How to Pick the Right Dog

With my first post about dog ownership and training, let's start with the first step - picking the right dog.

Dogs can live for quite some time - sometimes upwards of over 20 years, so deciding on adding a dog into your life is something that should not be taken lightly. Dog ownership is a lifetime commitment - it should be assumed that the dog will be a part of your life and family for the rest of it's life.

Dog ownership isn't just about going to a breeder and picking a certain breed because you like that particular breed. Same can be said for a shelter or rescue. You should put some thought into it and pick the right dog for your lifestyle.

First thing to consider when deciding to enter into dog ownership - Temperament.

With temperament - consider your own personality and lifestyle. If you are an active person and are willing to put in the effort to make the dog a part of your active lifestyle - i.e. taking the dog for hikes, runs, swims, etc, then a more active breed would be better suited for your lifestyle. If you are not looking to buy a purebred dog from a reputable breeder then you can visit your local shelter and find active dogs there as well. Other aspects to consider with temperament are a dog's ability to be trained and also how the dog gets along with strangers and familiar people. If you are not an active person - then a dog with a lower level of energy would be better suited for you and your home.

Also with temperament and energy level - you need to consider where you live. If you live in an apartment a high energy level dog would not be well suited because it will not have much space to run off the extra energy it has, but if you have a house with a decent size yard and the ability to commit time to exercising a higher energy dog, then the higher energy may be suited for you.

Next issue to consider - Size.

Dogs come in all shapes and sizes. From a couple pounds, to almost a couple hundred pounds. If you live in a one bedroom apartment a large mastiff will not be an ideal dog for you. Also consider your own size, if you are a small framed person, a large breed dog may not be ideal because you may not be able to control it 100% of the time. If you are buying from a breeder (again - reputable) make sure that you can see the parents. Looking at the parents will help you to gauge how large the dog will be when full grown.

Issue #3 - Grooming Needs

All dogs are not treated equal, even on the grooming front. Many people do not take grooming needs of a dog into consideration before buying or adopting a dog. The coats of dogs come in all textures, colors and lengths. Dogs with curly or long hair take more grooming than a short coated dog. Grooming needs of an American Cocker Spaniel run at least $50/month with minimum of one visit to the groomer per month. This is a considerable expense that for that type of dog is a regular maintenance expense. If you do not want to put the extra money towards multiple trips to the groomer than it is best to go with a short coated dog.

Issue #4 - Puppy or Adult

Most people gravitate towards getting a puppy because let's face it - it's hard to resist that puppy face or that puppy breath. It's also great to know that you will know first hand what happens to the puppy from the moment that you buy or adopt it regarding socialization or training. Here is the downfall to owning a puppy. Training a puppy takes hard work and a lot of time. Not to mention the amount of patience it takes. You can't get mad if it pees on the carpet or chews up your favorite shoe. It is doing what comes naturally to it - it's your responsibility to teach it all of these things. Most people do not want to take the time to adopt an adult dog - but there is usually an upside to adopting an adult dog from your local shelter. Most adult dogs already know some basic commands and have been socialized. Most of the time adult dogs also adjust better to their new home and surroundings.

Senior dogs should not be left out either - adopting a senior dog can be beneficial especially if you are looking for a lower energy dog. Most senior dogs are destined to live in the shelter because usually no one wants to adopt them, and most are ultimately euthanized.

Issue #5 - Purebred or Mix-Breed

Purebred dogs are great - but be prepared for the possibility of extra vet care expenses because certain breeds are prone to health problems - some of which can be major and even fatal. Not to mention the other expense of buying from a breeder - you can pay upwards of thousands of dollars for the puppy of your breed choice. Therein lies another problem - finding a reputable breeder - which will be another post altogether. Just because a person has a certain breed of puppy for sale does not make them a reputable breeder.

Mix-breeds are readily available at any local shelter for mostly a nominal fee. Usually when adopting from your local shelter, you will not have to worry about the dogs first round of shots or sterilization - which is always a good thing. Downside of mix-breeds - if you adopt a puppy you won't know what the dog's temperament will be like as it gets older and you will not know it's size. You also can't always go by the mix the shelter labels the dog as. 98% of the time you are getting a mutt through and through. But you can also find a breed specific rescue and adopt a purebred dog, but usually in these rescues just like any other shelter the dog will not have papers.

So with these basics to consider - start searching for your ideal dog!!!!!

Next post - Expenses to consider