How To Pick The Right Dog Breed For You

If you're reading this then that may mean you are trying to find the perfect dog breed for you or your family, well I can't really give you that answer.. But I'm going to give you tips on how to come close! Now theres tons of "Dog Breed Quizzes" out there on the web but just because they tell you the dog is for you don't necessarily mean that is the only dog you should own. If you are dead set on having a certain breed of dog and it doesn't fit you, either change your habits to meet their needs or don't get one.. Sounds harsh but that is how breeds get bad reputations, from people getting a dog because they think it is cute, but don't understand the breed and their needs.
Meeting the needs of your dog is an important key to the success of a healthy and happy dog. Energy is important, there are high energy dogs, moderate and low. A high energy dog will not be a good pet for a couch potato, because this will cause behaviour issues among the dog, which is why doing your research before jumping into getting a breed is very important.
High energy dogs will require a lot more than just a stroll down the street, they will need vigorous exercise everyday, such a run/jog twice a day on top of tons of space to roam and have a game of fetch! Some examples of high energy dog breeds are:
1. Australian Cattle Dog - In the herding group. Although adorable, is very high energy, and does best when there is livestock to herd, because of this they may nip at the backs of feet to "herd their people" so not always the best choice for a family with small children.
2. Australian Shepherd (Aussie) - A great choice for high energy families, they are great with kids, and although are herding dogs they are gentle with humans, they are very protective though and don't do well when left alone. They are also highly intelligent making them easily trained.
3. Border Collie - A very intelligent dog, that do amazing in various pet sport competitions, these dogs do great with children and other dogs however they can not always be trusted with other pets, but there are Border Collies living happily with cats so with proper training and socialization this is possible. These dogs also have strong herding instincts and will need to be taught not to nip at heels same as all over dogs in the herding group.
4. Brittany Spaniel - A easily trained dog, used popularly for hunting, does okay with children if raised from puppyhood, but because of hunting instincts a fenced yard would be best as they like to roam. They adapt easily to any environment, and make a great companion dog.
5. Great Pyrenees - This is a very loyal, devoted dog to his/her family, willing to risk his own life, is a protector and wary of strangers. This dog does best with kids when raised from puppyhood, it will need a firm strong willed owner to be the pack leader, tends to be vocal.
6. Nova Scotia Duck-Tolling Retriever - This is a particularly popular breed where I am from, these are devoted family dogs, great with kids, making excellent family dogs for anyone that can provide for their energetic needs. They are wonderful retrievers which makes them excellent ducking dogs, hence their name ;).
Those are just 6 of the many high energy level dog breeds, I was just giving examples and chose the most common in my area. If you wish to read more I get a lot of my information from the following site: http://www.dogbreedinfo.com/exercisehigh.htm
Low energy dogs are dogs that still need exercise just not as much, 2 simple walks a day will do them just fine. Some examples of low energy gods are:
1. Bichon Frise - These are happy go lucky, all around intelligent, small dogs that are less yappy than other small breeds, happiest when part of a family.
2. Boston Terrier - Well rounded smaller dog breed, but if not properly trained may become high strung. Does well in an apartment.
3. Chihuahua - Socialization is important in this breed, they can be nervous of strangers and/or other animals if not. They tend to be a little more on the yappy side, and may not be best suited for apartment life because of their barking.
4. Mini Dachshund - Smaller than the dachshund being the pack leader of this breed is important to assure no behaviour issues such as but not limited to: small dog syndrome, and separation anxiety. They can make great family pets with great temperaments if worked with same as all smaller dog breeds.
5. French Bulldog - A well rounded, generally quite, smaller dog, that can make a great pet with proper leadership.
6. Havanese - A generally quiet, great companion dog, with a longer lifespan of 14-15 years, get for apartment life.
7. Italian Greyhound - A wonderful little companion, but without proper socialization it may become nervous around strangers and/or other animals, and this little dog can be difficult to housebreak making them not for everyone.
8. Maltese - Playful, loyal companion makes for a good small dog for families, loves to play outdoors.
9. Pug - A silly little dog, that is a loyal companion, and is likely to make you laugh, is good for apartments as is low energy however obesity is a rising issue amongst this breed of dog.
10. Shih-Tzu - Big things do come in small packages, describes this full of character loyal little dog.
11. Yorkshire Terrier - A little dog with a high prey drive, may not be the best suited for houses with other small animals (rodents), with this dog it is VERY important not to allow it to develop small dog syndrome.
Please keep in mind that all dogs need you as their owner to be the dominant "pack leader" to help reduce the chance of behaviour issues, and in little dogs "Small Dog Syndrome" (I'll do a post on this)
These are only 11 of the many low energy dogs, again I was giving examples of the breeds and general personality information, I find are most popular, and if you would like to read more go to: http://www.dogbreedinfo.com/exerciselow.htm
Now just because the these breeds tend to be lower or higher in energy doesn't mean you won't find a lazy high energy dog, or a energetic lower energy dog, it all comes down to each dog as an individual. When picking a dog I hope you understand and are willing to make accommodations to your life for your dog.
Please don't forget you can find many of these dogs at your local SPCA or other animal rescues so don't forget to check them out before seeking a breeder!
another great site for information are: http://www.petmd.com/dog/breeds#.Unfpl5H0DwI
or you can take this fun little quiz: http://animal.discovery.com/breed-selector/dog-breeds.html

 

Why To Adopt From An Animal Shelter

There are so many reasons to buy from an animal shelter versus going to the various internet sites out there targeted to help you find a breeder, or a new addition to the family such as Kijiji, Craigslist, Facebook or the many other sites that I failed to mention. There are so many other sites out there listing reasons as to why you should adopt from an animal shelter versus buying from a breeder, but I feel this is a very important topic that although has already been brought to your attention many times I still feel like people are just not getting it, therefore are still turning their heads when it comes to going out and adopting because they would rather have a "pure breed" (pure breeds end up in shelters too, you know) or just have it as a puppy because they feel the bond will be greater if they get it as a puppy, this however is wrong.
Others feel that shelter animals are "damaged goods" for say. Which hurts me to hear actually, because no single dog is perfect, every dog I'm sure if you look has it's flaws, however most the time the reasons that dogs, cats and other animals end up in a shelter is not a fault of the animals themselves, but rather a fault of the owners.
There are a lot of reasons for animals to end up in shelters from, the previous owners moving away and not able to take their animals with them (which drives me crazy, I would NEVER move to a place that wouldn't accept my babies), to the animals being found as stray.. Which is horrific and beyond sad because that means some people were low enough to actually just toss animals away to fend for themselves, and yes these animals will probably require more socialization training and obedience than animals surrendered from previous caring homes but that does not mean the outcome will be any less rewarding. To me I would think that to rescue a stray and show him love and trust would be more rewarding than any other way of owning an animal. Other reasons may be, their owner passes away or becomes ill and unable to properly care for the animal, maybe the person has run into money problems, maybe even bankruptcy and is unable to provide proper nutrition and vet care and has been forced to turn them into the animal shelter, there are countless situations and yes there will be the animals that will come in from abuse, neglect, or maybe the owners did not understand the needs of the dog so it was uncontrollable for them but may be a perfect fit for you? An example of that would be someone taking in a high energy puppy because they thought the puppy was cute, without looking into the breed or energy level and being a relatively low energy human, the dog will become restless and bored in this environment and may act out, that may include excessive barking, destroying furniture, tugging and being very unpredictable during walks due to excess energy. Which would be a perfect fit for an active family!
So reasons to adopt rather than buy:
1. You will probably save a life.. Most shelters are high-kill which means if they are not adopted within a set time frame the dog will be euthanized. If that right there isn't enough to change your mind, continue reading...
2. The average fee to adopt is around 250$ and this includes their vet check, spray/neuter (if old enough), shots, fleas, worms and tests for conditions. So now, not only are you saving a life, you're saving money too! Think about that before you go to fork out 1,000$ on your new pure breed puppy.
3. When buying from pet stores/breeders you are supporting the mass breeding and overpopulation of animals now because if the breeders/pet stores keep selling they will keep them in stock causing more and more breedings, when a percent of those puppies sold will someday turn up in a shelter or rescue.
4. Adopting an older pet can eliminate any "surprises" your pet will already have their personality predetermined, energy level, their size, fur, vet checked everything so there is less room for error when picking the right one for you!
5. Most importantly the unconditional love your new pet will show you will be one of the most rewarding experiences you will ever have. :)
A good site to help assist you in finding the perfect rescue pet for your home in your area is www.petfinder.com. Be sure to stop by and visit your local SPCA and independent rescue groups.