Choosing a Dog-What Dog is Best for Your Lifestyle?

When choosing a dog it is always important to take your family’s lifestyle into consideration. Just like people, every breed of dog has different behavioral temperaments, personality traits and characteristics that will determine whether or not it is a good match with your family.

Some dog breeds such as hounds and retrievers have a strong sporting instinct. This part of their character is what makes them a very attentive and alert companion, great if you live an active lifestyle and enjoy the outdoors. Sporting breeds tend to be very easily trained and are quite successful in any sort of obedience or agility training. These dogs are also easy to walk on leash and teach to perform simple tricks. It is because of this, that breeds such as Golden Retrievers and Labs, are a great choice for first time dog owners and families with small children.

However not every breed is so easily introduced into a family. When choosing a dog, information is everything.

Some breeds such as Boxers, Germans Shepherds and Bull Dogs can develop aggressive tendencies if not trained properly. These dogs are extremely smart and can learn commands very quickly with the help of a committed owner. Due to the fact that these types of dogs can be intimidating in appearance, it is important to have them well-behaved when surrounded by unfamiliar people and other animals. These dogs can be very successful as loving family pets, but they do need owners that have a lot of time and patience to devote to training.

It is common, when a family is choosing a dog, for them to think that “smaller is easier”. However smaller breeds of dog can be just as much work as larger breeds—sometimes more. Due to their size, smaller dogs tend to be more vocal and can bark excessively to help themselves feel secure when protecting their home or territory. When it comes to training, smaller dogs can also be a bit more difficult to train than larger dogs. On the other hand, smaller dogs do have advantages, they tend to need less exercise, are easier to travel with, and are quite independent, making them a good choice for a working couple or senior.

Choosing a dog isn’t difficult when you take the time to do your homework with regard to the dog breeds that fit in best with your life style.

It is important to remember, all dogs are a long term commitment and your decision should be made with much forethought and consideration.