How to Buy a (First) Dog

The Obamas can take heed: With 158 canine breeds, finding the ideal pup can be an elusive goal. See where our search ends.

By Jane Bennett Clark, Senior Associate Editor, Kiplinger's Personal Finance

November 12, 2008

The Obamas are looking to buy a dog? Tell me about it. Ten years ago, my family and I explored the same idea -- and only the "perfect" dog would do. We conducted our search with nary a pollster to gauge public opinion or a single Secret Service agent to drive us from dog show to animal shelter.

Here’s the real-time description of how we researched our choices, and an update on what we decided.

I'm standing in the middle of a cavernous building trying to persuade my 9-year-old daughter, Devon, that the short, squat, pop-eyed, mug-faced, sissy-looking little animal scampering around ring 8 is cute. Real cute. A 15-pound love bucket of cuteness -- and way more adorable than the big, messy, galumphing golden retriever she has spotted across the room. Devon, pragmatic soul that she is, seems willing to be persuaded. She has detected a tiny fissure in the wall of resistance I have erected against dogs of any shape, size and form -- and she's determined to squeeze through it.

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Call the idea an academic exercise or the musings of a mother whose two older children are teetering on the edge of the nest. Whatever the reason, I've agreed to identify -- in theory, anyway -- the Perfect Dog: one that doesn't slobber, shed, sprint after sparrows, sprinkle on the aspidistras and do all the doggy things that have long led me to steer clear of Canis familiaris. Of course, if I do find such a dog, the next question is inescapable: Would I, a lifelong dogophobe, be willing to buy it?

GENTLEMAN FROM BOSTON
My search begins with the 158 breeds currently recognized by the American Kennel Club, on the theory that they represent fewer variables than mixed breeds. Now for the fun part: looking though books and Web sites for my paragon of dogdom.

Information on purebred dogs abounds; still, winnowing the list proves fairly easy. First, I eliminate all dogs that require lots of exercise. My children, who usually spring from their beds 30 seconds before the school bus is due, are not likely to spend several hours a day walking a pet. Then I eliminate dogs that shed a lot, bark a lot, eat a lot or drool a lot, plus any that can be called "aggressive" (including chow chows, pit bull terriers and German shepherds) or "snappy (Pekingese and toy poodles).

In the end, I settle on the Boston terrier, nicknamed "the American gentleman" for its tuxedo-like coat and considered "one of the most delightful of canine companions," according to the Roger Caras Dog Book (available used starting at about $3 at Amazon.com). Bostons don't stink, barely shed, need minimal grooming and require only moderate exercise. As a nonsporting breed, they aren't desperate to retrieve dead birds or stalk squirrels. In fact, writes Caras, "the Boston has only one use: love."

Perfect!

GOOD BREEDING WILL OUT
Actually, there is one little problem, I discover as I watch eight Bostons hurl themselves in the direction of their owner, Norman Randall, at his kennel in Accokeek, Md. I have driven about an hour from my home to see the dogs and meet Randall, who is president of the Boston Terriers Club of America. Visiting a reputable breeder, experts say, lets you check out a dog and find out if it suits your family. Randall's kennel is spotless, and he has decades of experience. I've come to the right place.

But here's the problem. Bostons are smaller than I had anticipated and don't exactly exude manly ruggedness. In fact, they bear a striking resemblance to the pampered pets that used to sit on my great-aunt's lap and nibble Pepperidge Farm cookies. I can't quite envision one in my chaotic household, but Randall assures me that Bostons are lovable animals, suitable for a family with older kids (younger children can be too rough) and valued for their temperament. "These dogs will lick you to death," he says.

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