Choosing the right breed of dog

The importance of choosing the right breed of dog can`t be overstated!

I do know how easy it is to fall in love with the first set of puppy-dog eyes you see....

.... but if you want the relationship between you and your new pup to be a long & happy one, you must make sure that you pick a breed thatis a good fit for your personality, environment and lifestyle.

The first question you`re most likely to ask yourself is "what do I want in a puppy?"

But the real question is "what do I want in a dog?"

This is because every chubby, fluffy little puppy will eventually growinto an adult dog with his own personality, quirks and characteristics and inborn instincts.

A furry package of strengths, weaknesses, breed-specific traits,inclinations and contradictions.

The key to a happy ending is to choose a pup whose specific breed traits (such as size, temperament, activity level, grooming needs and so on) and individual personality will mesh with your expectations and abilities.

ALL puppies are adorable (I`ve yet to meet one I haven`t wanted to takehome!), and all dog breeds are wonderful in their own way.

Butwhen thinking about dog breeds, it`s good to remember that thebright;eyed, cuddly pup in your arms could be a 70lb `teenager withattitude` in a few short months.

Tips For Choosing A Dog Breed

if you don`t understand the type of dog your puppy will grow into, it can end up being frustrating and disappointing instead.

Someimportant things to think about include:

• The size of your home - whether you live in a largehouse or an apartment, or something in between, can affect the size of type of dog breed you choose.
• Your family activities - an active`outdoors` type family will be a better fit for an energetic working breed while a quiet, sedentary family might better appreciate a lap-dog.
• Family members - not all dog breeds are good with children. Some are fine with older kids, but not a good fit for little ones. If anyone in your home has allergies you`re going to want to look for a hypoallergenic or hairless breed.
• Available time - all puppies demand a LOT of your time and attention. Some breeds need much more exercise, training and socialization than others.
• Your finances - Raising and keeping a dog can be costly, and this is true for ANY breed. But `start up` costs are higher if you choose a purebred pup rather than a mixed breed or adopt from a pound/rescue organization. Large and giant breeds obviously cost more on upkeep as they take the XL size of everything.

  Choosing a healthy puppy

  in the first place will help reduce the chances of serious or chronic health problems that need ongoing vet care, but even routine vet care (which is essential) costs some serious money.

Temperament & Personality (the puppy`s not yours!)

The first step here is to get an idea of the breed-specific traits of the breed/s you`re interested in.

In short, every breed was developed with a particular purpose or `job` in mind.

Some might be all-purpose working dogs, filling the roles of herder, guard dog and loyal friend. Others were bred as companion animals, especially designed to sit on your lap!

Some of the smartest dog breeds around are hunters, herders, retrievers or guardians and these guys NEED a job to do!

They also need a lot of exercise and both mental & physical stimulation. If they don`t get it they can become unhappy, neurotic and destructive.

The second step is to look at the blood-lines and parents of your puppy.

Temperament isn`t just dependent on breed-characteristics, genetics play a big role too. 

Meeting, and interacting with, the sire and dam of a puppy will give you a good idea of the type of personality traits your new pup might have.

Of course, all puppies are unique and within any litter there will be a range of personalities.. from the shy, quiet pup right through to the dominant, bossy one.

Choose a reputable, responsible breeder and let them guide you when you make your pick.

If you tell a breeder what you want from this puppy and what you can offer him/her, they`ll be able to steer you in the right direction.

If you want to adopt a puppy or are planning on adopting an adult or older dog, take the time to talk with the staff at the shelter/pound.

They usually have some background information on each dog, and also an idea of their personality, drive, abilities and so on, because they`re seeing them on a daily basis.

Physical Considerations

Some large dog breeds, such as the English Mastiff, are very big but they don`t need a huge amount of space or exercise because they`re not very energetic.

Then you have the Jack Russell Terrier (or Parson Terrier), generally a whirlwind of energy and spunk. He may be more than you, or your home, can handle.

Now, you may be able to rule out some of the options right away if you have size, space, and exercise or time restrictions.

Luckily, big dogs don`t always need alot more space (indoor or outdoor) than their more average-sizedcousins, but they do need regular exercise and training.

Here are a few dog breeds that fit into this category... the German Shepherd, the Rottweiler,the Doberman Pinscher, the Belgian Malinois, the Anatolian Shepherd,the Cane Corso and the Airedale Terrier.

Video: How To Choose The Right Dog Breed For You

These dogs all make goodpersonal body guards!

When you`re choosing the right breed of dogfor your family and want a `hero`, but are short on space or prefer asmall dog, it is possible to find them.

Some small dogs THINK they`re guard dogs (eg the Chihuahua or Yorkshire Terrier), and if all you need is the `bark` you may want to take them into consideration.

The Teacher`s Pet

Do you want a dog who`ll make you look good at obedience school? Or one who`ll ace the agility course?

If this is important when you`re choosing the right of breed dog, take a look at the Border Collie, the German Shepherd, the Golden Retriever, the Poodle, the Teruvian Shepherd, the Australian Shepherd or the Shetland Sheepdog.

Anydog that was bred to work under human direction (such as asheepdog/herder, a hunting dog, a service dog, or a search and rescuedog for example) is likely to fit this role well.

This type of dogis very smart, eager to please and very focused on their owner.

Thedownside is that some of them have high energy levels, can be a bit`nippy` (herding dogs are notorious for this) and may need a lot ofexercise both mental and physical.

However, if you want to competein sports or obedience, to teach `tricks` or to hunt etc., then one ofthese breeds could be just what you`re looking for.

Your Exercise Partner

If you`re looking for a dog breed that will happily accompany you onyour daily run, or one that is super-active and will appreciate any outdoor pursuit, then one of these breeds could be the perfect choice...

The Border Collie, the Australian Shepherd, theSiberian Husky, the Greyhound (or a Lurcher), the German Short-hairedPointer, the Rhodesian Ridgeback, the Flat Coated Retriever, the Boxer,the Labradoodle, the Weimeraner or the Irish Setter.

If you thinkyou may be overestimating your athletic potential, but still want tokeep your options open, you could also look at the Schnauzer, the JackRussell Terrier or the Labrador Retriever.

The smaller breeds herewon`t be able to go as far, or for as long, as the larger ones but they maysurprise you with just how much energy they actually have!

Your Silent Partner

There are all sorts of reasons that you may prefer to choose a dog breed that can play the role of a silent partner!

Video: Choosing the Right Breed of Dog for You

Perhapsyou live in an apartment, or duplex with thin walls, or maybe you workfrom home, simply can`t tolerate a lot of noise, or just have verytetchy neighbors!

Whatever the reason if you`re choosing the right breed of dog for this scenario consider one of these.....

The Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, the Beagle, the Greyhound (or Italian Greyhound, Whippet or Lurcher), the English Bulldog, the Maltese or the Pekingese.

The Basenji doesn`t bark at all (but it `yodels` instead).

Bearin mind that even though these breeds tend to be quieter, and lessyappy, than many others - they will still bark. As a warning, in play,to complain and so on.

Puppies tend to be more vocal than adultdogs and when you`re crate training, or playing with them, there can bequite a bit of noise.

You might also like to check out this great site. It has lots of tips and advice to keep you on the right track.....

Choosing A Dog Made Easy - Providing excellent friendly guidance in finding the perfect doggy friend for your family. Pure breeds, puppies, rescue dogs, and mutts. We will help you choose the right dog for your lifestyle and avoid the pitfalls along the way.

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Video: Choosing The Right Dog Breed for You

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