What kind of dog is right for me?
You really need to base the decision of the dog breed you choose on where you live, your lifestyle and your activity level. By becoming a dog owner, you are committing to the care of the pet for its average lifetime of 12-to-15 years, and in return, the dog will give you an abundance of loyalty, companionship and affection. If you are prepared to provide the dog with your commitment to its care and necessary veterinary visits, you should first consider where you live.
If you live in an apartment or condominium, you probably have weight restrictions for a dog in your lease, which would require that you have a smaller dog breed. You have to consider how many hours per day the dog will be left alone and if it will bark and howl while you are gone, prompting complaints from neighbors. Toy breeds that are typically a good choice for apartment life, and they include: Brussels Griffon; Cavalier King Charles Spaniel; Chihuahua; Havenese; Maltese; Miniature Pinscher; Pappillon; Pekingnese; Pomeranian; Poodle (toy); Pug; Shih Tzu; Silky Terrier, and Yorkshire Terrier. The toy breeds typically do not require a lot of exercise, but as a word or caution – they are delicate little dogs that can be easily injured by rough play or larger dogs. Other breeds that are conducive to apartment life and would meet the weight restrictions but generally require daily walks are: bischon frise; Boston terrier; cairn terrier; cocker spaniel, miniature poodle, and miniature schnauzer.
If your choice of dog is unlimited, you must consider the dog’s activity level, Most of the medium and large sized dog breeds need regular exercise and you will need to provide daily walks or a fenced yard for the dog to romp in. You must also consider if the dog will be with small children, some dog breeds cannot tolerate rough and tumble play with children. Breeds that are categorized as good family dogs are: border collies; burmese mountain dogs; collie; golden retriever; labrador retriever, and standard poodle or miniature poodle. Also bear in mind that rough children can harm dogs with long ears by pulling on the ears and can seriously injure dogs with long backs, such as daschunds or bassett hounds.
You must also take into consideration how much grooming a dog will need and how much the dog will shed. Dogs with long coats that can get easily matted generally need daily brushing and frequent grooming – and in some cases, professional grooming every four-to-six weeks.
Then you must also consider housebreaking if you choose a puppy and how much patience you have for the task. It is important to purchase a puppy from a reputable breeder – so many pups are the product of puppy mills, where the parent dogs are mistreated and subject to overbreeding – causing the puppies to be prone to serious illnesses. Purchasing a puppy mill pup also enables the inhumane practices of these facilities to profit and continue to operate.
Unless you want a dog that will compete in dog shows, the very best choice is to adopt a dog from an animal shelter, where there are so many wonderful dogs that are housebroken and well-behaved. You will find that many of these dogs were surrendered by their owners not because they were "bad" dogs, but as a result of home foreclosure or the owner was not longer physically able to care for the dog. Both of my dogs, a cocker spaniel and a dalmatian, were rescue dogs – and they have been a great source of happiness and companionship. I adopted my cocker spaniel at a local animal shelter and I found the dalmatian online at a rescue (he was abused and needed special care).
In summary, take all of the aspects of your lifestyle into consideration and research the personalities and needs of the various dog breeds before you make your choice for the pet who will be your friend and companion for many years.
