What would you have like to known about your breed?

 I think there are a few things that prospective owners should want to know about any breed:

• What genetic disorders affect the breed, and which can be tested for
• What was the breed originally intended to do, and how that affects their temperament and energy level now
• Whether the color or size animal you are getting is acceptable by virtue of the breed standard (too bad to find out after you spend all that money for a "silver lab" that they cannot be shown if you would have wanted to try showing)
  
• Whether the breed has any tendencies toward dog aggression, reserve with strangers, predatory drive, etc. that might make it an unacceptable choice for your lifestyle

In any breed I would like to know ALL the pros and cons of owning/living with/training this breed. Too often you only hear about the "good" in a breed, but never the "bad". So, sometimes people only go on the "good" information and get a "surprise!" when the dog breed is doing something that is character of it, but the new owner never heard of. Here's an example: The cute, sweet, fun, smart, social, happy corgi.....herding your children by nipping at their heels. Another example: Labs are great with small kids......yup, a large energetic dog is great- at knocking small kids right over! Or: Labs are very smart......but, if you don't the train and drain (energy) you're going to end up a lot of chewed up/destroyed things and very non-obedient pup.