Dogs Are Companions

If you want a dog just as a guard, buy a burglar alarm. Dogs are usually effective burglar deterrents, whatever their breed, but their first function in your home must be as a friend — and there is no better friend. They don't criticize you (or not too unkindly), they don't sulk (or not for too long), and they are always there to comfort you and love you.

Choosing the right breed is an intensely personal matter, and Dogscapade is here to help with some useful guidelines.

The size of the fully grown dog is often a first consideration when choosing the best dog for you, and for good reason. Your ideal situation includes a dog that fits reasonably into your home environment. A pair of Irish Wolfhounds may be your dream, but their sheer bulk would make a small apartment nearly uninhabitable. Very large dogs also need a lot of exercise, usually much more than people of comparable size and weight. So, even if you have decided that there is room in your house for a large dog, your ability to supply suitable exercise becomes an important consideration. For more information on this topic, be sure to read our suggestions on Exercise and Training.

On the flip side is the tiny toy dogs, which easily fit almost anywhere, but may be damaged (mentally or physically) in a crowded household or one that includes rowdy children or larger, possibly more aggressive dogs. All toy dogs benefit from as much exercise as you can give them, but they may be equally happy with only a moderate amount. Because they require less space, it is easier to keep toy dogs in pairs or small groups. Especially when raised together, having other dogs adds greatly to their comfort when the humans are away for a few hours.

Some dog breeds only need a half hour or so of grooming a week, while others need to be groomed for an hour a day. If you are short on time, don't buy a Poodle or a Maltese, unless, of course, you plan to take your dog to a groomer. Breeds like Boston Terriers or Whippets are good choices for people who don't have time to do a lot of grooming.

You will need to consider the age of the dog. Many people opt to buy a cuddly little puppy instead of an older dog. While puppies have not developed any bad habits, it will be up to you to be sure that the puppy becomes housebroken and obedience trained. Older dogs are frequently already housebroken and usually have some obedience training. They are also more likely to be calmer and more civilized. However, they could also have problems that prompted the former owner to find them a new home.

Do you want to buy a puppy? If so, you will need to find a reputable dog breeder who has a litter of the breed you are interested in. Often, a good breeder will have a waiting list for puppies. If you aren't the patient sort, you may be tempted to buy a puppy from a pet store. However, many pet store puppies come from puppy mills and have genetic health defects, bad temperaments, or other problems. It is usually safest to buy a puppy directly from the breeder.

If you are interested in an older dog, you may want to visit your local animal shelter or call a breed rescue. These groups evaluate the dogs' health and temperament before adopting them out.

The Labrador Retriever is the most popular dog in both the United States and the United Kingdom, with 132,000 in the US and 32,000 in the UK. Second in the US is the Rottweiler, with almost 94,000 registered, and third is the German Shepherd with 79,000 registered. In Britain the German Shepherd is second (24,000) and the Golden Retriever third (16,000). These are all large dogs. By no means do all of them live in large houses.

Breed or type behavior is probably more important in choosing a dog than any other characteristic. It pays to ask not just dedicated owners but also knowledgeable people outside the breed. For example, your veterinarian sees a wide variety of dogs every day and would probably be happy to offer some real life insights.

Terriers are lively, a bit willful, yet highly responsive dogs. They tend to be tough, sturdy animals, in mind and body. Training can be a challenge, as terriers were developed to think on their own and stay focused on what they want, rather than what someone or something else wants. That was how they got their prey! However, with a bit of patience and cleverness on your part, these dogs certainly can be trained and tend to be a lot of fun to be around. Everyone loves the terriers' playful enthusiastic nature. Give them something to go after and they will really get into it. They are generally super with children, assuming both are properly socialized.

Toy dogs tend to be more sensitive physically and emotionally than other breeds. They were bred for the sole purpose of being a companion and so are often highly in-tune with their human's moods and habits. This makes them better for adults who do not have young children, as toy dogs may be agitated by what they perceive as small, erratically behaving humans. Very young children need to be supervised when playing with any dog, but especially with these tiny canines. A small dog is not a "play toy". They can be broken and they can bite out of fear or when in pain. However, in a household with mature children who are respectful of the animal's right to safety and consideration, these small dogs can make wonderful, attentive family members.

Hounds were developed originally to track or chase game for miles at a stretch, and as such need as much running and walking as possible. With this requirement in mind, hounds make excellent, sweet natured house dogs who love nothing better than a comfortable bed and a long lazy afternoon. Hounds tend to be all get up and go, or relaxed pleasure seekers. If a hound is in your dreams, plan ahead how you can fulfill the exercise requirements and you will be richly rewarded with the best good-buddy on the planet.

Sporting (Gun) dogs are generally easy to train, and settle into the human environment without difficulty. They too need a fair amount of exercise, and lack of it will become evident in the overall roundness of their bodies and the amount of mischief they get into.

Working dog breeders concentrate on working drives and retaining strong instincts to perform the duties their dogs were originally designed to do. These dogs are genetically predisposed to perform their line of work whether it is herding, trailing prey, flushing birds from the bush after long, energetic searches, or performing in the schutzhund field. Temperament and workability are the priorities.

Herding dogs

Certain of the herding breeds, typified by the Border Collie, are specialist working dogs. They demand more attention than other breeds if they are not to become neurotic pets. Outside their traditional working function they have become the outstanding type in obedience work of all sorts. Provided you are able to give sufficient attention to them to keep their very active minds occupied, they are among the most rewarding of pets. But if you don't, they will find something to occupy themselves, and it will be trouble.

With so many breeds to choose from, as well as designer dogs and mongrels, there really isn't a typical household dog these days.

AN INVITATION TO CONTRIBUTE:

In exchange, we will host an EXCLUSIVE featured section on our website for your dog website, kennel, club or organization! We accept well-organized and edited, genuinely useful, informative articles related to dogs. While we do review all contributions, we don't guarantee acceptance. For more information and to contribute articles, please contact us at contribute@dogscapade.com.

DOG WEBSITES & SEO:

We are also offering an amazing opportunity to have a very affordable, high-quality website for your dog kennel, club or organization — designed, hosted and optimized for search engines. This offer is available to all dog breeders, dog clubs, rescues and associations. There are some limitations involved, so please write for details at tech@dogscapade.com.