Choosing The Best Dog Breed For You

There are a lot of people that will buy a dog just because they “like what it looks like”, and DO NOT take into consideration the needs, size and temperament of that particular breed. This type of purchase is a recipe for disaster. What you need to do is your own research and look carefully at your chosen breeds good and bad points. Make sure that your breed of choice will be suitable for your environment and lifestyle. Make sure that you are absolutely positive that you have chosen the best dog breed for you, prior to looking for your new puppy.

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What Things Should You Consider When Choosing The Best Dog Breed For You?

What Size Dog Do You Want?

• Small
• Medium
• Large

The size and location of your property may be the deciding factor here, of the best dog breed for you, but bear in mind many small dog breeds are just as highly activated as larger dogs, they just don’t need quite as much space. Also remember that larger breed dogs, have larger stomachs to fill, hence a larger food bill.

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What Is Your Gender Preference?

• Male
• Female

Male dogs are in general a little larger and stronger their female counterparts. If you are not planning to show or breed, spaying or neutering is recommended.

Female dogs come into season (dog menstrual cycle) at least once, or twice a year and must be isolated from males for some weeks. Pregnancy and health risks for female are minimized once she has been spayed.

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What Coat Types Are There?

There are many different dog coat types and different hair types will require different care.

Coat Types Include:

• Smooth Coat
• Medium Coat
• Long Coat
• Wire or Broken Coat
• Wavy Coat

In addition, dogs with certain physical features (skin folds, floppy ears, dental issues, etc.) will need extra special attention.

If you do not want to maintain an adult dog with a long coat that requires constant daily grooming, consider buying a short-haired breed.

For those people with allergies there are also best dog breed for allergy sufferers that do not shed and are almost allergy free.

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Temperament

The temperament of a puppy will depend entirely on the breed you have chosen. As you learn about different breeds, remember the purpose for which each particular breed has been bred for. For example, a Working dogs will be highly activated in mind and body and will require regular occupation and a lot of exercise.

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Looking For Your New Puppy

If you’re looking for a new puppy or dog, make sure to check your local RSPCA, ASPCA or other animal rescue group first, as there are many beautiful puppies and dogs desperately needing new homes. If you do not find the right dog for you, or you may have your heart set on a particular breed of dog, in that case you will need to find a reputable breeder. Here’s how to go about it. Follow this guide below and in no time at all you will be taking home a healthy, well-adjusted puppy of your choice and also helping to prevent and lower the supply and demand of puppies from puppy mills and irresponsible breeders.

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Finding A Good Breeder

To know that you have found a good breeder means asking every one of these critical questions..

• Did the breeder plan ahead of time for this litter?

A responsible dog breeder always plans for each and every pregnancy and has anticipated that there is enough demand for their puppies to ensure they will all go to good homes.

So, ask the breeder if this pregnancy was pre-planned, how many litters the mother has already had (six should be the maximum over her whole life), and what they will do with any unsold puppies (a good breeder will keep the dog until the right home can be found).

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• Take notice of the standard of care and the living conditions of the dogs?

It is vital that you visit the puppy in the place where it was born and meet its mum and dad too, if he’s around.

Check whether the place is clean and there is enough space for the puppies and adult dogs to move around and exercise and there are things for the pups to chew on and play with.

Ask the breeder what food the puppies are fed and how often. A good breeder will provide information on how to feed your new puppy prior to you taking it home.

Ask about health checks, worming and vaccinations and what documents will come home with your puppy. A good breeder will make sure all puppies have a full veterinary health check and are microchipped, vaccinated and treated for worms and fleas before they are sold, and will provide you with records of these treatments.

Watch how the puppies and the adult dogs in the home behave. Are they people friendly dogs and do they get on with the other dogs there? A good breeder will make sure the puppies and breeding dogs are friendly and well socialized.

If the breeder is reluctant for you to visit, or wants you to meet the puppy in another place, find another breeder. Puppy farms will often use a house as a ‘shop front’ so you don’t get to see the poor conditions they breed dogs in. Don’t buy a puppy from a pet shop or through an internet or newspaper advertisement without being able to visit its home, as you can’t check out the conditions in which the puppy was bred or know where it came from.

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• Is the breeder genuinely concerned about the welfare of their dogs?

Good breeders want the best for all their animals, from new puppies to retired breeding dogs. They take steps to ensure this by providing detailed advice to new owners about how to care for their puppy, and don’t have old breeding dogs put down because they’re no longer productive.

Ask the breeder what happens to their retired breeding animals, are they kept or rehomed?

If the breed you’ve chosen was traditionally docked, what is the breeder’s view on tail docking? Routine tail docking of puppies is no longer legal in some countries.

If you are not intending to breed from your puppy, the breeder should provide advice on sterilizing of course unless your puppy has already been spayed or neutered.

You should be provided with information on diet, socialization, registration and identification requirements, and any medications or vaccinations given or required in the future.

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• Is the breeder open to questions and do they provide a complete history of the puppy?

Good breeders want to make sure you are well-informed about your new puppy and will provide information on the background, size, breed and temperament of his parents. They are willing to answer questions and allow inspection of records and paperwork such as registration documents and veterinary records. A breeder who refuses to answer reasonable questions probably has something to hide.

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• Does the breeder check your suitability to the puppy and the puppy to you?

A new puppy is a long-term commitment, so both you and the breeder need to be certain you are making the right decision. A good breeder will ask you questions to make sure this is the right puppy for you and that you’re able to care for it properly.

For Example, A Good Breeder May Ask:

• Do you have children or other animals in the household
• Where will your puppy be sleeping
• How often will your puppy be left on its own

You should also be told what to expect from the breed, such as how suitable it is for families and how much space and exercise is needed. If you’re at all uncomfortable with what you are told, you might want to consider another breed.

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• Is your puppy bred to be a pet and free of known inherited breed disorders?

• As you man or may not know, different breeds are predisposed to different inherited disorders or diseases. Some of these aren’t apparent until later in a dog’s life but can have devastating consequences. Some breeds also have exaggerated features that can cause problems, like a squashed-in face, which makes it hard to breathe, or very short legs, which can lead to spinal problems. A good breeder will be aware of, and screen for, any known disorders or anatomical problems specific to the breed and will exclude dogs with problems from breeding. They will be able to show you copies of veterinary reports and screening tests to confirm this. They should also breed to minimize any exaggerated physical traits specific to the breed that are known to have an adverse impact on the health and welfare of the dog.

• Find out what inherited diseases occur in the breed of your choice. Do some research yourself via the Internet and search for inherited diseases for your chosen breed. With this awareness you can then ask the breeder what steps they have taken to prevent their dogs from acquiring them.

• One proven way to minimize the risk of inherited problems is to avoid breeding closely related animals. If you are buying a purebred dog, you should check your puppy’s pedigree to make sure there are no close relative matings, such as brother sister or grandfather-granddaughter matings.

• Ask the breeder what they think are the most important characteristics in their puppies. A good breeder will put health, welfare and temperament above appearance. Some breeders put success in the show ring above all else, but breed prizes such as ‘best in show’ don’t mean that a dog’s puppies will be good family pets as show dogs are judged on their appearance, not their behavior.

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• Does the breeder offer to provide ongoing support and information after you have purchased a puppy?

A good breeder will provide full contact details and encourage you to get in touch if you need more information on the care of your new puppy.

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• Does the breeder provide any sort of guarantee?

What if you take the puppy home and it has a health problem, or doesn’t get on with your children or pet cat and you can’t cope? A good breeder will offer to take back unwanted animals within a specified time period after sale. They should also offer to accept animals returned as a result of problems arising from an inherited disorder at any time after sale.

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• Does the breeder provide references to reinforce what they have told you?

You’ve asked a lot of questions, but it is best to be 100% certain that the breeder is genuine. A good breeder will readily provide references on request, including testimonials and recommendations from previous or existing owners, letters from the veterinarian, and documents indicating membership of a breed association, canine council or companion animal club.

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• Is the breeder meeting all legal requirements?

Requirements for dog breeders vary from country to country and from state to state, but it’s a good idea to call your local council and check whether breeders have to be registered with them and if there is a code of practice or guidelines that they should be following. If the answer’s yes, you can ask the breeder for their registration details and what guidelines they follow.

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• What Are Registered Breeders?

Pedigree or purebred dog breeders are often referred to as ‘registered breeders’ when they are members of a breed club or association that operates a stud book or register. The term may also be used to refer to someone who is registered with their local council as a breeder also known as a ‘recognized’ breeder.

While breed associations do have rules and guidelines for their members, being ‘registered’ does not necessarily mean a breeder is responsible or meets good animal welfare standards. To make sure your breeder is a good breeder, you need to be well equipped and have knowledge of the right questions to ask before you buy. If your breeder meets all the prerequisites and above criteria then…Congratulations! Sounds like you have made a good choice.

Thanks to their excellent care and breeding, your puppy has had an optimal start to life and now the rest is up to you.