What breed is good for me?

Hi I'm new here and I always wanted a dog. I just don't know what dog is best for my situation. Here are my requirements:


I would give my dog an hour of exercise a day. He should weigh 15-30 pounds.
I would like a short haired dog and I am willing to brush once a week. I don't have any other pets. I would like a trainable dog but not "I WILL DO EVERYTHING AND ANYTHING YOU WANT" trainable. I like a challenge.


I hope I wasn't too specific and hope to see a reply soon!

What about a shelter dog? Your list isn't overly specific, and I think there are tons of dogs in shelters who could match what you want.

I would also recommend a nice shelter dog, but if you want actual breeds, what about a rat or toy fox terrier?

A rat terrier sounds good. I have been looking at them. A shelter dog sounds nice too. Hmm.. I will start searching up the toy fox terrier also. I guess I wasn't that specific after all!

I would add a new post in it with a more detailed list of requirements/preferences if you are wanting specific breeds.
For example:
-traits/characteristic preferences
-traits you dislike
-grooming requirements
-typical day/activities you want to do with this dog
-anything that is important to you for a dog

I would also figure out if you are wanting a shelter/rescue or a dog from a breeder. There are pros and cons to both.

Shelter/rescue:
Pros:
-Probably already potty trained
-Adult dog so you can see the personality of the dog and know if it is what you are looking for in a dog
-usually cheaper
-you can "rescue" a dog and feel good about that

Cons:
-no history so you don't know anything about the health/genetics of the dog other than obvious things that you can see

Breeder:
Pros:
- you can get a specific breed
-you can research lines and find a good breeder that health tests and raises the puppies in a way you like, etc.
-you have a history, you know the genetics/lineage
-you get to enjoy the cute puppy stage and start the puppy in training the way you want

Cons:
-more expensive
- you have to realize that although certain breeds carry common traits, each dog is an individual and the puppy you get may not grow up having the exact traits you were hoping for.

This is obviously not a complete list, but just a thing to give you something to think about to decide what matters to you.

If your not necessarily looking for a specific breed go to your local shelters and look at dogs. If you do want a specific breed then you should look at breeders or rescues for that breed.