Breed predicts less than you think.

Because that list is what produces the impulse decision this is meant to prevent — and because breed predicts personality far less well than people assume. Research examining large numbers of dogs found breed accounts for only a modest share of the behavioural variation between individuals. What breed does predict reliably is physical: adult size, coat and grooming burden, shedding, exercise capacity, lifespan and known health predispositions. So you narrow on those, and let the individual animal decide the rest.

You're observing a temperament rather than predicting one. Size is final, coat is visible, energy level is apparent, and much of the personality is already formed — which makes an adult considerably lower-risk than a puppy for most households, reversing the usual assumption. Puppies are also far more work than people plan for, and can't be left for anything like a working day.

None, and that's the honest answer. No dog breed is hypoallergenic — the allergen is carried in dander, saliva and urine rather than primarily in hair, so low-shedding animals may spread less of it around while people still react. The route that works is allergy testing plus repeated, sustained time with the specific animal before committing. Reactions can also build over repeated exposure rather than appearing immediately, which is why once isn't enough.

Far more than the adoption fee, which is typically a small percentage of the lifetime total. The calculator runs your own figures across food, routine vet care, vaccinations, parasite control, dental and grooming — the last two being the most commonly forgotten — plus insurance or a savings buffer. The number that matters most isn't in there: unexpected emergency treatment running into four figures. Decide between insurance and a dedicated fund before adopting, not during a crisis.

It very often is, and that's the window when animals get returned. A newly adopted animal isn't itself for some time — withdrawal, hiding, upset stomachs, house-training lapses and unsettled nights are normal and usually temporary, and behaviour in week one doesn't predict week eight. Expecting that changes how it feels. Giving it several weeks before drawing conclusions is the single most useful thing an adopter can do.