buying a dog or puppy

First I encourage you to adopt a rescued dog or puppy from a shelter! One more dog adopted is one less dog euthenized!

On this site they have this cool dog MatchUp page where you put in your likes, dislikes and some details about your lifestyle and it will pull up a list of breeds that may work best for you! It is here: DogFinder MatchUp

Once you find the breed you want, you can go to the DogFinder Search, put in your zip code and the breed to get a list of rescued dogs that are available for adoption in your area. Here: DogFinder Search

Good luck to you! Let everyone know if you find your perfect dog!

I also encourage rescue or adoption as opposed to purchasing a puppy.
That being said, if you do decide rescuing is not your choice please make sure you buy from a reputable, registered breeder! No pet store pups! They are almost always from puppy mills and you would be contributing to the puppy mill industry.
As for looking for a breeder, once you decide a breed you think is a good fit for you, start researching the breeders in your area. They should be as picky about you as you are about them. Beware of breeders that breed multiple breeds of dogs or who breed their females more than once a year. All dogs need to be certified for hips and eyes and in some breeds for heart disease or neurological disease as well.
Meet the breeder before you settle on a pup. Let the breeder help you choose the right puppy for your situation and good breeders will encourage continued communication from you regarding your pup’s life, health and behaviour.

Again, buying a pup will not guarantee his health, temperament or longevity. Do as much research as possible to see what is the best option for you.
And please, consider rescue…many great dogs are waiting for a furever home.

To continue on with my last post…
If u have decided that a dog is appropriate for your lifestyle, and you ve finially made sure you can have him- YOU ARE NOT THROUGH! Now u must decide- what breed are u going to buy or rescue.
To consider…
-whether u want a hunting dog or not ( if u love animals, then I don t think you ll like witnessing your dog devouring a living creature)
-how large the breed will be
-whether it is a generally healthy breed or not
-the main characteristics of the dog
-how much exercise is required ( if u live in an apartment, a herding dog isn t a good idea)
-how much grooming is require
-etc.
I hope u truly think this life changing topic through…
Best of luck, Raspberries