Which dog breed is right for you? Well, the good news is that there are usually several. This means you don’t have to choose “the exact perfect option,” you have some wriggle room based on your personality, why you’re bringing a pet into the home, and what your living conditions are.
Someone who goes for many runs each week and lives on a good amount of square footage will no doubt do well with a large working dog that needs continual exercise to be healthy. If you’re finding a dog to give your grandmother companionship, a little personality but miniature size and limited maintenance requirements would be perhaps top of the priority list.
Though keep in mind that “convenience” is never really a great virtue to look for in a dog, because they all take training and care, and are living beings that deserve focused attention. If we were to treat this like a fun science, here’s how you might go about it:
Lifestyle Matching
We all need to be honest about how busy our day is and what our living situation looks like. A dog that needs two hours of strenuous running every afternoon won’t be ethically cared for in a small city apartment with an owner who works long hours, it’s just the hard truth. If you look at the required energy output of certain breeds and match that with the time you have available for walks and play, that’s great.
How Much Care Can You Give?
Every dog requires care of course, but some breeds come with much higher maintenance than others. Think about how much a dog sheds and how often they need professional care to keep their coats healthy, because that will of course incur a cost. In those cases, if you’re not prepared for daily brushing, you’ll quickly find yourself struggling with a breed that has a long, thick, or curly coat.
If you can, also consider potential long-term health issues that might need to you to plan out special diets or vet visits. For example, some people love the idea of golden doodle puppies because they’re known to be low-shedding.
Evaluating Breed Character
The personality of a dog breed doesn’t sound like something you buy for, because every dog has their own personality of course. But in general, breeds do have dispositions. That’s why the police often use German Shepherds, for example, and not Spaniels.
A breed’s characteristics will generally show how it interacts with children, other animals, and strangers who come to your home. Some dogs are generally quieter and aloof. Some are very social and demand constant human interaction from their family members. Think about what’s best for you, and get to know the dog in a shelter, the prior owner, or the breeder and their mother dog before you purchase the puppy. It’s not a hard science; it’s a fun science, but you can generally make more informed choices about which pooch to bring home if you’re careful.
With this advice, we hope you can more easily find the right dog breed for your needs!