Most of the time there is a wide selection of dogs to decide on from. So many you may not know where to begin! What is the right way to choose a dog that will best suit you and your family?
Look For Excellent Health
Regardless of whatever breed you decide on, you should focus on the health of the dog. It is sad to contemplate, but its true. There are lots of unhealthy dogs that are bred by unscrupulous breeders, so you need to be sure. Pups need to be full of vitality and have no problems moving around. A healthy dog usually has a wet nose and bright eyes. Should you see a dog on its own among others then don't be tempted to really feel sorry for it - chances are that it can have developmental or other health issues and also you will be the one who has to put up with them to the rest of their life.
What Size?
Among the easiest ways to begin narrowing down your choices, even earlier than picking a breed, are to determine the size of dog you want. This are going to depend on many elements such as the best way a lot space you have at home, if you have a yard or not and also your budget for pet food.
For example, a small apartment will be no area to reside for a big breed like the German Shepherd. On the other hand, it could be likely best for a dog such as the Belgian Griffon (the same breed witnessed in the Jack Nicholson movie, "As Excellent As It Gets").
What Breed?
Man has created hundreds of unique dog breeds for highly precise uses over the decades. As a result, every single breed carries a slightly distinct temperament. You would do really well to do research on a few breeds you might have in mind. For example, some dogs are amazing with infants whereas other breeds may possibly be best with a solitary adult companion.
In addition, diverse breeds have various wants. Some may perhaps want normal grooming whereas others might not. Be sure to investigate the most widespread complications for a offered breed also - pedigree dogs frequently have trouble that are different to that breed. As an example, did you understand that loads of Dalmatians have hearing situations and in addition frequently get kidney and bladder stones?
Once you have done your research and narrowed down the list of breeds you are interested in, the absolute best place for you to go is a dog show. This is not because you want a show dog, but because you want the BEST dog you can find.
You may not be aware of this, but all dog breeds have formalized "standards" that are used to judge show dogs. Some breeds specify colors and some size, or even the length of the tail! What you will find is that just about every litter a show breeder has will have a few "pet" quality pups. This does not mean they aren't as good as the other pups. It just means they don't conform to the standard so they can't be shown. You can usually buy pups like these for a lot less than you would think and probably less than a pet store would charge. One thing to be aware of, however, is that most breeders selling "pet" pups will require you to neuter the animal as part of the deal.
Think about this: no matter what dog you choose in a given breed, they will all cost you about the same amount in the long run. The food will cost the same won't it? Grooming and equipment will probably cost the same. The only thing that is different is the up front cost of purchasing the dog. So by looking at a show breeders pet pups, you can get a pup you KNOW has been taken care of, and you can often see both parents. If you get a pet somewhere else, even if you save money on the purchase price, you may spend a lot more than that later on in vet bills when you find out that the dog has health problems.
So search the internet for listings of shows coming up in your area and find out what times the breeds you are interested in will show. Go in and meet some breeders and ask who has, or will have, pups.
What Age?
Several people prefer to buy only puppies, especially families with children. Still, you should consider older dogs, particularly those that are currently homeless. Many of the breed dog clubs in each metro area have rescue organizations for dogs of that breed that temporarily do not have a place to live. This can be because of medical emergency with their former owners or even death.
The saying "you cannot teach an old dog new tricks" might be incorrect. Whilst it might be harder to train an older dog its by no means impossible or even challenging. The training practice is for the most part very similar, regardless of how old the dog is.
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