I can't tell you how many people I speak to that say "we regret getting this breed". They wouldn't change their dog for the world, of course! But, if they could go back in time, they would have chosen a breed more suited to them. So if you're reading this, I hope that you are doing research about breeds so that you don't end up in the same position!
1. Be honest about what you want a dog for!
Ask yourself WHY you are getting your dog. Is it to go hiking on weekends? Is it to keep you company during working from home? Are you a huge hiker? A leisurely-stroll-around-the-town kind of owner? Or are you a chill-on-the-couch owner?
Ask yourself WHAT you want from your dog? Do you want them to be lazy? Always up for walkies? Full of beans and wanting to play? Remember that at first, it’ll be fun to go on nice long walks, but once the excitement has worn off, how much exercise can you honestly give every day? How much training?
2. Think practically!
Think about the practicalities. If you have a small house with a small garden, maybe a large hyper breed wouldn’t be best! If you like to laze around on a weekend, and don’t enjoy lots of walking, a breed who needs lots of physical exercise might not work for you! Do you have the money to take your dog for regular grooming sessions, as well as the time to groom them yourself? If not, a breed such as a cockerpoo won’t work and a more low maintenance breed could be better. If you have trouble walking, a smaller and calmer breed may be more suitable. Also, consider the shedding! If you are very house proud, consider a breed with shorter hair, and maybe one who doesn’t drool!
Barking is another practicality that many owners forget about. All dogs bark, but some dogs are more vocal than others, such as huskies! Is barking something that bothers you? Is barking something that bothers your family? Do you have young children (or do you plan to have future children) who could be kept awake by a loud dog? In addition, do you have neighbours who could be bothered or could complain about a barking dog?
3. Consider your family.
Think about your current family. Have you all owned dogs before? If not, perhaps an easier, low maintenance breed could be best for you to start with. Are they other dogs or other animals in the home? Think about how this could work. If you have a pet rabbit or a cat, a terrier might not work for your family. If you have a dog, consider who they get on best with (Males? Females? Breed? Sizes?)
Do you have young children? This can affect both you and the dog. Firstly, you will have less time for the dog, so a low maintenance and calmer breed would likely be better, and secondly, you want to ensure the breed is child friendly. If you have older children, consider their future help with the dog. At first, it’s going to be very fun, but once the excitement has worn off, are your children still likely to help? Or are they 'typical teenagers' who may not want to get out of bed! If that's the case, that’s okay, but will you have the time for a high energy / high maintenance breed without the help of your family
Have you considered what will happen if you go on holiday? Who will care for your dog, and will the breed affect this? For example if an elderly parent is caring for the dog, are they able to walk a large breed? Are they able to cope with the energy levels?
4. Time to research
By now, you probably have a few breeds in mind, so have a research on the breeds. Take note of the breed instinct behaviours, and of what they have been bred to do. Can you handle these behaviours?
For example, border collies have been bred to be energetic, intelligent, and hard working herding dogs. This means that they have an instinct to chase and nip, and they are very active. Are these behaviours something you can handle?
Labradors have been bred to retrieve game, so they instinctually like to use their mouth a lot and pick things up and... they are incredibly greedy!! Is this something you can handle and train? In addition, they have been bred to work closely with their humans, so they bond well with owners and typically like to be close (including sitting on your knee!!) Is this something that you’d like?
5. Meet the breed
Once you’ve settled on a dog breed (or even a couple of options), make sure you meet a few of the breed in person. Take them for a walk, be in a home with one. Ask owners about their personality. If you are unsure, take time to think about it, and it is okay to say you've changed your mind! You have to get the right dog for you.
6. Choosing a dog
Have you thought about whether you'd prefer a pedigree or a cross breed?
A pedigree dog is one who has two parents of the same breed, and both their parents were of the same breed, and so on. The main advantage of pedigrees is that their behaviour and looks are predictable, as most individuals in the breed are similar. One thing to bear in mind about pedigrees is that they are prone to genetic health conditions, for example, Labradors are prone to hip/ elbow dysplasia, pugs and French bull dogs tend to have breathing troubles, etc.
A crossbreed dog has parents of different breeds. Although their behaviour and looks are less predictable, typically they are much healthier, due to the larger gene pool.
Finally, consider whether a rescue (adult or puppy) or breeder would suit you best. Check out my blog post for more info: Puppy VS Rescue (muckypups-dogtraining.com)
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