What Mrs. Pete said, definitely. And sorry this got long, but there is a lot that goes into choosing a dog. A "forever" dog, not a "drop off at the pound when it is inconvenient or driving the family crazy" dog.
Summary: don't fall for cute, think about it!!!
Health - If the dog is old enough and a breed that has hip issues, having the hips checked can save a lot of grief and expense. A breed prone to cataracts? Get the eyes checked. Ear shape - floppy ears get more ear infections, and the longer the floppy part, the more likely the ear infection. Face shape - flat faced dogs have breathing problems, plus you get to listen to them snore at night. Starting with a healthy dog (or cat, or whatever) makes a huge difference down the road.
Mrs. Pete's neighbors have made three obvious mistakes - too many dogs for the people, too big a dog for the level of training, and not enough training - those are smart dogs that learn to heel easily, and until they do a Gentle Leader or Halti is a good investment. My dog (45 lbs.) would be a pain to walk without one, her basic take on life is "ooh, something interesting, must check it out" - people, animals, smells by the side of the road, whatever.
Not totally sure about the "pouffy" aspect" and bathing - mine gets 2 baths a year whether she needs them or not. But I comb a lot, and I am willing to live with the loose hair. Short straight dog hair (think Labrador Retriever) sticks in everything and is hard to remove (I have a friend with 2 Labs - she loves them, but acknowledges we both have dog hair shedding problems, just different problems). Really fluffy - a groomer can do a "poop chute" that doesn't show, but keeps them clean. Nails - depends on how fast they grow, I find I trim every week. If you can hear a nail click on a hard floor, that nail is too long. Bribes work with training the dog to cooperate - mine heads straight for the treat jar after nails, but she doesn't fight me while I trim them, so it is a good trade. Grooming is a trade-off - you do it, it takes time and effort, but can be a bonding time with the dog.
OP, you didn't say if you have had dogs before - if you haven't (didn't grow up with them) an "easy" breed is best, and easy refers to temperament. Golden Retrievers and Labs are popular for a reason. Smaller dogs - Keeshonds, Papillons (small, cute, smart, not yappy). One of the nicest small retrievers out there is the Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever, but you would need to go to rescue, you won't find those at a shelter. Sweet and small and not too bright and a fair bit of grooming - Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, Stanley Coren called his a "love sponge".
Talk with a good trainer about breed temperaments, they see the good and the bad.
Think of pet costs in two phases: Initial adoption phase ... and then maintenance phase.
When we got our dog two summers ago, I'd say we spent over $500 over the course of a couple months: Adoption fees, first vet bills, neutering, dog bed, a second dog bed after he ate the first one, collar and leashes, obedience class -- I was surprised at how much we spent in those first months. A new dog "costs" in terms of time too. Our fellow caught onto house training quite quickly -- I'll say just over a week -- but we worked at it pretty constantly. I'm glad I wasn't working while we were helping him adapt to his new home.
However, now we're spending about $35 every two months for a big bag of good quality food ... and a few treats and incidentals, so I'd say it's $25-30 per month ... and $250 for his yearly check up in June, which includes a year's worth of heart worm prevention and flea medicines (I prefer to buy it a year at a time and not have to think about it in between). We don't skimp on his food, and he now is very healthy, active and happy -- he has improved significantly since we brought him home and improved his diet.
When we had our old 70-lb dog, she ate way more food. She also had some medical issues in her last months of life, which were pricey.
To choose a low-cost dog, here's what I do:
- Choose a rescue dog; you may have to shop around /wait a while, but you can get pretty much any dog you want through a rescue ... and morally it's the right thing to do.
- Choose a small dog. Not only will it eat less ... but medicines, grooming, and equipment cost less, and if you need to board the dog, it'll cost less. We are thrilled with our dog's 25 lb size -- he's not a tiny thing, so he isn't dainty looking, and he can go out into the back yard. We're the boss of our 25 lb dog ... our neighbor, a young guy in good shape, is NOT the boss of his three full-sized German shepherds -- I see him and his girlfriend out being walked by the dogs -- and it scares me a little.
- Choose a short-haired dog that you can bathe at home. A "pouffy dog" that requires grooming every couple months will cost you big bucks. I do pay $12 for my dog's nails to be trimmed about every two months because I'm so afraid of cutting him ... and because he hates it so much.