Archive for the ‘Which Dog Breed is Best for You?’ Category
Which Dog Breed is Best for You?
Dogs come in all sizes. Each dog breed has certain inherent traits. That is NOT to say that every dog of the same breed will be exactly the same. Dogs do not come off of an assembly line identical in every way to the one before them and the one after them. Each dog is a living, breathing animal that is completely unique INSIDE, even though he may look pretty much like other dogs of the same breed OUTSIDE. Still, you can tell a lot about a dog by his breed.
Some dogs are high energy and constantly in motion. These kinds of dogs are excellent choices as pets for people who are high energy and constantly in motion, but they would be an extremely poor choice as a pet for a little old lady in her 80s.
Families with small children should not ever consider acquiring a family dog that is short-tempered. Families that enjoy outdoor recreation shouldn’t consider getting a family dog that would rather lie in front of a nice warm fire than go outside play in the snow. Families that would rather stay in out of the cold shouldn’t choose a dog that thrives on playing outdoors in cold weather.
Okay, you get the picture. You should choose a family dog that is a close match personality-wise to your family, and you should choose a family dog that has a temperament that is suitable for what his living situation will be when he joins your family. Breed does matter, but what is even more important is how the puppy relates to his/her mother and to his/her litter mates.
Stand back and watch puppies and their mother. Note that there is always a “pecking order” in the litter. The mother dog will have to constantly correct the little rogue of the litter and console the crybaby. Some puppies play together well, while others lose their temper quickly and a game can get violent in a hurry.
Choose a breed, but then choose the puppy from the litter that will be the best “fit” for your family.
