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Dog Breeds - Guidelines For Choosing The Best Dog Breed
So you have been contemplating getting a dog but not sure what type of dog you want. Dog Breed Choosing can be a difficult task when there are literally several hundreds of dog breeds to choose from. So how does one go about choosing the right dog. Fortunately there is a way to narrow down your choices by following some standard guidelines.
Important Guidelines For Choosing The Right Breed
- Available Space - this first item that you want to consider is the amount of space available in your home. If you live in an apartment then a large dog may be out of the question. You will want to choose dogs that belong to the Toy group family that may include: Yorkshire Terriers or even a smaller dog within the Terrier group such as a Miniature Schnauzer.
- Exercise - an important consideration, especially for larger dogs, is how much exercise you can give to your dog. If you own a house with a fenced backyard, then your dog will be able to run around and attain some exercise on its own. However, high energy breeds, from the Herding, Sporting, and Hound groups require more intensive exercise and you will need to devote more time to them. These breeds were meant to work harder and need a way to burn off some of their excess energy. You will have to take your dog for a number of long walks on daily basis.
- Children And Pets - if you have children you will also want to consider the size of the dog. Smaller dogs, such as Maltese and Chihuahuas, are very delicate breeds and can be easily injured by young children. In contrast, a very large dog, such as Saint Bernards, Boxers or Doberman Pinscher can be very lively and boisterous puppies that can easily throw around your child. An ideal choice for children would be a medium size breed such as Lhasa Apsos or Fox Terriers.
- Grooming - this can require a lot of time depending on the breed you choose. Breeds, such as a Maltese or a Standard Poodle, may take up a lot of time as they may need to be groomed up to an hour a day. If you don’t have a lot of time on your hands then you might want to consider breeds such as: Whippets or Boston Terriers.
Age Factor
After you have chosen the breed of dog that you want, you now need to consider the dogs age. There are advantage and disadvantages to choosing younger and older dogs.
Younger Dogs
The common choice when getting a new dog is too chose a young puppy. These dogs are cute and cuddly and tend to be more appealing especially if you have children. The disadvantages to choosing a puppy over an older dog are the amount of work that is involved in raising the dog. A new puppy has not developed any bad habits, but will definitely need to be obedience trained and housebroken.
Older Dogs
The advantages of choosing an older dog are that they are more likely to be obedience trained and housebroken. Older dogs tend to be less destructive and less hyper. A few downfalls in older dogs are that they may have developed various health and behavioural problems that has prompted the previous owner to find a new home for the dog.
You may consider adopting an older dog. If so, then you might want to call a breed rescue or seek out you’re local animal shelter. These organizations can do an overall evaluation of the dogs’ temperament as well as their overall health.
Buying A Dog
Are you intending on purchasing a new puppy? If so, it is important to buy a puppy from the right place. Many people are in a hurry to get a new puppy and end up buying one from a pet store. This can lead to choosing a dog that will develop many health conditions. Often, puppies in pet stores come from puppy mills and may possess bad temperaments, health defects, or other major issues. The safest place to buy a puppy is usually directly from a dog breeder. If this is the route that you take then you will need to find a reputable dog breeder who has a puppy litter of the dog breed you are interested in. A good dog breeder will usually have a waiting list for their puppies, but it may be well worth the extra waiting time.
Finally, once you have found the right dog breed that you are looking for, you will need to give your new found friend a name. |
