Also, before you take on a cute little puppy, you need to understand that having a dog is a very long commitment that you must be absolutely certain you are financially and time-wise able to take on.
I couldn't agree more. Some people treat dogs as gifts or simply "pets" when in fact once you'd decide to get a dog, they are a part of the family. #adoptdontshop
adoptdontshop is the way to go. A lot of people have this impression that all rescue dogs are in some way damaged mongrels but they couldn't be more wrong. Many of the dogs in shelters including our own are pure-breed designer dogs because these animals are just as difficult - if not moreso because of the in-breeding - to manage compared with a mixed breed dog.
Apologies for the late reply. The internet in my place has been damaged by the typhoon. I couldn't agree more with you. Dog and cat shelters are often full already we just need to make a decision to adopt one to at least lessen the capacity and avoid buying from pet shops.