There are too many puppies being born and sold by amateur breeders and not enough homeless dogs being adopted and raised in a good homes with loving families. If you are a true dog lover and have a passion for these animals, consider visiting your local animal shelter instead of purchasing a new puppy from the newspaper or pet store.

I realize that most families prefer to have a puppy raised from birth, but there are thousands upon thousands of well mannered, healthy dogs that need a home like yours. Most of these dogs and puppies that are living in animal shelters are there for various reasons that do not include acts of violence or sickness.

If you really are a dog lover, then it may have crossed your mind that there are many ways of getting a new dog or puppy. Unfortunately, preconceptions about bad tempered, ill-mannered animals often prevent people from investigating their local animal shelter. There are some ill-behaved dogs in animal shelters and it would be naive to suggest otherwise, however there are other reasons for losing a perfectly behaved, loving loyal dog. For many dogs you are literally saving its life by adopting it, and if you have asked the correct questions there is no reason at all that you will have any more problems than you would normally have by introducing an animal to your home.