made the decision to get a dog...HELP

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Some advice from a professional dog trainer.

No matter what the breed, you can't predict with 100% accuracy what type of temperament your dog will have. You will have a better chance getting a better puppy with a reputable breeder. Getting an older dog from a rescue sounds like a solid choice for you, so look into that. Call up some local rescues and see what they have, and what their requirements for adoption are.

Obedience school can be a great way to train your dog. Going by your location of Las Vegas, look at Rich Damico at Sin City K9, or Fred Hassan's school Sit means Sit (I've heard good and bad things about Fred Hassan's place, but it still looks better than 98% of the trainers out there).

If you are interested in training the dog yourself, look to get some basic obedience DVDs from Leerburg . Start off with the basic obedience DVD.

PM me if you have any more questions.

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Yeah I would second this. The other thing about dogs is that most of them shed a great deal (poodles don't) and it might be kind of a hassle. Timely grooming will help alot.