We believe most people that want to get a dog primarily do it because of their love for furry animals. However, you should try to learn more about the dogs, and your own abilities in order to make the right choices, because once you bring him/her home, you should raise him/her properly, if you can’t do it, then don’t start easily!
It’s not easy to choose a dog, most people who choose a dog for the first time usually base it on the appearance of the dog, or because you have seen it in a movie and you like it. For example, after watching “Marley & Me”, you may want to raise a Labrador. Or you may see others raise it and you want it, but when you bring your own dog home, you will find that many problems ensue one after another.
The dog you desire may not be the right one for your current situation. We’ll try to provide suggestions to those that are preparing to get a dog. Before choosing a dog, you must have a correct assessment of yourself and have a correct understanding of the different breeds of dogs. You can choose one that’s suitable for you, let the dog grow up happily, and let yourself be able to raise the dog happily.
Picking a dog really comes down to the following factors:
1. Appearance
This is entirely a matter of personal preference. Some people think the poodle is beautiful, but I don’t like it. You think the Golden Retriever is cute, but others may think the Golden Retriever looks old. You think the Rottweiler looks awesome, while others think it’s scary).
2. Size
Small or Large breeds
You may not be able to tell when they’re puppies, but you’ll definitely notice the size difference when they grow up. It’s quite normal for breeds like the Labrador, Golden Retriever, Alaskan Husky, Samoyed to grow to about 75 lbs (35 kgs), and Rottweiler, Tibetan Mastiff, Giant Alaska Malamute can grow to about 130 lbs (60 kgs), while Toy Poodle, Schnauzer, and Bichon Frise generally weigh less than 10 kilograms, and the smallest ones are Miniature Pinscher and Chihuahuas.
Generally the larger the breed, the more food, more space, and more exercises they need, so you should consider your financial situation, your living situation, and the amount of your time you can spend playing and walking your dog. If you don’t give them enough exercises, there may be unfortunate consequences, such as those depicted in “Marly & Me”.
If you don’t think you can properly take care of a large breed, it might be better to consider a small breed instead.
3. Coat
Long coat or short coat
Almost all breeds of dogs will shed hair to varying degrees. For long-coated dogs, they shed twice a year and once half a year. If you’re allergic or don’t want to be overwhelmed by furs, it’s better to choose short-coated dogs, such as Labrador, Chihuahua, and Pinscher; if you can afford the cost of regular grooming or have the time to do it yourself, you can choose Poodles, Bichon, Schnauzer; if you have enough time to groom him during the changing season, you can choose Golden Retriever, Samoyed, or Alaskan Malamutes.
4. Temperament
Choosing a more aggressive or more gentle breed.
We generally don’t recommend choosing more aggressive breeds. First of all, you must have a large enough space and enough patience to train him. If the training isn’t taken well, the consequences are hard to imagine. Secondly, when you bring your dog outside, you have to be extremely careful and mindful, and always pay attention to him, in case he bites other dogs or heaven forbid a person.
Therefore you must have enough strength to restrain him should the need arises. In many places and cities, it is also forbidden to keep large dogs. Unless you have a special purpose or a nursing home, you should not keep them; pet dogs do not have these problems, so it is better to choose pet dogs for domestic keeping.
5. Gender
Picking a male or female
Neither a male dog nor a female dog will affect the interaction and intimacy between you and the dog. However, males are generally more aggressive than females, they are more likely to posture, threaten and challenge each other more than females, though this is a largely ritualized display aimed at establishing social rankings. Female dogs threaten less frequently, but overall are more independent, stubborn, and territorial than their male counterparts.
When it comes to female dogs, you must take good care of them during their estrus cycle and take protective measures, especially don’t let them wander about unsupervised.
6. Age
Puppy or a Grown dog
Many people think that puppies can be better integrated into the family. However, this really depends on the breed. It also depends on the different personalities of the individual dog. Grown Labrador, Golden Retriever, or Alaskan Malamutes don’t usually have problems integrating into the family either.
Puppies need to be vaccinated and trained, you’ll need to put up with some mess before they’re trained, trained grown dogs are easier to take care of by comparison.
We hope the above information is useful in helping to choose the right dog for you.
