If you are looking for a dog, it can be a tough decision. There are so many breeds to choose from. They come in all shapes, sizes, and personalities. Some dogs will need more attention than others. You may need to give some more training or take more time with exercising them.
So, how should you go about choosing the right dog for you and your family? Here are some pointers.
Think about your lifestyle.
For example, if you happen to be single and live in a one-room apartment, getting a large, active retriever might not be the best idea. If on the other hand, you are a jogger looking for a running companion, and you have a large family with plenty of children to play with the dog, a retriever might be the perfect type.
When choosing a dog, you need to take a number of factors into consideration – the dog’s size, exercise needs, friendliness, aggressiveness, and suitability for children.
Next decision – purebred or mix?
To find out which dogs have the characteristics you are looking for, you are going to have to do a little research. You should check out the personalities of different breeds of dogs and talk with people who know dogs, such as an adoption counselor at an animal shelter.
With purebreds, because they are all part of the same breed, you can be quite certain how big the dog will get and what it will look like. What you won’t know is how healthy the dog is or how it will behave (because of overbreeding).
With mixed breeds, you can also get a pretty good idea of what the size, look and personality of the adult dog will be, although maybe not to the extent of the purebred. One advantage of the mixed breed is that they are much less likely to have any of the genetic defects that are more common to purebreds.
What to look for when you examine a dog.
First, how old is the dog? Puppies are cute, but they will need a lot more of your time and training. How reserved or outgoing is the dog? Again, if you have a more sedentary lifestyle, a more reserved dog may fit you better.
How is the animal around children? If you are at an animal shelter, the adoption counselor can give you an idea of what a particular dog is like around children. Generally, if the dog does not mind being petted or handled, and is not annoyed by noise, he should be fine with children.
If you’ve just brought a new member of your family home and find that you need to head out of town soon after, bring your pet to Barney’s Ranch, where your four-legged friend will be treated just like he’s part of our own tribe! Call us at (469) 273-1661 for more information.