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.
The American Kennel Club recognizes over 150 breeds and there are 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.
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.
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. 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.
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 are factors, but their ability to train a dog is far more important.
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.
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 to, 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.
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