How to Choose the Perfect Dog Breed for Your Family

If you think it’s time to introduce a dog into your family and home, then you’ll want to make sure you’re choosing the right breed to suit everybody’s lifestyle. This guide will help you take everything into consideration when it comes to choosing a breed, so your family will be ecstatic with the new addition and vice versa:

Photo taken from Flickr

Research, Research, Research

You must do plenty of research on everything to do with owning a dog. It’s no good simply choosing one you like the look of, or one just because it’s cheap – you need to find a breed that will suit you all perfectly, regardless of looks and price. All breeds are different, so it’s up to you to read up on articles and books to get a good idea of the breed that’s right for you. There are quizzes online that could help too!

How Much Time Do You Have?

Some dogs need more time from you than others. While some might be happy with one short walk in the day and may not need much attention at all, others may need a couple of long walks and plenty of attention throughout the day. Some breeds also need more grooming than others.  Make sure you choose a breed that you have all the time in the world for.

How Much Energy Do You all Have?

Many dogs have different energy levels too. While some are known for being a pretty lazy breed, others can be very energetic and constantly wanting attention/playtime. If you have an energetic family, then you can afford to get an energetic dog. However, if you’re pretty lazy then you’ll need a dog to match that.

Don’t Just go For the Cutest

You should never pick out a dog judging by looks. Some dogs are better with kids, while others can be nasty to them. For example, many people think that smaller dogs are cute, but smaller dogs can get very attached to one person in the family and will not like it if the kids want their attention.

Consider a Larger, Trainable Dog

Although all dogs are trainable, a larger dog such as a collie or Golden Retriever are eager to please and usually very good with kids. They also have less of a chance of getting injured by a child if they are to step on the dogs poor or something, whereas a smaller dog could become injured and lash out.

Do Your Kids Have Allergies?

Although every dog runs the risk of setting off your kid’s allergies, you can try to combat this by going for a dog that doesn’t shed as much as others.

Buying a Dog

You need to get your dog from a reputable breeder. Look online to see where there are puppies for sale, make a shortlist, ask the breeder some questions, and see if you can pay the puppies a visit. You’ll then be able to make the decision as to whether you’d like one of the puppies!

I hope your family and your new dog are very happy together!