Currently, there are over 150 breeds recognized by the American Kennel Club. Needless to say, not all breeds are appropriate for all individuals. Breeds are man-made, each developed for a purpose, and the attributes found in each breed are appropriate for the job the breed was meant to do. Trying to shoehorn an inappropriate breed into your current lifestyle because of the way it looks or the message it sends is a recipe for disaster. The best choice, leading to the most satisfactory relationship between pet and owner, is the one that matches the personality and unique life-style of the owners with the temperamental characteristics of the breed. Given the diversity of human personality and lifestyle and the difference in temperament and appearance of various breeds of dogs, it stands to reason that one can find a unique match between person and pet. It just takes patience and a bit of fortitude.

It helps to first assess your own lifestyle. Some of the aspects you should consider are:

Geography

Urban, rural, or suburban; condo, apartment, or house; size of available exercise area; neighborhood requirements or restrictions; climate.

Family

Ages of children if applicable, presence of other pets, past experience with dogs, financial and time commitment of family members, general activity level of household.

Motivation

Playmate for children; companion; watchdog; herder; hunter; lap dog.

After you assess your own lifestyle, explore the characteristics that make each breed unique. These qualities are most often directly related to the purpose for which the breed was originally developed. They can be roughly divided into these categories:

Physical

These attributes include weight, height, strength, coat color and texture, tendency to shed, tendency to drool, ears natural or cropped, tails long, short or docked, health issues, life span, and food requirements.

Temperamental

These characteristics include indoor and outdoor activity level, emotional stability, sociability, training potential and watchdog/guard-dog ability.

In addition, it is helpful to know the history of each breed, its background and relative popularity.

With a little bit of homework, you should be able to narrow down your selection to the right dog for you, your family and your lifestyle.