This may seem like an obvious question but have you really considered what owning a dog means and are you ready to take on the commitment of 8-12+ years of a dogs life? 

Apart from the obvious benefits to owning a dog there are a lot more things to consider and factor in from practical to financial.

Are you prepared for chewing, house-training, digging, barking, sleepless nights? Are you in a position financially to afford a dog with insurance, vets bills, vaccinations, worm treatment, flea treatments, food? Are you going on holiday soon, as it might be wise to wait until your back and in a position to adopt before applying for a dog? Are you physically able to deal with a dog from walking them to clearing up any accidents or even lifting them in the car? Who will look after your dog when your away? Do you work a flexible enough job role to cater for the care of a dog? If you have an existing dog and are looking for another, are they in good health and do they really want/able to cope with another dog in the home? Is everyone in the household on board to have a new dog?

These are all questions that must be answered before it's time to decide to put an application in for a dog! 

Some people have a specific breed/s in mind whereas others don't have a preference but the key is to ascertain what breeds/breed types/breed traits are suitable for you and your lifestyle ensuring the dogs needs are catered for.

Large or small? Long or short haired? Male or female? Puppy or older dog? How much exercise will the dog need? Are there medical issues with your chosen breed? Are there any specific behavioural/training considerations - what was the breed bred to do? 

It is strongly advised that you research into the breed/breed types you are interested in before committing to adopting, you may even find that the breed isn't suitable for you or what you can offer but instead find a more suiting breed. For example you may love Labradors but aren't looking for anything too higher energy or something that isn't going to need hours of exercise, so instead you might consider a Greyhound who are commonly misconceived as high energy dogs but actually they are pretty much couch potatoes after a quick zoom round. 

If you are flexible on breed and temperament is more important, then it's wise to decipher what type of temperament you are looking for - active, companion, does the dog need to get on with other dogs, do you have any children living with/visiting that the dog needs to get on with, does the dog need to travel well. 

Have you considered the age of dog you are looking for? Puppies/younger dogs might have more training needs such as housetraining, socialisation, puppy mouthing/teething or monitoring exercise level with their age. Adult rescue dogs may come with more baggage so may have challenges or need training, they may too need housetraining. Older dogs may be more established and perfect companions but may have different needs such as medical problems or age related health problems. 

Coat types in dogs is also something to consider, some people have allergies to certain coat types, some coat types will need regular grooming/clipping, some coats shed all year round whereas others might shed a few times a year but by the bucket load!  

Do you want an active dog or would you prefer a couch potato? Will the dog need to be home alone at all and if so, for how long? Do you have children, cats or other small animals? How would you describe your personality - calm, shy, vibrant? BE HONEST! All these questions will serve to narrow your search and if you have already gone through this process you will make the job of matching you to your dog much easier.

Where will the dog sleep? Who will take the dog for walks? What toileting routine are you planning? When will the dog eat? Who will groom the dog? Which vets will you register with? What equipment will you need? Are you prepared to attend training classes?