Youve finally decided to introduce a puppy to your household, the big question now of course, is what type of dog are you going to get?

For some of us this is fairly easy to answer as were partial to a certain breed. For others it can be a tough decision.

Should you get a big dog, a small dog or one thats partway in between?

One that has long hair, or perhaps a short coated breed that requires minimal grooming?

A dog that will fit in well with your children or do you want one for companionship?

These are just some of the things you need to ask yourself before you can start narrowing down the breed of dog youre after.

As you no doubt have already discovered dogs come in many shapes and sizes, some require more exercise than others, some need special grooming, some still might be pre-disposed to certain medical conditions.

One of the best places to start is to narrow the field down by eliminating what you dont want/cant have.

If you live in a small, confined area it may be too hard for you to give a larger breed the exercise it will need. So stick with the smaller/miniature breeds.

If you know that you wont have the time to maintain/groom a dog that requires it, dont select a dog that will need constant attention unless you have the ability to take it to a dog groomers etc.

If you have small children make sure you choose a dog that can both grow with them and has the temperament to handle a bit of rough treatment. Some dogs are not suitable for small children, they can be snappy, while others, often the medium to large breeds, are well suited to the roughhousing they will endure.

For the elderly, often a smaller dog is great for companionship, and they dont require anywhere near as much exercise as the larger dogs.

Once youve narrowed that list down, do some more research. Talk with breeders, your vet, local animal welfare, canine association etc. and get all the information you can on the breeds youre choosing from. If youre not fussed on whether its a purebred or not and are happy to rescue one from the pound/welfare ask as many questions about it as you can to try and determine whether the pup will fit into your lifestyle.

Now that youve chosen your breed do some more research. Ask around and find out who are the reputable breeders of your chosen breed, follow up by making sure they will allow you to see the parent(s) of the puppy, and will let you visit their kennels. Check with the vet to see if they have any knowledge of the breeder and can help you ascertain whether they get their regular checkups, puppy vaccinations etc.

After all that comes the hardest part of all: waiting. Once youve chosen your breed, selected the breeder and picked out your puppy youll find yourself having to wait until the pup is at least eight weeks old until you can bring it home. To help make the time go quicker, use it to prepare your house for the new arrival.