|
HOW To Choose The
Right Dog Breed For YOU!
Choosing to
become a dog-owner can be one of the most rewarding decisions of
your life. However, this reward comes with endless
responsibilities, including choosing the right breed for you and
your situation.
When choosing a dog breed,
there are three essential things to consider: the environment you
will provide for the dog, the dog’s purpose, and the dog’s
temperament. It is important that you get a dog that suits you in
all three of these categories.
The first item to
consider is a practical one. You need to look at your life
logistically and determine what type of dog will best fit.
Sometimes this is done for you. A lot of breeders and societies
will not permit you to adopt a pet unless you have ample living
space for that pet to remain healthy. If you have a small apartment
or condo without any outside area, a large dog that is need of a lot
of exercise is clearly not going to be ideal for you. Additionally,
this is the stage when you will want to decide between a longhaired
or shorthaired dog. Cleaning up after a shedding dog in a formerly
pet-free room can be daunting and irritating. Similarly, paying for
constant grooming visits can get expensive and cumbersome. Dog
breeds with longer coats tend to need more maintenance than other
breeds.
Determining
what size and general type of dog you want can help you narrow your
search to one or two appropriate dog breed groupings. The next
question you need to ask yourself when deciding on the right dog
breed for you is Why do I want a dog? The answer to this
fulfills the dog’s purpose in your life and yours in his. If you
are like most of us, the dog will be a family pet and a friendly
companion. However, if the dog is going to be used for something
like protection or hunting, then your decision needs to alter
accordingly.
Once you have a clear idea of what
size of dog you can care for and what purpose you would like the dog
to serve, you can really start analyzing the different breeds within
a grouping. While every dog is different, temperament is one of the
most important qualities that can be determined by breed. While
most dogs within a classification will all have similar
temperaments, some breeds do tend to be more aggressive, playful, or
mild-mannered than other breeds even within the same grouping. If
you are interested in a dog as protection or a hunting partner, the
often timid golden retriever will not suit your purpose because of
his shy temperament.
Too often, dog-owners being unhappy
with their chosen pet is a result of an impulsive and uneducated
decision when the pet was first purchased. To choose the breed that
is right for you, you have to clearly examine what type of
environment you can offer this pet, his purpose in your life, and
the general temperament of his breed.
Being aware of breeds that are
compatible with you and your situation can help you avoid a breed
that might be an unsuccessful match or confirm that you and a needy
puppy can coexist happily together.
|
