fantastic addition to your life and will make an excellent companion. Now it's time to sit down and really think about what kind of dog you'd like to have, and whether your preferences match your abilities to care for your preferred breed.

Contrary to popular belief, there's a great deal more to choosing a dog than simply taking home the first puppy that catches your eye. A responsible owner will spend time researching dog breeds, finding reputable breeders, speaking to them and collating first-hand information, and looking at puppies (it's generally not a good idea to succumb to the charms of the very first puppy you see - the aim is to get a good idea of what's out there in order to make an informed final decision).