CHOOSING THE RIGHT PET FOR YOU Making a wise choice means first evaluating your lifestyle and your needs as well as the needs of the pet. Are there other animals in the home? Are you physically active or laid back? Do you want a calm low-key pet or an active one? Never choose a pet based on just what it looks like. The animal's activity level and personality is key to a long, happy relationship. Do you want a baby or an adult? Puppies and kittens require more feedings, more trips outside, more veterinary visits and more training than an adult who has already been socialized and housebroken. What is the size of your living space? Do you have easy access to the outdoors? Some pets are high maintenance as far as activity while others require less. Some breeds shed more than others and some require regular professional grooming. Knowing about a breed, where risks may lie and where problems may arise, can be very helpful in making a wise choice of the pet that's right for you. If researched first, fewer animals would end up abandoned for frivolous reasons. See as many animals as you can- it's a long-term commitment. (See digitaldog.com for information on breeds of dogs and their traits.)