There are a lot of people - myself included - who are compelled to get a dog based on their appearance alone. But there are a lot of different factors to consider when choosing a new pooch for your family, and there's a new study that gives us an idea of what breeds may or may not be a natural fit in your home.

According to a study for DailyMail, weighing in cost, intelligence, health, lifespan and ease of grooming, the Border Collie rated the top dog. receiving high marks for intelligence, obedience and long lifespan (12 years, on average), there's a lot to love about the Border Collie. However, while they rated high in the survey, they ranked only 29th in family friendliness out of the 87 breeds. This might be a good dog to own if you have a lot of space for it to run around and expend what experts call natural "unlimited stamina and energy". So a Border Collie probably isn't the best fit for smaller homes and apartment living.

The study named the bulldog as the "most overrated" (a positive way of saying "worst") breed because of their lack of intelligence, price, and poor health. The average lifespan of a bulldog is only 8 years, and is also not considered a very intelligent breed of dog. Other dogs who were also labeled overrated, included the German shepherd, Great Dane and the Saint Bernard.

I'm a sucker for dogs, and love them all the same (admittedly, so does the guy who published the study). I'd prefer to rescue a dog from the pound, but this information is good to take with you. Even if the pooch you're rescuing is a mix breed, it stands a good chance of having many of the same traits of the purebred dogs they share a bloodline with.

If you're actively looking for a dog, here's a video with some good guidelines that could be helpful in choosing a dog.