Choosing The Right Dog Breed For You

October & Roxy

There are so many considerations when choosing the right breed of dog for your family. 

As humans we are driven by aesthetics and emotion and sometimes we bring dogs into our lives with little or no understanding of what they were bred to. You may be wondering why a dog bred to heard sheep all day wouldn’t be happy being showered with love, having all the toys in the world and a nice walk to park everyday. Dogs are very different humans, we are not selectively bred to perform certain tasks, in fact, if you asked most people what their idea of the perfect day is, they’d say something like chilling out and eating with no particular purpose. However, over hundreds of years, humans have selected dogs for traits that suit their needs, herding, hunting, guarding and companionship. These innate behaviours are so ingrained in their DNA that unless these needs are met they will become frustrated and will find their own outlet which is often incompatible with the human world - think border collie chasing cars. 

Understanding what a particular breed needs to thrive is only part of the equation. Other considerations are family, do you have young children or are you planning on kids in the near future. Making sure you have a dog breed that is suited to coping with everything that comes with little ones is paramount. Bigger, boisterous breeds like Dalmatians are better suited to households with older kids - not because they’re going to savage a baby (but please never leave a child alone with a dog no matter what the breed), but because they are big, have have tail whip that would give Indiana Jones’s a run for his money, and they are super bouncy - think Tigger after 10 double espressos! 

Another big one, is what your working life looks like. Do you work from home? How much free time do you have each day to train and walk your dog? Will you need to get a dog walker in or send your dog to day care? This was something I personally needed to consider, as I spend time working away from home and my Mum is my day care option. So as much as I wanted an another Dalmatian after losing Roxy, I knew my mum - who is getting on in years - would struggle to cope with one. So instead I decided on Shih Tzu x Cavalier - perfect for cuddling on the sofa and easy to exercise. I’ll revisit the addition of Dally in the future when the work life balance is in favour of it. 

Where you live will also have impact on what breed to go for. If you live in a one bed top floor flat in a city, a Great Dane probably isn’t the right choice - you can see where I’m going this. 

Once you’ve picked the breed, the next thing you need to do is research the health issues associated with breed and if they can be screened for it. On that note always ask to see the certification attached to the sire and dam. My next blog will discuss top tips for choosing a breeder and buying a puppy. 

So to help on your journey to finding the right dog for you, here’s my top tips:

1. Write a list of the breeds you’d like to learn more about them. Then head over to the kennel club website, there you will find all the breed characteristics and links to breed clubs. 

2. Visit breed shows, spend the day watching the dogs and chat to the experts. They’ll be more than happy to tell you the pros and cons of their breed and could always point you in the right direction for a good, responsible breeder. 

3. Breed specific Facebook pages, use with caution, they can be a good source of information but they'll be lots of varying opinions but overall you’ll get a good idea about health issues if nothing else. 

4. Spreadsheets! I love a good spreadsheet, and what’s useful to do before buying a puppy is work out all the costs associated with the puppy and include possible costs for old age. It’s always good to be prepared. 

If you have any questions about any dog breeds or any aspect of dog training please do get in touch, I'll give you the benefit of my experience.