How do you know that you are picking the right dog for you?
It’s not as easy as picking it up because it was so cute when
you saw it in the pet shop window. It might even be nightmare
of a relationship when you bring it home. There are lots of
things to consider before picking the right breed for you. This
is important because the dog might also have a rough living
time with you. This article will be a guideline for you to choose
the right breed of dog for you.
The starting
point should be that you should be able to have a short self-inventory.
Consider these questions: Are you an active person or a couch
potato? Are you getting the dog as a companion or a guard dog?
Are you a workaholic and won’t be able to provide the attention
or a person who has lots of leisure time? Do you have a place
big enough for the dog to roam around or is it a small apartment?
Are you always out of the house or is the house your base of
operations? Are you prepared for the expenses?
There are
lots of breeds to choose from, here are some pointers that can
help you narrow down what breed is right for you.
• Consider
what the dog was bred for. The American Kennel Club has separated
them into 7 groups according to what they were bred for. They
are herding, working, sporting, terriers, hounds, toys and miscellaneous.
The breeds that have been bred for a job will look for a job.
• You should also consider how much attention a breed requires.
There are some dogs that would require lot of exercise because
they have very high energy. If you are always away or very busy
person, you should rethink about getting a dog. All dogs require
proper caring and attention.
• Also consider the place you’ll be living. It would be pretty
stupid to bring in a St. Bernard breed in a small apartment.
You should instead consider getting toy breeds. You should also
consider how the place might affect the dog’s health, such as
cold climates can affect some dog’s health.
• Will you have the patience for the grooming of the dog? If
you are not maybe you should consider getting dogs that are
not hard to groom or need to be groomed on a daily basis.
• If you’re a novice owner try to avoid getting dogs that are
hard to train such as shar-peis, chows, pit-bull. There are
dogs that are easier to train while others can be tiring.
• If you have young kids in the family, you should consider
if the breed is child friendly.
• Are you prepared for the expense? A big dog means big expenses.
The expenses will be proportional to the size of the dog.
• Some breeds will encounter common medical problems when they
grow older. If you are not able the common medical problems
of these breed, try to get another breed.
• Genders should also be considered. Male dogs are more aggressive.
Females are easier to train. |
