If you decide you want a purebred, make sure it’s because you love the breed, since purebreds are often not as resilient as mixed breeds. Consider carefully why you want a purebred. Many people will want a purebred because it conveys some symbol of status on them. But purebreds are prone to many illnesses due to inbreeding, and caring for one over a lifetime can become a costly affair.

If you simply want a companion, consider a mixed breed. There is nothing a mixed breed puppy can’t offer you in terms of love, companionship and devotion, and there are many mixed breed dogs already born, looking for homes.

But if you do, however, discover you’re in love with a particular breed, do some research to find out if the breed is compatible with your lifestyle. Pay special attention to its typical personality, size, shedding proclivities, grooming needs, and amount of exercise required.

Talk to breed rescue centers. They’ll tell you what to look out for. No one has more experience on the breed than those dedicated volunteers and professionals who rescue purebred dogs when they’re no longer wanted. Learn how a typical dog of your beloved breed behaves, and whether that’s a good fit for your lifestyle and family.

Keep in mind how much room your dog will have, how much exercise you’re able to handle daily, and how much maintenance they’ll require. Your rescue organization will also give you the very valuable “dumping factor”: the most common reason why this breed gets abandoned by their families. For example, poodles require frequent professional grooming due to their non-shedding coats, a task and expense that some households aren’t prepared for.

Make sure everyone in your family is committed to interacting with the dog daily — your dog’s quality of life depends on healthy and constant social interaction. If your family cannot provide generous amounts of time, and your dog is going to be home alone during the day, consider getting two so they can keep each company. No matter the breed, two dogs are no more trouble than one.

Make sure that you can guarantee a lifetime of dedication to your new dog, particularly in its twilight years, when it is far less likely to find a suitable home.

To locate a dog, check out the pounds online. Surprisingly, as many as 25% of the dogs in pounds are purebreds, and surprisingly, you’ll usually find puppies. To find a dog in a pound in your neighborhood, you can go online at Muttshack.org, type in your area code and look at the photos of dogs in the shelters near your home.

Next try the special breed rescue centers. They frequently rescue purebreds from the pounds because of their love and devotion to the breed. They may give you truly valuable advice about your new dog. If they don’t have one at the moment, consider waiting. As long as you’re not set on a dog of a certain color and age, it won’t take long!

If for some reason you still can’t find your purebred puppy or dog already in need of a home, then it’s time to seek out a breeder. You’ll need to find a reputable one to give you the best chance of a healthy dog with a sound temperament. Problems with irresponsible breeders range from inbred purebreds — a disaster leading to litters rife with disease and congenital problems — to the problem of “litter stuffing,” in which a breeder attributes one mother dog’s puppies to another, a “Champion” dog, to get more money.

When choosing a breeder, visit their facilities and meet their dogs. Facilities should be clean. See how their dogs behave, and judge whether that’s the behavior you want from your dog. All dogs should be healthy, clean, and free of parasites. A good breeder will screen breeding stock for common health problems, and will be happy to share that information with you. Tests should be done on the stud and the bitch. When you find a breeder you want, then wait for a litter. A good breeder will require a sales agreement that clearly spells out the obligations for everyone involved.

Get a complete veterinary exam within 24 hours of picking up your puppy. Make sure you have him micro-chipped, and get an ID tag.

Make sure every member of your family is equally well trained in handling the dog. Make sure every member of your family knows that young dogs can nip and bite when they are playful (a nip is NOT an attack!). Kids need to learn how to behave around a dog just as much as the dog needs to learn to respond to commands. Make sure your family members are all ready to walk, feed, brush and pick up after the dog.

A bred dog becomes your personal responsibility for life.

If sometime in the future, you have to relocate to another home or apartment, it is imperative that you find an apartment or home that allows dogs. If you cannot find such a home, or make a specific agreement with your new landlord, be a loving and responsible guardian and find your dog a new home with another family. You are his only chance at life. Don’t drop him off at the pound. Since 56% of dogs entering shelters — yes, including purebreds! — are euthanized, your older dog, depressed and broken-hearted, will easily be overlooked. Shelter descriptions are cursory, and if your dog acts even slightly defensive, he will be marked “fractious” and be killed. You are the most qualified person to find your dog a new home. Go to MuttShack.org and learn where to advertise, and how to promote your dog.

Sadly enough, people who move cause of the death of millions of dogs each year when they’re dumped at the pound like some disposable commodity like old garden furniture.

If you made the choice to bring a dog into this world through your breeder, you should see it through to his dying day. Society is no longer finding it acceptable to have to take in a dog when the owner’s whim has passed him by. There are many more dogs than homes. Don’t think your dog (even a purebred) will be any more special than millions of other dogs that have to be euthanized every year.

Become a “Dog Person”. Fight for dogparks, dog friendly apartments, dog beaches, dog restaurants and dog safe shelters. Let your new puppy inspire you! Sharing your life with a dog is simply awesome!

Some good books to read are: “Man Meets Dog” by Donald McCraig, “Lost and Found” by Elizabeth Hess, “Disposable Animals” by Craig Brestrup, and “The Illustrated Veterinary Guide” by Pinney.

What do we mean when we talk about “hypoallergenic dogs?” We mean dogs with a lowered or reduced (but not eliminated!) tendency to cause allergies or allergic reactions among allergy sufferers.

It has been estimated that about 10% of the US population is allergic to animals (American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology). Symptoms of the reactions can range from watery eyes to dangerous asthma attacks.

The problem actually isn’t with the pet’s hair. It is the dander, or microscopic scales of dead skin (similar to, but much smaller than the dandruff on the human scalp) which pets are constantly shedding that is the cause. They are so tiny that you seldom know that they are circulating in the air or laying on the furniture and carpets because they are so small.

Here is a list of some popular “hypoallergenic” dogs:

American Hairless Terrier
Basenji
Border Terrier
Cairn Terrier
Chinese Crested (hairless)
Havanese
Kerry Blue Terrier
Maltese
Miniature Schnauzer
Portuguese Water Dog
Shih-Tzu
Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier
Spanish Water Dog
Standard Poodle
Standard Schnauzer
Tibetan Terrier
Toy Poodle
West Highland White Terrier
Wirehaired Fox Terrier
Yorkshire Terrier

Please remember that no dog is 100% hypoallergenic, and also that allergic sufferers react differently to each separate breed of dog.

For Westhighland Terriers owners, such as myself, the news is good. They are considered good for allergy sufferers, with a relatively low dander (ranked number 7). However you need to be reminded that one person’s allergies may vary greatly from another person. It is always advisable to visit the home of the dog you wish to have, before you bring it home. I hope that you found this article of use to you.

(Disclaimer: Any information contained in this site relating to various medical, health and fitness conditions of Westies or other animals and their treatments is for informational purposes only and is not meant to be a substitute for the advice provided by your own veterinarian. You should not use the information contained herein for diagnosing the health of any animal. You should always consult and check with your own vet or veterinarian.)

A number of small dog breeds make the ideal companion for someone who lives in a small home, villa home, apartment or flat. Small dogs are also ideal for people who live on their own, and for certain families (as long as the children are old enough to avoid inadvertently injuring a small dog) who don’t feel up to the challenge that comes along with managing the larger dogs — or even with fitting a larger dog in the car.

But even the small dog breeds like variety and exercise, so it’s important that you’re prepared to spend time with your dog, no matter what size you decide to take into your home. In order for your dog to remain happy and healthy, you’ll still need to take her for walks, make sure she has playtime and mental stimulation, and ensure that she gets excellent medical care. Once you’ve made that commitment to yourself and know that you have time for all that comes with a dog, no matter size or breed, then you can freely choose which small breed of dog makes best complements you, your family and your lifestyle.

Small dogs make almost irresistible puppies, which has led more than one person to opt for these breeds. One of the cutest puppies around is the Maltese, a small dog breed that’s extraordinarily popular because of its looks, size and temperament. The Maltese generally grows to no more than six pounds in weight, and has a beautiful, soft white coat. The Maltese breed enjoys walking with his or her master, requires only moderate exercise, enjoys children and is very playful, which is why they make a great addition to so many families. The Maltese does, however, require dedicated grooming.

Another good-tempered, good-natured small dog breed is the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel. This lovely, long-haired but very small dog is as regal as its name suggests. King Charles spaniels usually weigh around 12 to 16 pounds … around double that of the Maltese breed. Older people and families love the King Charles breed because of its overwhelmingly friendly and sociable personality.

A gorgeous and elegant smaller breed of dog you may not have yet considered is the Italian greyhound. If you’re looking a small breeed that enjoys exercise, then this is the dog for you. These dogs are imaginative and intelligent, but prone to stress, so Italian greyhounds may not be comfortable in a boisterious, young family with small children. They will require a great deal of love and affection to feel secure. Italian Greyhounds are small, long-lived dogs, growing to about 10 pounds on average.