Dogs are one of the most popular pets on the planet. Seemingly, everyone has one, so why shouldn't you? In principle, there is no reason not to. With the endless array of breeds, there is surely a dog for every person, every household, and every need. But most people aren't aware of this, or, at least they don't think about the dog they're choosing. Many soon-to-be dog owners simply pick a breed they think is fashionable, popular, cute or cool. They purchase the dog based on these assumed qualities and not on what is the right fit for them. Ultimately, this leads to trouble and sadly, in most cases, the eventual abandonment or surrender of the dog.

This is no way to approach you first dog. Not only is it a less-than-ideal situation for both parties, but it is also highly irresponsible. Let's first look at common reasons why people purchase dogs irresponsibly. These reasons should be a red flag that the family or person in question is not ready to have an animal.

• They want to give the dog as a gift

• Everyone has a particular breed, so why shouldn't I?

• The kids want one and they promise to take care of his or her needs completely

Of this short list, the first and third entries cause the most problem. The dog as a gift is never a responsible choice. Not only will the dog probably not be the right choice for the receiver of the gift, but also the novelty of it will wear off quickly. As soon as the puppy starts making a mess and being hard to handle, the receiver of this living and breathing gift will most likely surrender it to a shelter.

But kids are an even bigger problem. Countless dogs are given up to shelters, humane societies or abandoned, because the kids that were supposed to take care of the puppy lost interest after a short time. They no longer want to have the responsibility of looking after him or her and so the puppy falls on the shoulders of the parents. Parents, in all honesty, who allow their kids to make decisions, are likely not the best owners for dogs.

So, parents. No matter how much your children promise they will take care of the new puppy if you get one for them, don't give in. They should first be required to prove themselves responsible enough.

If you decide that your family and you are ready to bring a dog into the home, do some thinking and research on what kind of dog you would like to have. Be able to answer questions like:

• What size dog do I want?

• Am I prepared to exercise this dog as much as he or she requires?

• Am I prepared to drag myself out of bed at 3:00 in the morning if he or she has to go outside?

• How important is it for the dog to be easily trained?

• How affectionate do I want the dog to be?

• Does the dog need to be good at guarding or not? – Bear in mind this takes a whole different approach to training and best done by a professional.

• Is the breed I am looking at able to adapt to any climate?

You want to be able to answer all of these questions, as they are aimed at taking your lifestyle and personality into account, so that a dog can be matched with it. This will make it more likely that your dog and you get along better and that the two of you will be in a pack for life (however long that is for him or her).

There are many breed questionnaires on the web you can use to begin your breed research. One such tool can be animalplanet.com, under their Dogs 101 section. It only takes about 5 to 10 minutes to run through the 7 to 9 questions, but it will ensure that you choose your breed consciously and not blindly. This will make all the difference in the world and match you with the right dog. After all, don't you both deserve to be a match made in heaven?