Even if you have your heart set on a puppy from one particular breed, it makes sense to adopt a dog. There are tons of puppies available for adoption from shelters as well as rescue groups.

On episode #95 of the Good Dog podcast, Kim Saunders, VP of Shelter Outreach for Petfinder.com and author of “The Adopted Dog Bible”, talks about all the up front research that one should do before impulsively falling in love with and signing up to own a particular pup.

Petfinder.com receives nearly 5 million visitors each month, all of whom are finding solid information on choosing, training and caring for dogs.

Thanks for your patience as it’s been a few weeks since we’ve published a Good Dog episode. It’s the economy, folks, and we’re working very hard to find a sponsor so that we can continue to bring you stories about our four legged friends.

Episode #94 of the Good Dog podcast is on choosing a breed and, in honor of the inauguration of President Obama, we talk about the search for the right breed to move into the White House.

In addition to sharing her knowledge about choosing a breed, today’s guest expert, dog trainer Laurie Williams, describes her experiences as a contestant the CBS reality show “Greatest American Dog”.

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If you do everything by the book, expect that housebreaking your puppy will take at least a few weeks. Generally, according to Pooch Coach Beverly Ulbrich, it can take up to a couple of months to insure that your dog understands where and when to go. On this episode of the “Good Dog” podcast, we learn how to reward appropriate behavior, how to handle mistakes, and how to reinforce what you’ve taught your puppy or dog.

If you’ve already voted in the U.S. Presidential Election and feel the need to vote again, go to podcastawards.com and help us win a few Peoples’ Choice Podcast Awards. Good Dog is nominated in the General category and you can vote through November 6, 2008. A few other podcasts in our network are also up for awards:  Golf Better @Edwin Watts Golf for Best Produced and Sports and Golf Smarter Tips for the Peoples’ Choice.

Now, on to today’s Good Dog episode, about being a medical advocate for your pup. Veterinarian Dr. Nancy Kay, author of “Speaking for Spot,” is sensible, articulate and definitely worthy of your time. We discuss some of the basic medical issues that dogs face and what we as pet owners can do to provide the  best possible care.