When given the right care and affection, every dog is a good friend and the time and investment on them will be repaid several folds over. More than that, a dog's life spans more than fourteen years that they invariably become members of the family. Outside of marriage, adopting a dog is your only chance to choose a family member. Don t get it wrong. Many senior dogs senior being 7 years old and above still have several years left of energy to spend. Nevertheless with senior dogs, you need not spend extra on a new couch or endure months of housebreaking. You can also enjoy the company of a calmer, less aggressive, and more tolerant pet. Most puppies are energetic and take pleasure in playing around with their owners and other dogs. Although you can't test the true behavior of puppies around people in confined, stressed environments like animal shelters, you can test their behaviors by handling them for a few minutes. A socialized puppy should be comfortable with human touch. The following are tips to ease the dog in getting used to the leash. The first time is typically the hardest. When attaching a leash for the first time, try attaching the leash hen the pup is at his best mood. Better yet, attach the leash while the pup is eating. The idea is to attach the leash the first time associating it with happy occasion or at least occasions that are non- threatening. Herding dogs are very lively and strong and need a lot of exercise and activity. Some of the most popular breed of herding dogs are the Coolie, Shepherd, Kelpie, Sheepdog, Herder, Corgi and Terriers. Hound Dogs Hound dogs are also sporting dogs although its main purpose is to track their prey. Different from sporting dogs, hound dogs do not raise their tail to the direction of the prey like pointers nor do they kill them like retrievers. Some have their eyes on purebreds, others are comfortable taking home mutts or mixed breeds. There are many, however, who don t have a particular idea of what dog to adopt. As guide, there should be at least three characteristics that you should look for in a dog. First, are the things that you want in the dog you are to adopt.