Do you find yourself overwhelmed about buying a puppy, with their adorable expressions and beautiful coloring? It can be difficult not to just pick the cute one or the sad and lonely one. Or perhaps the bouncy one catches your eye. While these are powerful enticements, buying a puppy based on these points alone can result in problems for you later on.

Here are 5 easy steps that will help you to make a wise decision.

1. Be sure you know the breed or what are included in a mixed breed. All too often, tiny puppies surprise their new owners by growing into huge dogs that require far more roaming space than their homes allow. Ask the seller for information on the puppy's parents. Find out if they are mixed breeds as well.

2. Follow up by getting the facts about all the breeds that make up that puppy: how big do they grow, how much exercise do they need, what is their temperament. Although you might not know all of the breeds that make up one puppy, this research will give you some idea what to expect when it grows up.

3. Meet the puppy's parents, if possible. This will give you a lot of feedback that can help you to determine whether that particular puppy is right for you in your situation. In most cases, the puppies will grow to the same or similar height and appearance, but remember, it's no guarantee.

4. If it is a purebred puppy, ask the seller for registered papers that explain the puppy's parentage. The papers show that the parents meet the American Kennel Club's requirements for that breed. Should you end up with a puppy that doesn't meet that breed's standards, you can return it to the seller.

5. Buy a puppy only from a quality seller. There are many disreputable dog breeders and sellers out there who pay little attention to the health of the puppies' mothers or hygiene of the kennels. Such sellers can leave you with a puppy that is unhealthy and suffering from unknown genetic disorders from improper breeding practices.

There is a lot to know about buying a puppy, beyond their cuteness and irresistible charm -- and these 5 steps. These steps will steer you in the right direction, but before you get your puppy home and afterwards, you will have many more important decisions to make.

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About the Author
Sylvia Dickens, Canada
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Sylvia Dickens is an award-winning journalist who has struggled with and overcome , depression, panic and anxiety. Formerly with the Canadian Mental Health Association, she's written, "A Guide to Teenage Depression & Suicide" and offers several books to cure panic quickly and without medication, along with other popular topics. You can learn more at www.book-titles.ca. Read her anxiety product reviews at natural anxiety remedies blog. Her travel magazine offers family vacation getaway ideas for fun and relaxation.

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