First things first: despite the title of this report, there is no such thing as a perfect pooch (just as there is no such thing as a perfect human). The closest you can come to picking the perfect pooch is to pick one that's best for you and your family.

You know what's weird? Dog owners all believe their dog's personality is distinct and unique. Even if they own two dogs of the same breed, perhaps even from the same litter, they'll say each dog has a personality all his own. And they'll be right. And yet many of those same people believe that dog personalities are determined by breed. They'll say things like Golden Retrievers don't bite, or Pit Bulls are vicious. And they'll be wrong.

A dog's personality, like that of a child, is determined more by nurture than nature. Depending on how he's raised, a Golden Retriever will bite and be vicious; a Pit Bull will be a gentle coward.

It is true that dogs of a certain breed may share some behavioral characteristics (e.g., most Labrador Retrievers enjoy swimming and are crazy about fetching a ball). There are exceptions to every rule, but knowing behavioral (as well as physical) characteristics will help you to decide on a dog that will likely be a good fit for you and your lifestyle. We'll cover that later in this report.

But looking beyond the breed characteristics and picking a dog based on his individual personality is a very importantyet often overlookedstep in finding a dog that's best for you and your family.

Keep an open mind about what type of pooch to pick until after you've done your homework. You and your soon-to-be best friend will be much happier with the results.

First step: read the rest of this report!