If you have ever, for even a fleeting moment, thought about getting a puppy, you really ought to read this book. Too many people are carried away in the heat of the moment and ''must'' have a particular breed and go ahead without any thought about the consequences. They then have to live with the problems which ''might'' have been avoided for a decade or more. The puppy and the adult dog also has to live with an owner who might not be able to accommodate his needs. [[:Category:Pippa Mattinson|Pippa Mattinson]] is my go-to author on matters dog related: she talks sense. She doesn't try to talk you out of getting a particular breed or any puppy: she simply presents the facts and allows you to make your own decisions.