Make a list for yourself answering the following questions:

 Do you live in a house or apartment, fenced yard or no?

 How much exercise do you normally get on a daily basis after or before work?

 Are you extremely house-proud or do you have white furniture/carpet?

 Do you have children, and what ages are they?

 Do you enjoy the outdoors or are you a homebody?

 Are you prepared to cover the financial responsibility of owning a dog, and could you cover the extra expenses such as regular grooming that accompany certain breeds?

What other pets do you have, if any?

Are you forced to travel for long periods of time, or often?

Why exactly do you want a dog?

The last question is probably the most important one to spend some serious time on. If you want a dog because you saw one doing some really neat stuff on television or in the park, be aware that a lot of time, effort, and love probably went into getting that dog to do those neat things. And a word of advice: a dog is not the thing to use to play "keeping up with the Jones." Dogs are faithful, loving companions that deserve the same in return.

Now that you have answered some important questions, the next step should be to find what group suits your lifestyle the best. The AKC has grouped the recognized breeds into seven basic categories based on what they were originally bred for. The classifications speak for themselves:

porting group. Most of the breeds in this category were bred to help hunters in their endeavors (usually hunting birds and small game). These dogs require outdoor activity and human companionship and have a lot of energy. Playing ball or frisbee is usually a good pastime. The majority of these breeds love the water as well. The Retrievers, Spaniels (except Tibetan), Setters, and Pointers make up the bulk of this group.

ound group. These dogs were also bred to hunt, but bred to do so as a pack unit. They, too, have a lot of energy and will need to spend time outdoors with their owners (using their noses when at all possible) in order to be happy. A baying bark is characteristic of most of the hounds. Anything with "hound" or "hund" (the European equivalent) in the name falls in this group.

orking group. These dogs were bred to work. Drafters, drovers, sled dogs, fighters, and protectors are some of the original occupations for the breeds in this group. These dogs are happiest with something to do, preferably something requiring some amount of athleticism. The modern-day dogs in this group include Schnauzers, Mastiffs, Malamutes, Huskies, and a few others.

errier Group. If it has terrier in the name, this is the group it belongs to (with the exception of Yorkshire, Tibetan, and Silky). Terriers were, for the most part, all bred as vermin hunters and catchers in their beginnings, and they were bred to work alone. Terriers are usually tough and feisty for their size, and are happiest with something small to chase. Their activity doesn't necessarily need to be outdoors. They can usually amuse themselves quite well inside, especially if there's a cat in the house.

oy Group. Lapdogs and companions signify the toy group. They love people, they were bred most often for the purpose of filling a void in human life. They need lots of attention and are quite often good at getting it. Indoor living suits them perfectly, but be aware that bottled energy can become overpowering. Some of the members of the toy group are simply scaled-down versions of a larger dog, know what the larger guys were bred for to determine energy levels.

on-Sporting Group. Bred mostly for companionship, these dogs have some of the characteristics of the toy group but are larger in size. As long as these dogs have loving owners, they are happy. They generally respond well to people of all ages and lifestyles, and to other animals as well. As for the dogs that make up this group, visit the AKC page, it's a pretty varied bunch.

erding Group. Herding livestock is what these dogs still live for today. Just as retrievers will always retrieve, members of the herding group cannot deny their nature. They will often round up family members in the house or yard, if allowed to. Shepherds, Collies, Sheepdogs, Cattle Dogs, and a few others belong to this group. This is one group that absolutely must have something to do. Try agility if you don't own sheep, or cows, or horses, etc…

Know that not every dog will signify every trait of his given group. Yet knowing what group a dog's breed or mix of breeds belongs to can help you determine what your future buddy will most enjoy occupying his time with. Starting with the groups is a great way to find a breed, after you have the right characteristics for you, then you can pick a specific dog based on looks. A good idea would be to do some further research on the breed you pick and possibly even talk with the breeder or other people who own a dog of the breed you like. A dog will live for 10-15 years when properly cared for, make the best of them before they begin.

For more information on a specific breed you can e-mail me or call Andrews Pro K-9 Training at (678) 344-1042 if in the Greater Atlanta area.