Last month, we covered the preliminary steps to choosing a dog wisely. Things like:
•  Committing to taking responsibility for the dog for its lifetime.
•  Listing the characteristics you desire, such as size, color and type of coat,    temperament and energy level.
•  Doing your homework to learn which breed best fits your family.
•  Finding a reputable breeder who's interested in betterment of the breed.

After doing this and matching the outcome with your income and lifestyle, you're ready to begin the search. The American Kennel Club lists seven groups of dogs: terrier, toy, sporting, non-sporting, herding, hound and working.

TERRIER GROUP: You can choose from wiry, smooth or soft coats, and short or long legs. Some don't shed, and others need professional grooming to keep up their appearance. They take their name from the Latin word for earth, terra. Originally bred to tunnel into the earth to exterminate vermin, terriers are more inclined to dig than other breeds. Most were developed in the British Isles-some as long ago as the 15th century-but they weren't recognized as purebreds until the 18th and 19th. They've gone from snatching rats on farms to being popular household pets. While not true lap dogs, they are loyal and affectionate companions. Terriers are alert and curious, but with their boisterous independent spirit, they're the most difficult to obedience train. That won't daunt terrier lovers who enjoy these jaunty, appealing dogs. These are the terriers: Airedale, American Staffordshire, Australian, Bedlington, Border, Bull, Cairn, Dandie Dinmont, Fox (smooth), Fox (wire), Irish, Jack Russel, Kerry Blue, Lakeland, Manchester (standard), Miniature Bull, Miniature Schnauzer, Norfolk, Norwich, Scottish, Sealyham, Skye, Soft Coated Wheaten, Staffordshire Bull, Welsh, West Highland White-and you thought this would be easy?

TOYS: They were bred expressly to be pets and have enjoyed special favor in the courts of royalty. Nowadays, they're a good choice for city dwellers and people without much living space. These cute, diminutive dogs need close companionship with their owners and make perfect lap warmers. Toys can be high-strung and don't always like small children (the pug excepted). There are some breeders who won't even sell to families with young children. Older kids, as well, must be taught to handle them gently, though my siblings and I grew up with Italian Greyhounds with no problems. Be careful where you buy; many popular toy breeds are mass-produced for pet stores. Their grooming needs range from little to heavy. As a rule, the toys are lively, loyal, affectionate and easily trained. From a practical standpoint, they're less expensive to keep than large dogs. The toy breeds are: Affenpinscher, Brussels Griffon, Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, Chihuahua, Chinese Crested, English Toy Spaniel, Havanese, Italian Greyhound, Japanese Chin, Maltese, Manchester Terrier, Miniature Pinscher, Papillon, Pekingese, Pomeranian, Poodle, Pug, Shih Tzu, Silky Terrier and Yorkshire Terrier.

SPORTING: Also known as gun dogs, they include pointers, retrievers, setters and spaniels. Most have water-resistant coats and require invigorating exercise. With their responsive, friendly dispositions, the sporting dogs make suitable pets for active households. Pointers and setters, also known as bird dogs, work mostly with nose in the air until they become motionless and point when a bird takes flight. The smaller spaniels spring or flush game. Retrievers, of course, retrieve rather than locate or flush. The sporting dogs are: Brittany, Pointer, German Shorthaired Pointer, German Wirehaired Pointer, Chesapeake Bay Retriever, Curly Coated Retriever, Flat-Coated Retriever, Golden Retriever, English Setter, Gordon Setter, Irish Setter, American Water Spaniel, Clumber Spaniel, Cocker Spaniel, English Cocker Spaniel, English Springer Spaniel, Field Spaniel, Irish Water Spaniel, Sussex Spaniel, Welsh Springer Spaniel, Vizsla, Weimaraner and Wirehaired Pointing Griffon.

NON-SPORTING: This is an assortment of breeds that don't quite fit the other categories, although some started out with a variety of jobs in their native lands. They're now considered companion dogs and come in a wide selection of sizes, coat types and personalities, the larger ones having a higher energy level. The non-sporting dogs are: American Eskimo, Bichon Frise, Boston Terrier, Bulldog, Chinese Shar-pei, Chow, Dalmatian, Finnish Spitz, French Bulldog, Keeshond, Lhasa Apso, Lowchen, Poodle, Schipperke, Shiba Inu, Tibetan Spaniel and Tibetan Terrier.

HERDING: The newest group, having broken off from the working group in 1983. These dogs are able to control the movements of cattle, sheep, ducks and maybe even the children in the family! They're very active, intelligent and easily trained but tend to be barkers. Since most have never actually been on a farm, many are enrolled in agility classes, flyball or Frisbee competitions as outlets for their high energy. Owners enjoy a strong working bond with herding dogs and have trained them to excel in search and rescue, service to the handicapped and police work. If you can provide them with meaningful exercise for their minds and bodies, they make excellent pets. Some of the herders suffer from over-breeding, so seek out a reputable breeder. The herders are: Australian Cattle Dog, Australian Shepherd, Bearded Collie, Belgian Malinois, Belgian Tervuren, Border Collie, Bouvier des Flandres, Briard, Canaan Dog, Collie, German Shepherd, Old English Sheepdog, Puli, Shetland Sheepdog, Welsh Corgi (Cardigan) and Welsh Corgi (Pembroke).

HOUND: Originally bred to hunt, they come in two types, scent and sight. Scent hounds, accustomed to working with their handlers in the field, are friendly. They're even tempered and good with kids, the possible exception being Dachshunds with their feisty, terrier-type personalities. The graceful regal looking sight hounds were bred to work independently of their handlers and tend to be aloof and a little tougher to obedience train. They're the fastest dogs in the canine kingdom, used today in dog racing and lure coursing. Their desire to capture and kill is paramount, thus many of them should be supervised around cats and other small mammals, especially when outdoors. The hounds are: Afghan, Basenji, Basset, Beagle, Black and Tan Coonhound, Bloodhound, Borzoi, Dachshund, Foxhound (American), Foxhound (English), Greyhound, Harrier, Ibizan, Irish Wolfhound, Norwegian Elkhound, Otterhound, Petit Basset Griffon Vendeen, Pharaoh, Rhodesian Ridgeback, Saluki, Scottish Deerhound and Whippet.

WORKING: Also known as the guardian breeds, these medium to giant-size dogs were bred to guard property, pull sleds or carts and execute water rescues. They are intelligent and solid pets, but their imposing size and strength make it imperative that they be obedience trained. Owners must maintain firm control with these massive dogs from the start and not allow them to become domineering. The giant-sized dogs should be socialized as puppies and young adults with children, because a child's high-pitched voice or quick movements might trigger the prey drive. Children must be taught to treat them respectfully. During shedding, they should be brushed daily. These dogs are bold, alert, determined and loyal to their families but may be aloof with strangers. The workers are: Akita, Alaskan Malamute, Anatolian Shepherd, Bernese Mountain Dog, Boxer, Bullmastiff, Doberman Pinscher, Giant Schnauzer, Great Dane, Great Pyrenees, Greater Swiss Mountain Dog, Komondor, Kuvasz, Mastiff, Newfoundland, Portuguese Water Dog, Rottweiler, Saint Bernard, Samoyed, Siberian Husky and Standard Schnauzer.

What about mutts? They're the offspring of mixed breeds or crossbreeds (purebred parents of different breeds). When evaluating a mixed-breed's ancestry, remember that the most common breeds in a particular area foster the most mixes. They most likely will have the temperament of the breed they most resemble. Mutts can be every bit as charming as the purebreds and often are more stable and healthier.

When deciding to add a four-legged member to your household, ask yourself how a pet will affect your life and how you will affect its life. How many hours do you work outside the home when it will be left alone? What will you do with it while on vacation? If the giants appeal to you, remember, size alone will make quite a difference in expense for boarding, and, of course, everything else from equipment to food.

Longhaired breeds require regular grooming. If you're short on time, a shorthaired breed may be better. An adult dog is a good choice if you don't want to bother with housebreaking. Senior citizens might select an older, slower moving dog that they don't have to worry about outliving them. Whatever breed you choose, unqualified love and loyalty are yours when making a dog part of your life. Your dog is out there. Happy looking.

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