Hello,
I thought about my response before replying, because it seems like you are very excited and trying to think about too much at one time. I tend to do that, too, so no worries. I do think that the other posters have given you good advice in regards to narrowing down what you want.
Getting a dog from a shelter is worlds away from getting one from a top notch breeder. Hopefully, you’ll listen to the advice you receive on here so that you will be able to tell a bad breeder from a good breeder.
At any rate, if you go to a shelter, you will be saving a life that otherwise may not have had another chance. However, neither you, nor the rescue staff, have actually seen what that animal has been through. Likely, they have only known it a short period of time and only in the stressful environment of a shelter. Since you work in rescue, I would assume that you are fully aware of that. If you get a dog from a rescue, you should be ready to accept what ever issues that dog may or may not have and be willing to work with that animal to overcome what ever issues that it could come with.
Some rescue dogs are perfectly wonderful pets, and are only rescues because their people have abandoned them for whatever reason, such as the economy. Others were dumped because of behavior or health issues. If you have a question about a dog you are trying to rescue, take a professional trainer with you to help make your decision.
A puppy that comes from a breeder’s is a blank slate that should be well on it’s way to being a sweet, beautiful, healthy, well socialized animal. You should not accept anything less from a good breeder. Ideally, they should show their dogs, work their dogs, and do every health test available. They should have a clear idea of what their breeding plan is, and what type of dog they want to develop and what the breeding which YOUR puppy will come out of will fit into that idea.
A puppy from a breeder should be guaranteed from health issues for at least 48 hours from it’s initial arrival in the home, and then for 2 years against genetic defects.
For a puppy like this, you can expect to pay from $900.00 to well over $1,000.00 depending on what you’re going for.
With that in mind, you first need to choose a breed, and then decide whether you want a puppy or a rescue, (make sure it's reputable either way) and then you can make a move to get your dog.
I can tell you that I've been researching breeds for about a year and a half, then finally narrowed it down to samoyeds. Then, spent another 6 months visiting kennels, going to specialties and shows, meeting breeders and researching lines, and then I finally narrowed it down to a kennel, and prayed to God I could get on their waiting list, and so far it's all worked out.
The breeding is to be done this winter, with puppies on the ground in spring, and then the pup will be home by next summer.
Plenty of time to save and plan.
I'm not saying that you automatically have to do things that way, but just consider that you don't have to rush. You can have all the time you want to make good decisions for yourself and your family and the dog.
