The
Right Dog for the Right Family
Written
by Nichole Apperson
Recently,
I have seen an increase in people buying certain breeds because
they are popular without actually doing research on them.
And unfortunately, these are the pets that end up in rescue
and animal shelter facilities, or worse yet as strays. There
are certain things that all potential pet owners should take
into account before bringing a puppy and/or dog into their
family.
Are
you ready for a Dog?
Dogs
are social, dependent and pack creatures that need human interaction.
You have to make sure you have enough time and energy for
a dog, especially for an energetic puppy. How long are you
gone during the day? Will you be able to go and let the pet
out on your work breaks? If not, can you afford to take it
to doggy day care or have a pet sitter/walker come in and
let it out? You also need to look ahead at the future, what
are you plans for the next several years? Is marriage, school,
moving, a job change or children coming in the future? Dogs
are a long term commitment so you need to make sure that pet
ownership coincides with any potential future plans that could
greatly effect a pet and yourself.
Can
you Afford a Dog?
Dogs
can get very expensive. Trust me. I have three boxers and
I go through a bag in a half of dog food every week that costs
$43/bag and that gets expensive real quick. This cost does
not include yearly vet visits or any emergencies that rise.
You need to figure in all of those extras and the following
in your budget: spay/neutering, boarding/pet sitters, grooming,
training, pet supplies, food, yearly shots, unexpected illness/accidents,
and fixing things that your pet possibly destroyed like torn
carpet or the new couch your puppy just ate, or the door that
has to be replaced because it is scratched up.
Which
Dog/Breed is Right for You?
Do
you have children? Many dogs are suited for children and love
children and these are some to name a few: BoxersBernese Mountain
dogsEnglish bulldogsMastiffsNewiesBearded ColliesColliesFinnish
SpitzSamoyedSiberiansKeeshondsNorfolk & Norwich TerriersLabrador
RetrieversGolden Retrievers
The
next most important issue that needs to be considered is the
size of pet you would like and what your living arrangements
are. You need to consider the size of your living quarters
and the availability of an outdoor exercise area. I’m not
saying that if you live in a condo you can’t have a big dog
if that is what you have your heart set on. Greyhounds and
Great Danes are actually great “big” dogs for small spaces.
However, I wouldn’t recommend a Weimaraner for an apartment
living dog.
Now
that you have determined the size of pet you would like, you
need to decide how much time and money you have to maintain
the pet’s grooming. If you want a small foo-fee dog, then
it will need to be groomed every 1-5 weeks, depending on the
length of the cut you would like the pet to maintain. I often
see pet owners that buy a Bichon and want it to look groomed,
yet they only want to pay to get it groomed every 6-8 weeks.
That’s not often enough and by that time the dog is a matted
mess.
Most
grooming shops have hours that are accommodating for drop
off and pick up. If you find you have a hard time remembering
to schedule your pet’s grooming, consider a mobile groomer.
Most mobile groomers don’t require that the owner be there
for them to groom the dog. However, you will have to provide
them with some sort of access to get the pet. If you go that
route then, I would ask the mobile owner to provide you with
references.
If
you want to avoid regular grooming all together, the following
small breeds of dogs don’t require a lot of grooming and are
great with kids:PugsCavalier King CharlesPapillonsBoston Terriers
Next on your consideration list comes the personal preferences
such as … do we want a puppy or an adult dog, male or female,
pure breed or mixed, the type of energy level and do we want
to save a pet from a shelter or buy one from a pet store?
One
of the biggest mistakes in choosing a family pet is getting
a breed just because “Susy” next door has a lab and it’s a
great dog. Labs are always in the top five for most popular
breeds, however they are not for everyone, as they like to
chew on about everything when they are a puppy and sometimes
beyond that stage.
You
have to do your research and make sure that you get the breed
that is best suited for YOU and YOUR family. If you get the
correct breed, having a pet around can be an extremely rewarding
and a wonderful, fulfilling experience. I don’t know what
I would do without my babies around, but for me, boxers are
the breed that fits my lifestyle and personality.
