A dog can be a happy addition to your family, but if you choose the wrong kind of dog, the consequences can cause you a lot of trouble.
Families should sit down and thoroughly discuss the problems involved before buying a dog.
Even if the children in your family are the ones who want the dogs, the parents are the ones who are really responsible for seeing that the animal is properly cared for.
If you don't know much about dogs, it's a good idea to go to the library or the ASPCA for books about various kinds of dogs, as well as books about how to train a puppy.