What age should your dog be when you get it?

One of the biggest decisions for some one wanting to get a dog is to get a "baby" puppy, an older puppy, or an adult dog.

 A young puppy like this one is considered a "baby" puppy. It is younger than 6 months old.

Pros: This is the cutest age for a dog, and that is a lot of their appeal. They also probably don't have behavior problems, or at least not very serious ones. Puppies are also very energetic, which can be a pro for some people.

Cons: A young puppy like this will need more shots than an older dog. Also, their energeticness can be a con for some people. If you get a baby puppy from an animal shelter, you will probably have to pay more money to get it.

Older puppies are sometimes referred to as "teenage" puppies. This stage last from 6 months to 2 years for most dogs and 6 months to 1 year for giant dog breeds.

Pros: These older puppies are still cute. Behavioral problems are easier to get rid of through training than for an adult dog. By this age, Mixed breed dogs are adult sized or close to adult size, so you don't need to worry that it will grow up to be to big. Also, energeticness can be a pro.

Cons: Training can be harder for an older puppy. Again, energeticness can be a con for some people.

By the age of two years (one for giant breed dog) dogs have reached their full size.

Pros: Adult dogs are calmer. They probably have already been trained and "housebroken". These dogs are more common in shelters than puppies and you will probably have to pay less to adopt one.

Cons: Adult dogs are harder to train. They are also not quite so cute than puppies, and you miss out on the fun of seeing the dog grow up.