Which Breed?
Once you have decided that you are ready to share your life with a canine friend the next decision to be made is which breed of dog are you going to choose?
There are numerous points to take into consideration when selecting the type of dog you are going to home.
You need to be honest and realistic with yourself and establish what you have to offer a dog, how much space do you have, do you have a garden, are you at home all day?
Then you need to match a suitable dog to your circumstances. If you live in a small flat you do not wish to purchase a bigger breed of dog such as a German shepherd or a Rottweiler but you could choose a smaller breed.
Chihuahuas, Papillions or Yorkshire terriers are perfect for smaller dwellings as they do not take up much room. They do still require their exercise though. A common misconception is that because a dog is small they do not need much, if any exercise; even the smallest of breeds still enjoy and need exercise. Agreed, they obviously do not require as much as the bigger breeds but they still enjoy going for a walk and many of the small dogs will race around like things possessed for five or ten minutes and then flop out!
Of course simply because you may live in a big house does not automatically mean that you are going to want a big dog. It just means that your residence is more suitable to cope with a bigger breed.
Remember though that with some of these breeds comes a lot of mess as dogs such as the Newfoundland and Saint Bernard although they are beautiful dogs they do have one fault, they slobber.
Now this is fine, you think a small price to pay to welcome such a fine looking dog into your lives, okay great but will you think the same when you reach for the remote control and discover it is covered in drool?
The bigger breeds are truly magnificent dogs to behold, full of pride and poise. They generally do make more mess though and this is something you have to be prepared for if you take one on.
Now the medium sized breeds are probably the most popular as they are in the middle of the size range. Dogs such as Springer or Cocker Spaniels, Border collies, Retrievers and Labradors.
Many of the dogs included in this group are what I tend to term ‘manic’ dogs. This does not mean that they are mad but rather that they possess insatiable appetites for exercise, no matter how much you give them they still crave more.
So if you are considering any of these breeds such as the Husky, Malamute, Border collie, Springer Spaniel and Retriever think about their energy levels and also their needs before jumping in and offering one a home.
If they do not receive their daily exercise needs then they are likely to become destructive, especially if they are left alone.
There are numerous dogs available so just take your time and carefully consider which breed would be best for you; a little time now will save a lot of heartbreak later if you have chosen the wrong breed of dog. Not just for youselves but also for the dog.
