Getting a new dog/puppy

We are looking into getting a new puppy! There are so many different choices as far as which breed of dog, do we get a puppy or a dog from the sheltar and then how old should our children be when we get the dog.
We went to the website Matchup: Your dream dog | DogTime and were able to determine through some questions/answers which dog would work best for our living situation. It was very insightful and I would suggest doing this before you look into any other dogs!
Here are a few tips about dogs and small children!
Keep puppies and very small children apart or under close supervision. Small children do not understand the need for keeping fingers out of puppies' eyes or refraining from pulling painfully on their tails, among other problems. So keep children 6 years or so and younger away from the puppy until it is grown, for the safety of the puppy.

Teach your children how to approach a puppy or dog, to prevent being jumped on. They should understand that they should put out their hands below the pup's chin, to keep it from jumping at a hand above its head. They should not scream or run away, as the puppy will then chase the child.

There are several books dealing with children and dogs. Try Jack and Collen McDaniel's Pooches and Small Fry, published by Doral Publishing, 800-633-5385. This book is full of good suggestions for teaching both children and dogs how to behave with one another.