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Choosing the 'Right' Type of Dog for You
You have decided that you want to bring a dog into your
life. You realize the commitment that you are making. You
are willing to invest the time, energy, and money necessary
to make this relationship work for you and your future dog.
With those decisions behind you there are lots of questions
left to answer. In choosing the type of dog you want, you
need to consider your specific needs and lifestyle, the
space you have, and your activity level. The breed, age, and
sex of the dog will also be important factors in your
decision.
There are over 150 breeds and many different shapes and
styles of mixed breeds. So which one should you get? In some
instances, your individual needs or lifestyle may guide you
to your choice. Other people may have fewer restrictions and
they are able to choose from a wide range of breeds without
making a mistake.
And then do you really want a purebred? There may be
advantages of choosing royalty from the "Heinz 57" clan.
Which sex will be better for you, a male or female? Does it
make any difference once they are spayed or neutered?
You also need to consider whether you want to start with a
puppy or an adult dog. Both have advantages and
disadvantages. Usually, the time you have available combined
with what you want in a dog should help you to make this
last decision.
What characteristics should your new dog have?
The dog you select should be one that closely fits your
lifestyle and what you perceive your needs to be. To say
there is one and only one correct dog for an individual just
is not so.
Does Size Make a Difference? In our practice we have as a
client an eighty-year-old, 110-pound lady. Some might say
that when choosing a canine companion, because of her
physical structure, she should restrict herself to a lap
dog. In her case, nothing would be farther from the truth.
Although she has no background as a professional dog
trainer, she and her 100-pound male Rottweiler get along
perfectly with her always being in control. At the other end
of the spectrum, we have 220-pound men that have difficulty
handling their 15-pound mixed breed. People vary greatly in
their ability to train and care for dogs. Their physical
size, age, intelligence, financial worth, or occupation mean
very little on which dog they should have.
Remember that larger breeds will cost more overall due to
increase in food consumption, larger crates and beds needed,
larger size toys, and increased cost for surgery and
medicine.
Will Your Dog Have a Specific Purpose? The first, and most
important, question you must ask yourself is what purpose
your new canine companion will hopefully serve in your life.
Some may acquire the animal to satisfy very specific needs.
He may be used as a hunting partner in the field, a guard to
protect the home through barking, or his aggressive
appearance or behavior, a playmate and learning experience
for children, etc. In most homes, however, the dog's role
will simply be that of companionship. That is to say, he
will be a four-legged friend that you enjoy being with
regardless of your activity.
Every specific use or role for a dog comes with other
subsets of choices. Individuals obtaining a dog for bird
hunting must choose animals that are best suited for their
type of hunting. Will it be for the upland field where a dog
will be moving through cover all day? Some of these breeds
will point the approximate location of the game (English
Pointer); others will attempt to flush the bird into flight
(English Springer Spaniel), while others are along for the
retrieve. Some are commonly asked both to hunt for birds in
the upland fields and to retrieve in water.
Some animals used to guard a home or business from intruders
only need to bark and a Poodle or Bichon Frise may suffice.
They are telling whoever might be out there that it is
impossible to enter the building quietly. Other dogs in the
protection field display an intimidating appearance. Few
breeds fill this bill better than a Doberman Pinscher or
Rottweiler with lips curled back exposing their teeth. Other
dogs that work in actual law enforcement capacities must
sometimes be able to truly depend and protect with their
physical abilities. This will probably mean a large dog that
has the ability to knock a man off his feet.
If the dog is acquired for companionship alone, he can come
with an infinitely wide range of characteristics as to size,
hair coat, general appearance, and behavior. Almost any
member of the canine species regardless of his lineage would
be acceptable.
What is Your Activity Level? Your activity level dictates to
a certain degree what type of a dog will best fit with you.
A jogger can handle almost any breed providing the dog can
keep up with him. A backpacker that hopes his four-legged
friend can carry part of the weight needs a strong but not
necessarily large counterpart. An elderly person that wants
a lap dog certainly would not choose a Saint Bernard.
How much Space Do You Have? The amount of space available to
the pet should also be considered as it relates to the
activity level and overall size of the dog. Someone who has
a rural home surrounded by 80 acres can probably accommodate
any breed, while the person living in a fifth floor, one
room apartment may not want a 200-pound Great Dane. Please
understand that over ninety percent of the dogs owned by
Americans today are housedogs, i.e., they spend the vast
majority of their life within the owner’s home. If this will
be your situation, look at your home and yard and be
realistic about the amount of exercise your pet can achieve
within those confines. Remember that before they partnered
with us, dogs in their natural state spent all of their time
outside. They led very active lives and only a few of those
living with us today have given up very much of their
natural desire for exercise.
A small, active dog is obviously easier to accommodate than
a large one, but sometimes size will be found to be a
moderator of behavior. A Yorkshire Terrier may seem, and
probably does, go ninety-miles-per-hour all day long.
However, adults of one of the giant breeds like a Saint
Bernard typically sleep 16 to 18 hours a day. That is why
some larger breeds often do so well in apartments or smaller
homes – as long as exercise is provided in the form of long
walks or runs in the dog park on a daily basis.
How much Grooming Are You Willing to Do? Most dogs with
longer hair coats need more care. Longhaired dogs are
usually a disaster if they are outside in long grass, weeds,
or brush. Their coats become matted and filled with
everything they can snare. This may entail special grooming
and frequent trimming, brushing, or baths. Some owners enjoy
keeping their pet looking her best, while others consider it
a burdensome chore. In either case, while this may not be a
problem while the animal is a puppy, later in life, she will
require additional time or expenses from the owner.
Is the Sex of the Dog Important to You? Many future pet
owners take little consideration into whether they get a
male or female.
Is the Age of the Dog Important to You? For most prospective
owners, getting a dog means bringing home a two-month-old
puppy. This is a decision that you need to think through
carefully. For some first-time dog owners a puppy is the
worst possible choice.
There are disadvantages in starting out with a puppy versus
an adult dog. It is always more difficult to determine the
ultimate personality of any dog when he is evaluated during
his first few weeks of life. Remember that if we use the old
adage about one year in a dog’s life is equal to seven or
more years in that of a human, then a seven-week-old puppy
you may be looking at is approximately a year old in human
terms. Anyone would admit that it is nearly impossible to
judge a human's personality from what you are seeing as they
lie in their crib.
Many experienced dog fanciers and trainers would remind us
that this is a two-edged sword. While we may not be able to
predict the future personality of the puppy, by starting
with a dog of this age, we will be able to have a greater
effect on his development and ultimate behavior. Dogs are
just like people in that many traits of their personality
are a result of their genetic background. However, they are
also a product of their surroundings. A puppy that finds
himself in a loving home with lots of attention will
probably turn out much differently than a littermate that
was tied to a tree in the backyard and whose only exposure
to humans comes in a once-a-day feeding. By choosing a
puppy, you have the potential to have a much greater effect
on their personality than if you started with an adult.
Selecting a puppy versus an adult typically means you will
spend a lot more time in training. That includes everything
from housebreaking through leash training and verbal
commands. Additionally, puppies have to grow through some
less-than-delightful phases such as eating shoes, chewing on
everything in sight, frequent trips to the veterinarian for
vaccinations and worming, additional expenses for neutering,
and so on. The selection of an adult dog bypasses most of
these. Without exception, dogs take a lot more of your time
during their first year of life. To many, this is the best
part and they love the involvement – other potential owners
simply struggle to find the extra time.
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