Whenever someone asks me what kind of a dog they should get, I always respond by asking a series of pertinent questions to determine which kind of breed would best suit their lifestyle. Such as, how big/small is your apartment/house; do you have a fenced in yard; do you work regular/irregular hours; how many hours per week can you devote to walking/exercising a dog; do you want a dog primarily as a companion, or also as a guard or watch dog; how much time are you willing/able to spend grooming your dog; do you have small children in the home; do you have other pets, such as cats; does anyone in your household have allergies; what kind of activities do you want to be able to share with your dog, e.g. jogging? biking? shopping? etc etc.