The answer to this question is a matter of debate. Get any two dog lovers together and they will probably have different feelings on this controversial question.

Why is this question so controversial? One dog is surely much the same as another? Or is there a hidden benefit to buying a purebred dog?

Of course one dog is much like any other ? at least on the outside! But every potential dog owners needs are different. The real trick is in identifying your needs ? the needs of your family and selecting a dog that meets those needs. A dog that is suitable for your family.

This is where the debate starts. Dog breeders will tell you that you will never be sure of what you?ve got with a mixed breed. On the other hand Dog Rescue will say ?look at the dog itself ? not the breed!?

Who?s right?

To a certain extent they both are.

You need to try to assess the suitability of any dog you adopt, regardless of whether it?s an abandoned rescue dog of mixed breed or an expensive purebred puppy with registration papers and a pedigree as long as your arm.

Purebred dogs will tend to have strong characteristics peculiar to their breed, such as size and stamina, general demeanor and exercise needs. But they will also have their own individual personality on top of this.

On the other hand you can never be totally sure about a mixed breed?s background. There?s always a question mark about how a puppy is going to turn out ? you can never be quite sure about its size, energy requirements or manner.

That can be one advantage of adopting a rescue dog. Often they will be older mature dogs rather than puppies. This allows you to make a better assessment of the dog ? its size, energy and nature. Good-natured dogs are not restricted to pure-breeds.

One other advantage of adopting an older rescue dog is that all the hard work of house training and basic obedience training has often already been done, saving you the effort needed to do this yourself. You will also get the chance to visit the dog a few times, with members of your family, to assess its suitability.

The staff at the dog shelter will also have had a chance to assess the dogs character and even perhaps have worked with the dog to smooth out any rough edges to help find it a suitable home.Having a rough idea of what the dogs parentage might have been will help you look for traits associated with those breeds and see if they are present.

If you are really lucky you may find a mixed breed dog that embodies all the best parts of the dog you are looking for from different parents. The result could well be a unique mix that perfectly meets the needs of you and your family. But take the time to really get to know the dog before committing to adopting it as a return trip to the animal shelter is the last thing the dog will need.

In the end the choice is down to you but you absolutely need to make sure the dog you choose meets the needs of you and you family. You need to consider such things as how much room you have in your life, both physically and mentally, for the dog. You need to consider feeding and exercise needs and whether you would be better off with an older dog or a puppy.

Making the right choice will open the door to a lifelong friendship with a loyal, loving partner. Making the wrong choice will lead to misery for all concerned.

Chris Davis, the author, is a freelance writer publishing and presenting information on a wide variety of subjects. For more informative articles and information on dogs, dog health, dog care and dog training from Chris visit his website http://dog-help-desk.com. This article is free to reprint provided the author credits and link are left in place. Do not use this article for unsolicited email.

For one thing, owning a dog is a usually a 10-15 year commitment, since that is how long a typical dog will live. This means that your dog will be with you through whatever life stages you live through, including dating, marrying, and having children.

Along with this, having an adorable, friendly canine companion around you for so many years will inevitably lead to some attachment. No one likes to think about death, but sooner or later the reality of mortality will come into full view, and you should be prepared to deal with the loss. If you are married with children at the time of your loss, the pain will affect more people than just yourself.

Dogs, just like children, require a lot of your time and attention. Though they don?t need constant attention 24 hours a day, seven days a week, they do require you to spend at least a few hours a day to play around and exercise outside. Dogs that do not receive enough attention or care may develop behavioral issues.

Dogs will also be very affectionate and will want to be around you for much of the time you are at home. They will even sleep near you when they take naps and may even want to sleep in the same bed as you. Be prepared to take a firm stance on this if you do not want your dog to sleep in the same bed as you do.

On the other side of the coin, not all the time you spend with your dog will be fun. They require you to feed them, give them water, clean them, and pick up after them. Periodic visits to the vet are also something you should be prepared for. Whether it?s for a yearly checkup, an examination regarding an illness, or emergency visits, visits to the veterinarian will cost you some money.

After talking about all of the responsibility of owning a dog, it should also be noted that there is a great deal of comfort, joy, and fun that come with having a dog. They are not nicknamed ?man?s best friend? for no reason. After experiencing the joys of having a dog, all of the responsibilities and commitments listed above pale in comparison and won?t even be burdensome when you realize who you are taking care of.

http://www.doggyjournal.com

The answer to this question is a matter of debate. Get any two dog lovers together and they will probably have different feelings on this controversial question.

Why is this question so controversial? One dog is surely much the same as another? Or is there a hidden benefit to buying a purebred dog?

Of course one dog is much like any other at least on the outside! But every potential dog owners needs are different. The real trick is in identifying your needs the needs of your family and selecting a dog that meets those needs. A dog that is suitable for your family.

This is where the debate starts. Dog breeders will tell you that you will never be sure of what youve got with a mixed breed. On the other hand Dog Rescue will say look at the dog itself not the breed!

Whos right?

To a certain extent they both are.

You need to try to assess the suitability of any dog you adopt, regardless of whether its an abandoned rescue dog of mixed breed or an expensive purebred puppy with registration papers and a pedigree as long as your arm.

Purebred dogs will tend to have strong characteristics peculiar to their breed, such as size and stamina, general demeanor and exercise needs. But they will also have their own individual personality on top of this.

On the other hand you can never be totally sure about a mixed breeds background. Theres always a question mark about how a puppy is going to turn out you can never be quite sure about its size, energy requirements or manner.

That can be one advantage of adopting a rescue dog. Often they will be older mature dogs rather than puppies. This allows you to make a better assessment of the dog its size, energy and nature. Good-natured dogs are not restricted to pure-breeds.

One other advantage of adopting an older rescue dog is that all the hard work of house training and basic obedience training has often already been done, saving you the effort needed to do this yourself. You will also get the chance to visit the dog a few times, with members of your family, to assess its suitability.

The staff at the dog shelter will also have had a chance to assess the dogs character and even perhaps have worked with the dog to smooth out any rough edges to help find it a suitable home.Having a rough idea of what the dogs parentage might have been will help you look for traits associated with those breeds and see if they are present.

If you are really lucky you may find a mixed breed dog that embodies all the best parts of the dog you are looking for from different parents. The result could well be a unique mix that perfectly meets the needs of you and your family. But take the time to really get to know the dog before committing to adopting it as a return trip to the animal shelter is the last thing the dog will need.

In the end the choice is down to you but you absolutely need to make sure the dog you choose meets the needs of you and you family. You need to consider such things as how much room you have in your life, both physically and mentally, for the dog. You need to consider feeding and exercise needs and whether you would be better off with an older dog or a puppy.

Making the right choice will open the door to a lifelong friendship with a loyal, loving partner. Making the wrong choice will lead to misery for all concerned.

Chris Davis, the author, is a freelance writer publishing and presenting information on a wide variety of subjects. For more informative articles and information on dogs, dog health, dog care and dog training from Chris visit his website http://dog-help-desk.com. This article is free to reprint provided the author credits and link are left in place. Do not use this article for unsolicited email.

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