Before buying a puppy or dog anywhere you should try to find out as much about its past as you can, and really evaluate what you are up for. Try not to give in to that "cute little puppy" syndrome at the petstore and look around Toronto. One advantage of shelters is that most do temperment testing. An advantage of adopting a foster dog is that the foster family can give you alot of insight about its personality. There are already so many dogs needing homes, and perhaps you don't really want to deal with "puppy issues", there are many wonderful pets of all ages needing homes. Good luck!