Did you know that there are an estimated 3.2 million dogs in shelters across the United States? Did you know that many of these are shelter dogs are purebreds? Dogs that cost thousands of dollars from breeders are sitting in shelters for only a few hundred dollars, waiting for homes.

Saving an animal's life is an amazing thing to do. Without adoption, many shelter dogs are going to be euthanized. When you take home a shelter dog, you get a friend for life. They are so grateful to be rescued, given a home, and given love by a new owner.

So why should you go to a shelter to adopt even if you were planning to buy a purebred puppy?

Shelters have a strict adoption protocol to ensure you will be the right owner for the dog you are interested in. When you go to adopt a shelter dog, you must fill out a questionnaire that includes if the dog will live inside or outside, the activity level of your home, where the dog will sleep at night, how long you will leave the dog unattended, how you plan to discipline the dog, what you will do when the dog misbehaves, and if you have children or other pets in the home.

The questions are designed to determine which dog or breed in case of purebreds in the shelter is right for you. Sometimes people have their hearts set on a dog that might not fit in well with the family. Instead of a shelter risking the dog be sent back, they ensure you pick the right fit for your lifestyle, home, and family from the start!

Dogs in shelters have been through a lot of trauma and deserve a forever home filled with love and affection; shelters strive to ensure the dog will have a loving and permanent owner. Nonetheless, this is how it should be with ANY dog for that matter and this is why it is SO important you put yourself through this test to prove you have everything that it takes to be a lifelong dog owner.

Shelters know a great deal about the dogs they are adopting out. They test their disposition, aggression, personality, and other traits to get information on them that is useful to the potential owner. Shelters know if dogs should be kept with other dogs or cats and if they would behave appropriately around children or not. Shelters do not want a dog, or the new owner, entering a potentially unsafe situation.

Once you have filled out the questionnaire and met with the dogs you are interested in, the shelter will determine if you are the right owner for the dog you want. If you are, you will get to take your dog home, with free food, to its new forever home.

Prior to leaving the shelter, the volunteers and workers will make sure you know what you are getting yourself into. They do not want to see the dog's heartbreak if it is brought back to the shelter. The workers and volunteers want your dog to be healthy and happy so they stress the importance of flea and heartworm medication and often give out pamphlets, sometimes with coupons, on where the best place is to get the medications.

Keep in mind when thinking about getting a dog that they are a decent amount of work and cost money. They require food, water, baths, affection and attention, medication, nail trimmings, and more! You must know what you are getting into prior to adopting a dog.

Did you know that some of the most common reasons people give their dogs to shelters are due are due to their owner's moving, having a child, or getting a new job?

Many shelters also offer dog training classes, pet supplies, and some offer veterinary services. This ensures that your dog is healthy, well-behaved, and has all of the necessities it needs to live a happy life.

While there are a good amount of responsible breeders in the world, many of the puppies in pet stores and dogs available for purchase online come from puppy mills. Puppy mills are highly dangerous and unhealthy for dogs. Mothers are often having litter after litter without getting a break to rest her body. The conditions are often unsanitary and the puppies do not always get the best care.

Puppies that were bred in puppy mills often have health ailments and die at younger ages than they should. By purchasing a dog from these conditions, people are supporting puppy mills and continuing this mistreatment of innocent animals. To combat the rise of puppy mills in America, you can adopt from responsible breeders (this can often be pricey) or you can purchase a dog from a shelter (which is quite inexpensive).

When you decide you want a dog, you must understand the responsibility that comes with such an amazing animal. You should be adopting a family member for life; therefore, more people need to make responsible decisions when buying or adopting a dog so that there are fewer dogs ending up in shelters and puppy mills stop thriving. Effective dog ownership is the most effective way we can keep dogs from shelters and possibly euthanasia as well as keep them healthy and safe.

Once you now know what to expect and what to look for, you will not impulse buy a pet you cannot or do not want to take care of later. By researching prior to making this big decision, along with planning and preparing for your new pet, you can help your family

find the right dog and give it – and yourself – an amazing life. Sites like Wuuff provide all the necessary information you need for finding the right pet for you.