Dog A-Z > C > Choosing a dog

Choosing a dog

Okay, so you can have a dog, but which one? Which breed, what size, age, sex or type of temperament? What about their mental and physical requirements? There are so many things to consider that it can all be very confusing!

Should you get a puppy or an adult dog? There are pros and cons for either.

• Puppies need a lot of time over the first year or so for socialisation and training. There’s a lot of mess involved and you have to go through teething, chewing and the terrible teens when puberty hits. However, you do get a ‘blank canvas’ and can bring the puppy up to fit in with your own lifestyle, family (human and animal) and surroundings. Yes, puppies are cute and appealing – nature made them that way so that their mothers (and us at a later stage) want to look after them, but if you get it wrong you could end up with a doggy disaster on your hands. If you’re prepared to put in the groundwork than a puppy could be for you.

• Adults have been through the tricky stages and if someone else has brought him up well, he’ll be a joy without all of that hard work. Of course, an adult dog may come with some bad habits or behaviour problems, but you should be aware of these before taking him on and most can be worked on and improved with time and firm but fair training.

You may already have your heart set on a dog that you’ve seen in a book or on television, but so that you aren’t completely swayed just by the looks of a breed, try to visit an organised event such as the Kennel Club’s annual Discover Dogs or a local dog show to meet the breed you are interested in. Talk to the owners and find out what they’re really like to live with. Dogs such as Dalmatians, Border Collies and Labradors look lovely, cuddly, intelligent and well behaved on TV or in films, but as working dogs, it takes a lot of hard work, exercising and training to get them that way!

All dogs have their own character and even individual dogs within a breed can be very different from each other. However, in general, this is what the breed types are like.

Hounds

Gundogs

Terriers

Utility breeds

Working breeds

Pastoral breeds

Toy breeds

Crossbreeds and mongrels

Choosing a dog or puppy from a Rehoming Centre

Buying a dog or puppy from a breeder


Remember that a dog of any breed or type can make a great family pet as long as it has a proper upbringing with plenty of socialisation, adequate training and is treated with the love and respect it deserves. Alternatively, an individual of a traditionally ‘good family breed’ that has been bred poorly with little or no socialisation may not make a very good pet at all.