Before getting a dog the first question to ask and answer is what sort of dog should we get a purebred or a mutt?

The answer to this question is a matter of debate. Get any two dog lovers together and they will probably have different feelings on this controversial question.

Why is this question so controversial? One dog is surely much the same as another? Or is there a hidden benefit to buying a purebred dog?

Of course one dog is much like any other at least on the outside! But every potential dog owners needs are different. The real trick is in identifying your needs the needs of your family and selecting a dog that meets those needs. A dog that is suitable for your family.

This is where the debate starts. Dog breeders will tell you that you will never be sure of what youve got with a mixed breed. On the other hand Dog Rescue will say look at the dog itself not the breed!

Whos right?

To a certain extent they both are.

You need to try to assess the suitability of any dog you adopt, regardless of whether its an abandoned rescue dog of mixed breed or an expensive purebred puppy with registration papers and a pedigree as long as your arm.

Purebred dogs will tend to have strong characteristics peculiar to their breed, such as size and stamina, general demeanor and exercise needs. But they will also have their own individual personality on top of this.

On the other hand you can never be totally sure about a mixed breeds background. Theres always a question mark about how a puppy is going to turn out you can never be quite sure about its size, energy requirements or manner.

That can be one advantage of adopting a rescue dog. Often they will be older mature dogs rather than puppies. This allows you to make a better assessment of the dog its size, energy and nature. Good-natured dogs are not restricted to pure-breeds.

One other advantage of adopting an older rescue dog is that all the hard work of house training and basic obedience training has often already been done, saving you the effort needed to do this yourself. You will also get the chance to visit the dog a few times, with members of your family, to assess its suitability.

The staff at the dog shelter will also have had a chance to assess the dogs character and even perhaps have worked with the dog to smooth out any rough edges to help find it a suitable home.Having a rough idea of what the dogs parentage might have been will help you look for traits associated with those breeds and see if they are present.

If you are really lucky you may find a mixed breed dog that embodies all the best parts of the dog you are looking for from different parents. The result could well be a unique mix that perfectly meets the needs of you and your family. But take the time to really get to know the dog before committing to adopting it as a return trip to the animal shelter is the last thing the dog will need.

In the end the choice is down to you but you absolutely need to make sure the dog you choose meets the needs of you and you family. You need to consider such things as how much room you have in your life, both physically and mentally, for the dog. You need to consider feeding and exercise needs and whether you would be better off with an older dog or a puppy.

Making the right choice will open the door to a lifelong friendship with a loyal, loving partner. Making the wrong choice will lead to misery for all concerned.