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Choosing the right Dog

Choosing the right Dog

How to select the perfect pet dog for your home and family.

If you have decided to get a pet dog for your home, it bears giving some thought to the decision before selecting an animal that you hope will be a cherished and integral part of the family. Selecting a puppy because your daughter thinks it's cute might be a nice gesture but it could be the wrong decision in the long run. Here are some things to think about if you are selecting a pet dog.

Firstly, you want to look at your own space and your family. This will often eliminate many dog breeds or types from the selection process.

For instance, do you live in an apartment block or do you have a large back yard. If you live in an apartment block, there is no point getting a large dog (30 kg plus when fully grown). Even a medium sized dog (20kg – 30kg) is probably too big for an apartment. It depends on the apartment size and your commitment to exercising your pet on a regular basis. Ideally, you want a smaller sized dog if you have a small living space.  

You should also think about the needs of every family member. Some people are allergic to pet hair and start sneezing or get a skin rash when dog hair is shed. There are a large selection of dog breeds that are  described as hypoallergenic. This means that they don't shed hair much and shouldn't cause allergic reactions.     

Another thing to consider is the activity level of your new pet. Energetic dogs, typically working breeds of dogs, will require far more attention than less energetic dogs. If you lead a fairly sedentary life style you don't want a high energy dog.

If you have kids, you also want to select a breed or type of dog that will be kid friendly. I guess this is common sense really, but people will often pick a dog just because of the look rather than think how it will integrate into a family structure. Most dogs are social creatures and will fit in with a family but some are more social than others. On this point, energetic dogs would be ideally suited to a family with kids as kids are pretty energetic too !

You should also think about getting a puppy or an older dog. Most people may go for a puppy but an older dog can have advantages over a puppy. It will probably already be trained (house trained for example) and be comfortable in it's own skin meaning less disruption in the home. An older dog may also fit in with your age or the age group of your family.

There are many other things you can consider, such as the intelligence, longevity and popularity of the breed, but this is really splitting hairs to be honest. In the end you want a dog that will fit into your environment, lifestyle and family structure. Putting a bit of thought into this decision will also make you think about the commitment you are making. After all, you should never take the decision to get a pet lightly. 


Posted By mick

Updated : 16th May 2020 | Words : 532 | Views : 4178

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