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Picking the Right "Breed" for You
and Your Family |
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Whether
you're thinking of getting a
purebred dog or a mix, you should
take the time to do some research
into dog breeds. If you're
thinking of a mix, it will make your
shelter search much easier if you
have in mind "something like a lab"
or "some kind of terrier."
Information about the following
breed groups is provided by
www.akc.com. |
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Questions to consider when you're
looking for a dog: |
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What size is right for you?
Don't just ask for a "good-sized"
dog--for some people that means 25
pounds, for others it means 75. If
you can't figure out weights that
exactly, are you looking for
something the size of a Cocker
Spaniel or a German Shepherd Dog? |
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How much space do you have?
This is related to the last
question, but not really dependent
on it--it's quite possible to keep a
large dog in a small space, provided
you can give it plenty of
opportunities for exercise outside
the house or apartment. But keep in
mind that if your house is very
small, a Newfoundland may take up
all the available floor space. On
the other hand, some very large
breeds are quite inactive while
their smaller cousins will be
constantly on the go. That Newf
takes up the whole living room rug,
but he might just do better there
than, say, a Jack Russell Terrier,
an extremely active small dog. |
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How much exercise can you give
this dog?
Some can get by with a short walk,
others need to run for hours every
day. Take an honest look at what
you're willing and able to do with
your dog. Be sure to consider both
your schedule and your athletic
abilities: If you'd like an active
dog but your work schedule keeps you
busy 70 hours a week, don't get an
active dog. He'd enjoy going for
runs with you on weekends but he'd
be miserable (and probably
destructive) during the work week
when you don't have time to exercise
him. |
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Where will the dog live?
A lot of people feel very strongly
that all dogs should live in the
house, and just about any dog will
do well inside if it's given enough
exercise. If your dog will be
spending a lot of time outside, you
must consider your climate in
choosing a breed--some cannot
tolerate heat, others are equally
incapable of being out in the cold.
If your dog must live outside, be
sure that it has adequate (enclosed,
covered, maybe even heated) shelter,
and make an extra effort to spend
time with your dog. And don't expect
your big, black, heavily coated
Bernese Mountain Dog to live outside
in the summer sun! |
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How much grooming are you
willing to do?
Are you willing to spend the time
required to keep a long soft coat
free of tangles and mats? How about
the money to have a dog
professionally groomed on a regular
basis -- say, every 6 weeks for
non-shedding breeds which need to be
clipped? Even dogs that are fairly
low-maintenance can go through
periods of profuse shedding during
which their coats need extra
attention. And all dogs, even
hairless ones, need to have their
nails, eyes, and ears taken care of.
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What do you plan to do with your
dog?
Do you want a loyal couch potato? A
jogging partner? A good watchdog? Or
do you want to start exploring the
many activities you can do with your
dog--things like obedience, agility,
hiking, herding, hunting or any of
the many others out there? This will
affect your breed choice because,
for example, most toy breeds just
don't make very good frisbee dogs.
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What past experience do you have
with dogs?
This question shouldn't be taken to
suggest that you shouldn't get a dog
if you haven't already had one --
everyone has a first dog at some
point. But there are breeds that are
not recommended for first-time
owners. If you have had dogs before,
think about what you liked about
them -- it can be very useful
information, since nobody would
recommend a Border Collie to someone
who had always loved the relaxed
attitude of Mom and Dad's Basset
Hound. |
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If you have children, are you
prepared to teach both children and
dog to co-exist peacefully?
Children and dogs can make a
wonderful mix...or a very bad one.
You need to spend time training both
the dog AND the children to treat
each other appropriately. A common
question is "What breeds are good
with kids?" The answer is that it
depends more on how the dog is
raised and trained. Supervision --
even for dogs good with children is
a must. Just because a dog is good
with children is not license for
children to abuse the dog -- every
dog will have its breaking point. If
you are unsure of your ability to
properly train young puppies and/or
children in this respect, you may
want to consider waiting until the
children are older, or find an adult
dog known to be good with children
and then supervise |
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