The long, short, straight and curly

Dogs coats come in a variety of lengths, textures and vary from curly to straight.

While most new dog owners are careful in picking a breed that will fit in with their lifestyle, personality wise, they often neglect to take into consideration the amount of time they must dedicate to grooming.

Short hair dogs, while they look easy to groom, will require daily brushing during the spring and fall due to their excessive shedding. I had a black Lab that would shed all over the house. I was constantly vacuuming up her hair.

If you are unwilling to spend time grooming your dog then don't get a high maintenance breed. Also don't even think about trying to straighten a curly haired dog because you think it would look "cool." I can't imagine someone taking the time to train a dog to tolerate one of those straightening irons. I had a heck of a time getting my little dog use to one of those nail grinders. They just don't like new things touching them right away, you have to work with them first.

If you are thinking about a new puppy or full grown dog, take into consideration the amount of grooming involved.