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Get to a Barnes & Noble and browse the dog section. There's a book by Daniel Tortorra called "The Right Dog for You." Very good guide to point you in the right direction.
Are you active? Do you want a small dog that can keep up on hikes, and not mind a trip in the canoe? What's the age/temperament of your children? Is your yard fenced? Will the dog be alone at times? Might you consider a performance sport (agility/obedience/herding/field) after you attend basic obedience classes?
Visit the AKC web site (below)for a wealth of info.
Once you have a few breeds in mind, visit an AKC breed show. Find a schedule for your area at the AKC site.
Visit with breeders (when they're not entering or leaving the ring) and pick their brains. Most breeders are passionate, but objective about their breeds, wishing to place their puppies in the very best homes. Remember that they are interviewing YOU, too. Fr'instance, a breeder of Siberians, Malamutes, and other Northern breeds would not sell puppies w/o fenced yards. Some breeds can be nippy around kids, etc.
Every good breeder will be upfront with what you may not like in their dogs, though they may soften the language. "Independent" might mean tough-to-train (terriers). "Makes a good watch dog" often means you've got one that may be noisey (Shelties...my breed). "It's a LOT of dog" means you'd better not consider it as your first dog.
Then work with the breeder to ascertain when she'll have a litter on the ground. If nothing's happening, she'll refer you to a friend. DO NOT BUY FROM A MALL STORE/PUPPY MILL.
If this is your first dog, be careful of rescued (pound) puppies. They may have issues that you might not want to deal with.
By the end of the year, I will have judged more than 20K dogs in AKC agility rings. There are only a handful of breeds I wouldn't be tickled to own. The basic "doggie-ness" we love is hard-wired into all the little critters, regardless of breed. You only have to find the breed that fits in with your lifestyle. Dogs know a good thing when they've got it (free room/board/health care/personal trainer/chauffeur. Most can be trained to become canine good citizens.
As for specific recommendations, I don't know enough about you to even begin to propose to offer a suggestion about which breed. I like long-haired, travel-sized, easily-trained, people-oriented dogs that are game for any outside activity I do, but don't mind lying quietly for long periods of time at my feet while I design courses. When he barks, it's generally for a reason I need to attend to. Oh, and I like tails...Dog's gotta have a full tail. But that's just me.
I'll probably never own another breed other than Shetland Sheepdogs, but my list of five dream dogs is Dobe, Golden, Papillon, Schipperke, and French Bulldog, plus just about any small terrier (for comic relief and to keep me humble). A miniature poodle was the the best dog I had while growing up in a mainly terrier household. Fantastic breed.
Good luck!
Greg
posted by 69.115.16...
, Tue, 30 Nov 2004 09:42:09
, Mon, 29 Nov 2004 21:11:34, Mon, 29 Nov 2004 18:58:16, Mon, 29 Nov 2004 18:23:04, Tue, 30 Nov 2004 08:39:20
, Mon, 29 Nov 2004 19:10:17, Mon, 29 Nov 2004 17:57:49
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