Choosing The Right Dog Needs To Be Done Carefully….

Choosing The Right Dog For Your Lifestyle

Choosing the right dog for your family is a decision that should not be taken lightly. Remember that the average life of a dog is between 12-14 years, depending on the size and health of the dog. This means once you have purchased a dog or picked one up from a shelter you will be investing at least a decade of time and energy into that pet. Carefully choosing the right breed means considering your lifestyle, your home, your needs for a dog and even how much time you will have for training purposes. Since all dog breeds have different needs and different characteristics, you will need to do research to help you determine which dog is right for your home.

Lifestyle

Of course one of the most important considerations in choosing the right dog, should be examining your lifestyle. Are you a lazy, laidback person who wants a companion for lounging on the couch on Sunday afternoons? Or do you love to go on long walks, hikes, or bike rides? Your lifestyle will become an important factor in the kind of attention your dog gets from you. If your dog has a lot of energy and you simply don’t enjoy long hikes through the woods, then the two of you will make an unhappy pair.

Needs

While some individuals or families need a watchdog for protection, others simply want a companion dog. Still, some others may want a dog that can help with herding sheep or cattle on the farm. These are important needs to consider before selecting a dog. Of course, if you are just looking for a companion, then you will want to stick with a smaller breed, ranging from a Chihuahua to a Maltese that can easily travel anywhere their human owner goes.

If you are looking for a watchdog, a larger dog known for their watchdog abilities is best. Here you should consider a Rottweiler, a Doberman Pinscher, or a Mastiff. Excellent hunting and retrieving dogs come from the Retriever and Labrador group, the Hound group as well as the Terrier groups, although the sizes in the Terrier group will vary significantly. Collie and Shepherd dogs make excellent herding or police dogs.

Home

Another important factor to consider when picking a dog for your family is the type of family home you have. If you have a home with little or no yard, then you will want to find a dog that will need little exercise or time spent outdoors. For those living on a farm or a home with a good deal of land, it would seem silly to purchase a dog that simply enjoys being a companion dog. This type of land would be great for a medium or large breed dog that enjoys a good run or walk in the countryside.

When choosing the right dog, you will also want to factor in the weather conditions in your area. Short haired, dainty dogs like Chihuahuas may not do well in extremely cold conditions, just as thick-coated sled dogs, such as the Alaskan Malamute or the Norwegian Elkhound won’t thrive in a hot weather environment.

One more factor to consider as far as a home goes is whether or not any of the family members in the home have allergies. If this is the case, you may have to consider only hypoallergenic dogs that will give off only small amounts of allergy causing dander. There is a long list of hypoallergenic dogs and these should be at the top of the list for families with allergies that are going about choosing the right dog.

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