Why Choosing A Dog Breed Requires More Thought Than Preference Alone

Dogs can make for fantastic pets whether you live alone, with a family, in an apartment, in a big country house, or otherwise. However, not all dogs are suited to all situations. You might have a few favorite breeds that you’ve been thinking about welcoming into your home, but you should make sure that you’re thinking about the needs of the animal, your living situation, and how much you’re willing and able to commit to making the relationship with your new canine companion work. Here, we’re going to look at a few aspects you should think about.

Experience

First of all, you have to consider your own suitability as a pet owner. No matter the breed you choose, you have to be willing to accept responsibility for them. However, there’s no denying that some breeds are a little easier to look after than others. For instance, the dachshund is considered a relatively low-maintenance dog breed because they can spend a lot of time napping, are super friendly, and don’t have a lot of energy so they don’t require a ton of play. Most important, however, is learning about how to care for a dog, so that you can quickly gain the experience you need in order to be a good pet owner.

Space

You need to think about where your pet is going to be spending their time and how well it suits their needs. For one, you need to consider their size. If you’re welcoming a big home like a German shepherd, then you had better have a large garden that you can make the most of. Dogs that are larger, or more energetic, are going to need more space to roam around in. Dogs that are smaller might be suited for apartment living, but this isn’t always the case. You might want to choose a relatively quiet and low-energy dog if they’re going to spend a lot of their time hanging out in an apartment, for instance.

Socialization

​If you live in an area where you’re surrounded by a lot of people, see your neighbors routinely, or go on walks and see a lot of other dog owners, then you might want to make sure that you choose a breed that is easy to socialize with others. Getting dogs used to other people and pets, ensuring they respect boundaries and be safe, is always going to require some training. However, some dogs, like the chocolate labs seen at this link, are a lot more likely to be friendly. Other dogs might show signs of aggression when coming into contact with strangers, initially. There are exceptions to every rule when it comes to dog breeds, but you can choose dogs that are a lot more likely to socialize with relative ease.

Training

Ensuring that your dog is able to socialize with other pets and people isn’t the only kind of training that you need to think about, either. If you’re looking for a dog that is able to follow commands or act with discipline, then you might want to choose a breed that is well-suited to it. Some breeds of dogs have different kinds of drives which can mean that they require more training. For instance, greyhounds are known for their very high prey drives, which can cause them to wander away from their owners more often, as can terriers. With the help of a dog trainer, you can ensure that most canines are going to be able to listen to commands, but some dogs just take some more time than others.

Alone time

​How often are you at home? Are you going to need to leave for extended periods of time, be it for work or otherwise? If so, and you can’t ensure that someone else will be there to spend time with the dog, then you might want to think carefully about what kind of breed you leave alone. Separation anxiety can affect many breeds of dogs, but some dogs are a lot more prone to it. It’s a very unpleasant feeling for dogs, and can also make them more likely to act out in disruptive ways, such as barking, howling, and causing damage to things around you. If your dog is going to have to spend time being alone, then you might want to look at low-sensitivity dogs, as they tend to be easier going.

Kids and pets

We’ve talked about how well your dog is able to socialize with strangers and with other dogs that you might see on your walk, for instance, but you have to make sure that they’re able to get along with other members of the family, including pets. Some breeds, like the west highland terrier, can get more and more picky about their company as they become adults and might bond specifically with one individual, rather than with a whole family, for instance. Meanwhile, golden retrievers are a lot more welcoming and friendly to people in general and are well-suited for families. There are nanny dogs, as well, which are typically thought to be better suited to families with smaller children.

Grooming

All dogs need some kind of grooming and care. At the very least, you need to give them a wash now and then. However, the needs of dogs can change quite majorly. Some dogs will need to have their hair brushed out on a fairly regular basis, while short-hair breeds may not need their groomed very often, but may need their claws clipped once in a while. You should also think about the clean-up that you have to do after you have groomed a dog or if they have been bounding around the home. This site has a few examples of dogs that don’t cast or shed hair, which can be useful not only for those who don’t want the extra work but also for those that might have things like dust allergies that can be made worse by pet dander.

Health issues

When you’re taking in any breed of dog, you should make sure that you do your due diligence and get an idea of what congenital health issues they might be more likely to encounter. For instance, terriers tend to have problems with their joints as they get older. Other dogs can get skin problems that require a little more attention and care. Of course, regardless of what breed you get, you have to get used to taking them to the vet and become used to the idea that you’re responsible for their health and well-being very quickly. There’s no such thing as a dog that isn’t going to require your care and attention. Of course, there are aspects of caring for their health you have to be mindful of, regardless of breed, such as foods to feed and foods to avoid.

Exercise

Lastly, one of the most important aspects of choosing a dog breed, is how much exercise you’re willing to do. All dogs need some form of exercise, including walks. However, the energy level of those dogs is going to determine how much they need to be walked and how much you need to play with them outside of walk times. If you don’t give them the exercise they need, it can lead to disruptive behavior as they have all that energy they’re just waiting to let out and, of course, it will begin to negatively affect their health over time, as well.

Regardless of what breed you choose, you’re going to have to make space in your life for a dog or it’s just not going to work. Hopefully, the tips above give you an idea of how you can do that.

​