Choosing the correct breed of dog is perhaps the first and most important point of consideration for hopeful dog owners. There are hundreds of dog breeds and one can choose a dog based on preferences of size, behavior, affinity to allergy, provision of space, etc.

Being well informed about dog breeds is necessary as there are many kinds of dogs to chose from. If the prospective owner is allergic to dog hair, selection of dog breeds like American Eskimos or Pomeranians should be avoided. Dachshunds or Greyhounds can be ideal in such situations.

Dogs generally take up a lot of space. So before selecting the dog breed, the availability of space must be considered. If the owner has a small house, a smaller dog like the Maltese would be ideal. Bigger dogs like Labradors or St. Bernards may require more space. It should also be remembered that keeping a dog can be very expensive and the bigger the dog breed, the more the expenses.

If the household has children, the dog breed selection must be done with great care. Though children are safe around most dog breeds, some breeds can get overtly aggressive and cause harm to children. The Staffordshire Bull Terrier is perhaps the best breed of dog to opt for if there are children around, while Chihuahuas and Affenpinschers are not very friendly towards children.

Different dog breeds have different needs and capabilities. For instance, some breeds like the Poodle and the German Shepherd learn and can be trained much faster than the other breeds like the Bulldog and Afghan Hound. However, almost all breeds can be trained and made to follow commands.

The dog breeds have been divided into a number of categories like toy dogs, hunting dogs, companion dogs, working dogs, guard dogs, etc. A number of breeds fall under each category and like their names suggest, are often used for specific purposes. For instance the Doberman was originally bred only for guard duty. Guard dogs have the ability to sound alarms and thereby alert the owner of any kind of impending danger.

Similarly working dogs are not used merely as pets, but they are also used to assist humans in specialized tasks like sniffing, bomb detection, etc. Toy dogs, on the other hand, are dogs that are kept only as pets and are not generally made to do any other task. They are considered to be very delicate and require more care. The Bichon Frisé is a good example of such dog breeds.

If there are other pets at home, care must be taken to select a dog breed that is less aggressive and can tolerate having other dogs or even other animals around. Most dogs can be trained to live together in harmony with other pets. The Golden Retriever is known to have the least amount of aggression and hence is a much-preferred breed for homes with more than one pet, whereas the Rottweiler is known to be most aggressive around other pets. Breed selection is therefore necessary and it is important for the prospective owner to be well informed about the various dog breeds, their capabilities and requirements.