Scott, I wanted to add as I read what the other guys have added. Cost. Yep, getting a dog with a health guarantee and breeder support is worth it. But, they won’t pay the bills after you fall in love with your pup. Two words to save your home...crate train. When I was a kid and early in adult life, whoever heard of it? Now, I would do nothing else. Yeah, you might luck out and not have damage. But with a crate, it is really minimized. While Chester is the best pottier and accident free dog we have ever had, we have missed the cue a few times and caused the accident ourselves. But when we are not home, or even at night, Chester normally sleeps in his crate. A precious boxer, Amanda Sue (Mandy), tore up all the screens and chewed through the door facing and window facing on a home we had back then. She did about $2000 Worth if damage in ONE DAY! Because her stupid owners put her out back thinking the fenced yard was a good place for her. It was, but not unattended. She was trying to get back in to her “pack”...us. She would jump and climb a 6 foot wood privacy fence too. I had to have an 8’ fence built and then she started to chew through it! Separation anxiety. A crate cured all that and we have never had anything like that with the next 3 boxers we had. I wanted to add too, if you want the loyal companion, a single dog is best. When you have two or dogs, they form a small pack and while you are part, you are different. It is just a different dynamic with two or more vs a single dog. But I can’t stress enough, how you guys must learn to be the pack leader and not let the dog set the tone. Easier said than done sometimes. And...some breeds are just more difficult to train because of a bloodline that is strong willed. It’s a good trait, but not for a non trained human. All of this said, you can lick out with any breed and get a dog that just clicks with you. But it is also possible to get that psycho dog. And it is with the later that you have to think like a pack animal in order to get the point across. Beating, grounding, yelling, sending to bed without dinner...won’t work. You want to teach your dog to make eye contact with you. You want a dog that uses his nose more than his eyes. Scent is the main key to teaching a dog. Treats are your friend and while it seems like a bribe, it will get the results you want and get food habit patterns started. When nighttime comes, Chester runs to his crate and waits. He wants that treat! If we forget the treat, and lock him in, he will whine and not lay down until he gets it. He also needs mom to give him a hug before he can go to sleep. He is a real love in our life. He’s 8, and his health issues have cost us well over $5000 to date. He caught leptospirosis as 5 months. He went blind with two detached retinas, he has been but by a copperhead. Sprayed by a skunk. Broken an ankle. And continues to have acid reflux that causes him not to eat or drink for sometimes two or three days. Chester is family, like our child. We love him dearly and I can’t tell you what your missing to it have had a dog like this in your home. Chester is an inside dog, but living in 5 acres, when he goes out to potty, anything can happen. So we have to guard against all that, hence the broken leg, skunk, snake, lepto, etc. even when we were guarding against. He certainly sheds, but it is minute compared to long hair dogs. Dogs that don’t shed have more dander however. Right now, we’re in the motorhome, with all this rain, down in Carrollton at the Rv Park, to enjoy the Rv show and rodeo this weekend. Having him with us here too, it’s just part of it. We’re used to it!
We have a 100lb English Chocolate Lab - BIG block head. He’s 4 now - got him from the breeder when he was 6 weeks old. 
