There are so many new born, abandoned or stray dogs around these days, it's hard to know where to start. You need to first consider how much responsibility a dog is; can you afford it in terms of time and money, is your family ready, is your house big enough, what happens when you go on holiday, are there places to exercise your dog, a nice vet near by? If you are satisfied with all these criteria, great! If not, maybe now is not the time to search for a canine companion.
What Kind Of Dog Should I Get?
When choosing a new puppy or dog it is important to consider its breed. Although 'puppy personality' is a controversial area, certain breeds are characterised by certain traits, for example:
- Yorkshire Terriers, Fox Terriers, Highland Terriers etc are excitable and have high activity levels (they were originally bred for hunting).
- Terriers, German Shepherds and Siberian Huskies can be destructive (they were originally bred as working dogs).
- Spaniels and Poodles often demand a lot of affection (they were bred as pets).
- Bloodhounds and Saint Bernards have low levels of playfulness (they were originally bred as hard-labour dogs).
- Chow Chows, Pomeranians and Schnauzers can be snappy (such a small dog in such a big world, can you blame them?!)
Different breeds have been 'created' for different purposes and so have certain traits. When deciding which dog, consider this and not just how cute your canine looks!
Does the sex of my dog matter?
The sex of your dog is important. Males tend to be more playful, more aggressive towards other dogs and more challenging to 'master'; they are naturally driven to be the dominant pack member.
Females are often more obedient, easier to train but demand more affection and reassurance (don't we all?!). Female spays also cost more than male castrations, but both operations have a calming effect.
