Dog Breeds: How To Choose The Perfect Dog Breed For You!
Posted on Oct 26, 2008 under small dogs |
If choosing dog is such a straight forward process, and it is,
how come so many puppies find their way into adoption centres
every year? Well one reason is that people choose the wrong dog
breed.
Don’t let your puppy become a statistic. Make it your goal to
choose a puppy suited to your family and circumstances. Think
about your previous experience of owning a dog and the amount of
time you have for training, grooming and exercising. Look at
your health including possible allergies, your financial
resources and the amount of space in your house and yard. Most
of all work out how much time you have for a dog.
Of all the different factors in choosing a the right dog breed,
among the most important is the relationship you want with your
dog. Some breeds by nature are rather aloof and elegant, others
are independent and energetic while others are dependent or
submissive. If you want to do specialized training, consider
breeds known for courage and trainability. If you want an
affectionate pet, choose a breed that typically likes to be
close to its people.
To ensure that your puppy fits in with your lifestyle begin by
asking yourself these questions:
a) How much time can I spend with my dog, a social creature who
craves companionship? - If your time is limited don’t get a
breed which can become dependent on their owners.
b) How much exercise can I give my dog? - If you hate exercise,
buy a small dog happy with a short walk. If you like to walk the
mountains all day long get a dog breed which likes a lot of
exercise.
c) How much grooming can I do? - If you hate grooming, buy a
short-haired dog.
d) How much training can I give? - If you have limited time,
choose a breed known for ease of training.
e) How much room do I have? - If you live in a small apartment
don’t get a large dog!
f) What characteristics do I want in my dog? - Think of words
like independent, energetic, submissive, affectionate,
protective, quiet, funny or sociable. Try to match them to the
characteristics of your family members. Your dog will fit in
much better if you do.
Finding The Right Dog Breed
Once you have answered these questions it is time to go out and
find the right dog breed for you. The internet is a great place
to start. Just go to your favourite search engine and type in
something like “dog breed information” or “dog breeds” and you
will find some excellent sites giving detailed information about
each breed.
Note the characteristics of the different breeds. What is best
for your situation: large or small, male or female, purebred or
mix? Short coat or shaggy coat? A dog needing lots or little
exercise? A lot or little daily grooming? Think through your
choices in detail and compare this information to your
requirements and make a short list.
Next ask people you trust about the dog breeds you are
interested in. Ask friends, family members and co-workers for
suggestions of dog breeds they think would be good for you and
your family. Ask them to be honest about the good points and bad
points of the breeds they suggest. Visit dog training schools
and breeders and ask about the dogs your think may be suitable.
Follow up on and meet the breeds you feel are a good match.
Finally make every effort when choosing a puppy to make your
final choice of a dog breed a family decision. Your dog will be
part of the family, and each member needs to feel a sense of
ownership for the dog and a willingness to help in its care.
So there you have it a short guide to choosing a puppy that will
fit into your family perfectly and bring years of fun and
happiness
October 26th, 2008 at 10:09 pm
Which breed to choose?
I have done a lot of research and I have talked to a lot of breeders for a long time trying to decide which breed I should get. I have narrowed it down to three breeds of dogs Afghan Hounds, Azawakh, and Saluki. I love all these breeds a lot and I cannot choose which breed to get. I really want to find the perfect breed for me, the one I will want to own for the rest of my life.
So how do I choose? What should I do to decide which breed I should get? I’ve talked to many breeders and they’re always biased, they always say I should choose to get their breed, my family doesn’t help because they don’t like the breeds I like. All these breeds seem to fit what I want but how can I be sure?
Please help me and give me your opinion.
I don't just want your opinion on which breed to get.
I also want your opinion on how I should choose, what things should I do to figure out which breed I should get.
October 27th, 2008 at 3:11 am
saluki's are very graceful beautiful dogs. i would get 1 if i had the room and time. i also like what Abigail said. you should see each breed in person and see what thier like.
References :
October 27th, 2008 at 3:13 am
what you gotta do is go and visit a few of each breed (if your really serios about it) and see which you like.
I personally recomend a Saluki
References :
October 27th, 2008 at 3:15 am
No offence but i think they all pretty much look the same. One has long fur, one has short fur, one has meduim hair.
References :
October 27th, 2008 at 3:17 am
Get a Saluki. I’ve seen photos of them and they seem really cute!
References :
October 27th, 2008 at 3:19 am
If I had to choose a sighthound I’d probably choose a Borzoi, but out of the one’s you named the Azawakh
References :
October 27th, 2008 at 3:21 am
you should find the breeder you think is best first, and see if he has all three of those dogs. I presonaly prefer saluki. their fur is very beautiful. with that breeder, since u luv all three breeds, u should see which dog is nicest to u. if u find an afghan hound, or azawakh, or saluki u love most, u should definitely take that one but make sure the breeder seems like a caring guy who took care of the dogs well before.
References :
October 27th, 2008 at 3:23 am
Since I don’t have to live with it, I can’t make that decision for you. I love Afghan Hounds, but wouldn’t want to do all the grooming.
I would go and see available puppies from each breed. Don’t decide until you have spent time with all three breeds. I’ll bet one of the puppies will choose you and you will know it is right.
References :
October 27th, 2008 at 3:25 am
well it depends on which one sheds the most how well each behaves there diseases that are possible to happen to that certain breed and house training and if you are allergic to the breed that you might like i highly suggest puppy sitting the breed that you like most to see if you can control the puppy when you get one. See how you react with each breed and mark the actions on the paper for example each time you puppy sit the breed write down how many times you had to walk them, how much they eat , if they are wild and untrainable, etc. then once you have seen all of the breeds from there you can see which one did the best in the time that it had spent with you. I did this once when i wanted a puppy but i couldn’t decide on which one so i puppy sitted each puppy one day at a time to see which one i could best react with . Hope you find the right dog
good luck!
References :
October 27th, 2008 at 3:27 am
I don’t think you can go wrong- each are known to be kind and friendly breeds. I have my personal bias, the Saluki, but it is based only on the look of the breed. Some dog is about to have a thoughtful owner.
References :
October 27th, 2008 at 3:29 am
* The Afghan Hound Health Concerns Major health issues are allergies, and cancer. Sensitivity to anesthesia is an issue the Afghan hound shares with the rest of the sighthound group, as sighthounds have relatively low levels of body fat.
The Afghan Hound is the only one i like cuz it has more fur long and pretty fur!
*The Azawakh Health are an increadibly sound coursing hound. Serious coursing injuries are rare. The dogs heal very quickly from injury.
Azawakh have no known incidence of hip displasia. There is a small occurrence of adult-onset ideopathic epilepsy in the breed. Wobbler disease or cervical vertebral instability does rarely occur. Some breeders believe this is a largely developmental problem where puppies grow too quickly due to a high-protein western diet.
Like the Basenji, the Azawakh bitch often has a single annual estrus. Azawakh need a fairly high level of exercise and should have regular runs off lead in large enclosed areas to run off steam. The dogs are very social and emotional. They need a master that provides firm but fair leadership. Azawakh thrive companionship of other Azawakh.
* The Saluki is a very healthy breed. The biggest problem to worry about is their sensitivity to anesthesia as a result of their low levels of body fat. The Saluki tends to have large litters. Litters of ten puppies are not at all unusual.
Well I hope this helps!
Good Luck!
References :
Dog Lover, Proud Owner of a Black Lab mix and a Purebred Akita and i Know a lot about Dog Breeds!
October 27th, 2008 at 3:31 am
How about trying a few big dog shows which should have all three breeds at the same show.
You could get up close and by the end of the day hey presto!
References :
Breeding and showing Bull Terriers for nearly 16 year
October 27th, 2008 at 3:33 am
I’m a little concerned that the breeders you talked to all say you should get theirs. Most responsible breeders are more than willing to tell people when they are not a good fit for that breed. Of course, they all may be similar in temparment, I have never owned any of these so I don’t know for sure. Anyway, go to a dog show and get close to some of them, or go to the home of some breeders and spend some time with them. You will find the one that is right for you. You could also look into breed rescue, then you get a purebred who needed a home. With breed rescue, you can get some specific info on tempermants/behavior as the dogs are often fostered. Good luck!
References :
October 27th, 2008 at 3:35 am
I'd suggest joining a couple of email lists and bulletin boards for those breeds. By reading the conversations, you can get a bit of an idea what it's like to live with those breeds.
Also try attending local dog shows so you can meet the breeds in person (at least, the Saluki and Afghan).
Frankly, I'd be dubious of breeders that try to talk you into getting their breed. When people ask me about Bassets, I try to make sure they know all the negatives about the breed, because I don't want them to be bought by unsuitable owners. Most good breeders will do this.
I'm not too familiar with Azawakhs, but I did have an Afghan and found him to be an enjoyable companion, intelligent and with a sense of humor. However, they are a major commitment grooming-wise, so if you aren't completely dedicated to coat maintenance I'd suggest one of the other two breeds.
References :