Choosing The Right Dog Breed for You: 5 Things To Consider

Welp, if you know me you know I all about the doggos and pet adoption/rescue is a cause near and dear to my heart. Let me know what you think of the following and if you, too, are a pet lover–how did you meet your furry friend?? Always look forward to connecting to you, sweet peas. 

***

A dog can add so much to a family life, and having a pet can bring immeasurable benefits to your physical and mental health. However, if you are new to dog ownership, then this isn’t a decision that should be taken lightly.

First and foremost, you need to do your research into the type of dog you want, and make sure you are choosing a breed that matches your lifestyle (I mean, just look at these cute labrador retriever puppies). As you know, I have long been an advocate for adoption, and I strongly encourage that you visit your local shelter and meet some of the adorable pets just waiting for a good home. 

Each family is different, and finding the right breed for your lifestyle should be at the forefront of your mind. Each breed will have massively different characteristics, and as such, you should be basing your decision to adopt on more than simply liking “the look” of a sertain dog.

So, how do you find the right dog breed for you?

Experience

First of all, you need to assess your level of experience with dogs. If you have never had a dog before, it is best to research breeds typically recommended for first-time dog owners. Generally, they will be people-orientated breeds, don’t have high prey drives, and are usually breeds that are easy to train and care for.

The type of dogs suggested for first-time dog owners include;

• King Charles Cavalier Spaniel
• Golden Retriever
• Labrador Retrievers
• Boxers
• Poodles
• Shih Tzu
• Yorkshire Terriers
• Bernese Mountain dogs

Of course, this doesn’t guarantee you won’t experience any issues, and their health, temperament, and energy levels can vary depending on how well they have been bred and how you raise and train them. However, if you want a good starter dog to help you get the most from your first dog owner experience, these breeds are a good choice.

If you have more experience with dogs, you can look at more complex breeds if you wish to find one you are confident you can handle. Dogs requiring more handling experience include Belgian Malinois, Border Collies, Weimaraners, and Siberian Huskies.

Lifestyle

Are you home a lot during the day, or do you have a busy family lifestyle that can’t dedicate too much time to a dog? While this shouldn’t automatically rule out getting a pet, it can certainly rule out some breeds.

Many breeds, like the collie and Malinois require more attention, stimulation, and breed fulfillment. Being left alone all day for hours regularly can lead to undesirable behavior due to boredom and not having their needs met. Other dogs, like greyhounds, have a reputation for being lazy, so they need less exercise and attention than some other breeds.

Be realistic about how your life would impact a dog and what time you can dedicate to your dog to help you narrow down the correct breed type for you.

Characteristics and Breed Fulfillment

Each dog and each dog breed will act differently and require different things to help them develop into healthy dogs and ensure they are happy and well-stimulated. Again, this is where doing your research can be really useful. The more you know beforehand, the easier it will be to know what to expect, and you can decide if you can meet these demands and commit to a particular type of dog.

Let’s take the beagle; while they’re naturally people-loving dogs, they can also be a lot more strong-willed than other breeds, prone to mischief, extremely vocal, and require a lot of sniffing or scent work to allow them to put their breed characteristics to good use. Naturally energetic, they can walk for miles and be highly active before hibernating to recharge. While a fun breed to own, they can also be intense, and many beagles find themselves in shelters because people don’t understand the breed of hound dogs properly and are completely unprepared for what they experience.

Not only does the breed impact their behavior, but it will also impact their needs. Different breeds will require different foods and intake. It is really important that you fully understand what dog breed you want to get and what food they require. Some dogs require much more food or a specific diet, which can be more costly and time consuming, and detrimental if they do not receive this. In addition to researching the breed and their diet, you should also do research into different food brands, so you can ensure you are feeding your dog high-quality food. Read the Freshpet reviews to help you get started with your research.

Space

Another aspect of owning a dog you should consider is the living space you have and how easily they will fit into your home. That’s not to say big dogs can’t live in small apartments (unless landlords forbid this or property management has a rule in place). However, these aside, you need to be comfortable with how much space a dog can take up physically and with all the time they need.

Also, consider your outdoor space, especially if you don’t live in a single home dwelling and your dog won’t have its own secure yard to run about in and will need to be taken out frequently to the toilet as this can be an extra responsibility that is more complex to navigate.

This is also about what kind of home you have, and whether it is set up to be as safe for a dog as possible. For instance, certain materials are safer for dogs and other pets, so if you have gray reclaimed wood planks, that is something that might help a lot here. It’s vital you think about as much of this stuff as you can.

Cost

Dogs can be expensive after the initial purchase cost, and you need to be confident that you can afford the type of dog you bring home. It goes without saying that larger dogs will cost more to feed; increased meal sizes, larger beds, equipment, and increased medication doses mean you will automatically pay more than someone owning a chihuahua, for example, for general day-to-day costs.

Some breeds can be naturally prone to more health conditions, and brachycephalic breeds such as pugs, English Bulldogs, and French Bulldogs can experience higher than usual breathing issues if they have exaggerated flat faces. While Dachshunds can be susceptible to IVDD, which can be costly to rectify. But vet bills aside, you need to think about the cost of the following when determining if you can afford the breed you want to bring home;

• Food
• Pet insurance
• Bedding
• Leads, collars, harnesses
• Toys
• Enrichment activities
• Agility
• Crates
• Vet bills
• Boarding for vacations if required
• Vaccinations
• Flea and worming treatments
• Supplements

Dogs can offer your family life so many benefits, and there is something really special about giving a dog a home and watching it grow and live its best life. However, you must consider carefully the dog breed you add to your family or desire. You need to know what you are getting to and that you can give it everything it needs.

Photo by Chevanon Photography