In the market for a dog? It pays to sniff around

Have kids meet the new pup

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We know someone who recently made a spur-of-the-moment stop at an animal shelter and walked out a few minutes later with a new dog.

A dog that wasn't housebroken. That nipped. That needed a crate (which had to be hastily purchased).

Our friend had the best of intentions — everyone wants animals out of shelters and in homes — but this was not the best way to adopt a dog.

The process takes planning and work. Here's a game plan for someone seeking to bring a dog home.

THINK IT OUT: The worst mistake that people make, said Karen Okura, manager of behavior and training at The Anti-Cruelty Society (anticruelty.org), is impulse adoption.

Don't pick an animal because it reminds you of your old dog, she said, or because you pity the animal, or because you lost your job and need to feel loved, or because the kids want one, or to save a marriage or relationship.

There are plenty of good reasons to adopt.

"The No. 1 objective is to save a life. People don't realize the number of amazing dogs being euthanized," said Rochelle Michalek, executive director of PAWS Chicago. "Dogs make great companions. They're great from a social perspective. Nothing breaks the ice like a dog when you're out meeting people."

Once you have a good reason to adopt, use your head.

"People should look at practical things," Okura said. "Does someone in the home have allergies? How prepared are you to do a minimal amount of grooming?"

CHOOSING A BREED ... OR NOT: Figure out what you want: big, small, male, female, energetic, laid-back, etc. Every factor should be considered.

Is there a purebred that appeals to you? Study up and learn more about that breed's dogs, from how big they get, to their temperament, to how much they shed. Talk to a rescue group that deals in that particular breed. It can tell you a breed's quirks — and it might even have an animal that would be a good fit.

Two sites listing breed rescue groups are akc.org/breeds/rescue.cfm and netpets.com/dogs/dogresc/doggrp.html.

If you have no particular breed in mind, consider a mutt.

There are a lot more mixed-breed animals needing homes.

HOW TO FIND THE RIGHT DOG: Okura does not recommend pet shops. "No breeder worth his reputation will sell puppies to pet stores, period," Okura said.

Backyard breeders? Maybe. They could be clueless owners or they could be running their own small-time version of a puppy mill.

Reputable professional breeders can be worth the expense and effort, but it's important to check them out beforehand.

"You can get a really nice dog from a professional breeder," Okura said.

Shelters are becoming prime sources for quality purebred dogs — well-kept, socialized, trained and family-ready — because of the economy. As well as those impulse adopters who had to have a purebred Dalmatian or Chihuahua or Lab and just as impulsively changed their minds and gave up the dog.

"Those dogs end up in our shelter," Michalek said.

Once you've zeroed in on a dog, have a family meeting with it. Everyone. Mom, Dad, the kids, your other pets.

"It's important for the kids to meet the dog," Okura said. "People tell us all the time, 'My kids are great with dogs.' But we don't know if this dog is great with kids."

GO FOR THE PERFECT FIT: Don't rush it. Okura said to do your homework and find the perfect fit. Not an OK fit, not a good fit. The perfect fit.

"One of the things I tell people is to be picky," Okura said.