So you have decided that you would like a little friend, namely a dog, to join your household?. Even if you are looking for a specific breed it may be worth checking out your local rescue centre. Believe it or not pedigree dogs do occasionally end up in a rescue centre needing a new home. However, it could be that the dog is there because it has behavioural problems or more.

Buying a dog from anywhere can be just as fraught with problems though. Even if you buy a puppy, if you are not 100% sure of its first home and parentage, you could be in for a bumpy ride.

Personally I would recommend adopting or fostering a dog, or puppy, from a charity as all my rescued dogs have been so successful as pets. We did have one dog that was a slight disaster but he was a stray which we simply rescued from the streets.

Of course I have never wanted a pedigree dog but there are some fabulous cross breeds out there if you are a little choosy. These dogs usually have great characters, better health in the long run and less hang-ups.

When your new dog is adopted from a rescue centre though you have to accept that this dog will probably come with baggage, and I do not mean an overnight case. Depending on why the dog was in the rescue in the first place, the dog could be physically and mentally scarred. It may have been beaten, starved, maltreated in any number of ways or simply neglected. Unfortunately there are all too many sad stories these days.

If you are unsure about adopting a dog, from a rescue centre, you could always try fostering first. This would give you chance to have the dog with you, provide the dog a temporary loving home and could ease the financial burden of having a pet dog.

It can be hard to give up a foster dog though and maybe you would end up adopting after all. However, if you are unsure fostering can really help the rescue charity temporarily, and enable you to assess if a dog is really for you. Fostering usually is partially funded by the charity and therefore expensive veterinary bills will probably be paid for by the charity.

Remember that when you adopt a dog from a charity there will be some sort of fee and it may be more than you would expect. However this is necessary to prove your commitment to the animal.

Finally never discount an older dog. The dog may only be in the rescue centre because its owner has died, or had to go into permanent residential care. This could mean that the dog is fully trained and well behaved but also sorely missing his or her previous owner and home comforts. Sure, you may want a puppy, but I have to say that the dogs we have taken in have all been between one year and five, and have all been little darlings. Well most of the time.

There are many dog rescue charities around the country. Of course it makes sense to search for your new dog with a rescue service that is near to your home.This means that it will be easy to visit the centre, call back if you have problems and is just generally more sensible.

The Internet offers lots of information about dog rescue charities, far and wide. There is a good website that holds the details or rescue centres around the country. This website is full of useful information.

Traditionally, in England The RSPCA re-homed dogs however, as animal welfare is such a problem in the UK these days, there are now many smaller charities all over the UK Consider offering your help in other ways, such as dog walking, donations, or offering your help at the charity's sales and fairs for example.

• Research your local charities.
• Decide before you visit any of them, what age and type of dog you are looking for. Having said that though the right dog will probably select you.
• Ring the charity telling them your plans and making an appointment to visit.
• If in doubt about a particular dog take your time
• It may be possible to take the dog out for a walk, or to your home for a brief visit. This could be necessary if you have children and or other pets.
• Always try to ascertain as much of the dog's previous social and medical history as you can.
• Any reputable dog charity will always complete a home visit before you can take your new pet home. An official will visit your home to make sure that it is suitable for a dog.
• Consider your lifestyle and work commitments before choosing a dog.
• There is no point choosing a dog that needs tons of exercise if you cannot supply this. Basically use your common sense and see what will work for you, your family and the dog, and what wont. You want the dog to be happy after all, don't you?.
• If you are never, or rarely, home then really a dog is not for you.
• Make sure that you know what the initial costs may be. The RSPCA will castrate or spay the dog before you take him or her home and you will be charged for this. Similarly if the dog needs something, such as teeth extracting, this will be done before re homing and you will be required to foot the bill.
• Think about additional expenses such as:- Pet insurance, lead, collar, bed, cage, toys, vaccinations, micro-chipping the dog and the like. Not all of these will be essential or not already supplied but you need to know the potential costs.
• Can you really afford a dog? Much as the dog will desperately need a new home it will just be upsetting for all concerned if it does not work out. Work out how much the feeding bill will be for a week.
• Consider fostering as it may suit you better. You could act as a temporary home for dogs waiting to be re-homed. A home is a better place for a dog to wait for a permanent home than languishing in a kennel.