Choose the right dog

Making Sure You Choose The Right Dog

When it comes to choosing your dog, it is important that you realise that it is simply not just a piece of ‘property’ for you to own, but a member of the family that could potentially remain part of your household for well over 10 years.

Such factors as popular movies or the ‘latest fashion trend’ are not ideal ways of basing your decision on choosing a dog as they may not be the best pet for your family. You must remember too that you can’t simply abandon your dog after getting sick of it and it isn’t a simple case of just returning it to the pet shop after realising it’s ‘not right for you’. You should thoroughly research what type of dog would best suit you and your family and even if you have your heart set on a specific breed of animal you should always keep your options open in regards to other breeds that may be better suited to your needs. Some dogs are possessive while others require a lot of grooming for a perfect pet health. When bringing a new dog, ensure that the kids respond well with the pet.

Some important aspects to consider when choosing a dog are:

• How much activity the dog needs. Will you be able to provide the level of exercise the dog requires? For instance, Newfoundland dogs look cute and can work well as service dogs. But, they require a lot of dog walking sessions and exercise to remain fit.
• What diseases and conditions the dogs are susceptible too. Can you provide adequate care for the animal if it is renowned for certain ailments?
• Is the dog good around kids? Do you have kids at the moment or will you be having them in the future? Dog bites are common when pets and kids are not supervised when playing. Although dogs and children gel perfectly well, care must be taken to pick the right dog for the family.
• Is your dog suitable for where you live and will you be using it for purposes other than recreation such as working it on a farm?
• Is the breed one that needs a lot of grooming and if it is can you provide the amount it needs?
• How much money are you willing to spend on your dog and can you provide for it financially as it gets older?
• Is the dog going to be alone for large periods and if it is then is the breed capable of long periods alone or is it not recommended?
• Which person in your family would be looking after the dog the most and are the capable of the correct amount of care?
• Is the size of your backyard adequate enough for the size of the breed?
• What was the original purpose of breeding your dog and what is the breed renowned for, such as hunting, sledding or searching?

It is of course also important to check local laws, as there are certain restrictions on owning different types of dogs in certain areas of the world.

If you do need help on choosing the right dog there are of course several options available to you. Why not consult your local vet on what they recommend, or head down to your local library and pick up a book on dog breeds? You can also spend a good couple of hours online researching all the different types of dogs that would be suitable for your family.

Once you have chosen the right dog, then it is important for you to train it to the level you wish it to be. If you are going to be having it as inside dog, then choose the correct breed that you think will be easily trained and able to follow basic commands. If you have a large property and are putting the dog to work, then choose the appropriate dog for this so that you can train it too for working purposes.

Such factors are extremely important so that you don’t look back and regret choosing the breed you have. Then you also must follow all local laws in regards to your dogs, and as mentioned previously you should always check the breed against laws to make sure there are no issues in owning the breed you are after getting a hold of. After this has been done, you should properly register your dog with your local council and abide by all other local laws in regards to housing your dog as well as when you take your dog out for exercise and making sure it is correctly leashed and its business is properly cleaned up after. Often rescue pets make very good pets while a pup can pose a lot of problems in the house.

Following these simple instructions can make choosing the right dog all the more important! Check our pet finder to know the right pet you can own.