Choosing a suitable dog breed - get it right and you’re half way there!

Choosing a Suitable Dog Breed
Why is this so Important?
Read on ……….!

When choosing a suitable dog breed, you need to be really, really careful about what you choose for your family.

To name but a few factors, the breed of a dog influences its temperament, its intelligence, its tolerance for children, its playfulness, its energy levels and its longevity.

Don't think of taking any short-cuts at this stage - a dog's breed is probably one of the strongest deciding factors in what kind of dog you will end up with.

Common Errors When Choosing A Suitable Dog Breed

Too many times we make the mistake of choosing a particular breed simply because it currently is “in fashion”. Just to quote one example, the film 101 Dalmations accounted for dalmations seeing a huge surge in popularity.

This also accounted for 1000s of dalmations eventually being abandoned in shelters and on road sides, once their owners found they are almost hyperactive dogs, needing tons and tons of exercise to use up their excessive energy simply to keep them from being destructive out of pure boredom.

Now, a dalmation would make the ideal dog for someone who is intent on choosing a dog breed with high energy levels. However, parents with a young family, who bought their dalmation puppy because he looked so cute in the movie – face an absolute nightmare and cannot cope with the demands of this rapidly growing dog.

It’s a mistake the best of us can make and the only way to avoid it is information, experience ...... and more information, which is why you’re in the right place!

In these pages we will provide you with the perfect blend of information and personal experience - so your learning curve when choosing a suitable dog breed is decidedly less daunting!

Confused? Well - to put it quite simply - dog breeds differ in their individual characteristics as much as they do in looks. And - a mistake in choosing a suitable dog breed leads to a great deal of confusion, both for you and the dog. We know - because we’ve been down that road before! Let me confess!!

Our Little Excursion Off The Beaten Track!

Well, I have never known life without dogs. I was born into a family of dog breeders and dog trainers. Choosing a suitable dog breed has never been an issue for us because we only ever had German Shepherds.

Though I would not recommend a German Shepherd for first-time dog owners (they are extremely intelligent, with forceful natures thus needing confident and strong handling), a well bred and trained German Shepherd is a faithful companion and a gentle giant who is a heart warming addition to the home.

She is dignified and intelligent, intuitive and eager to please. (You can tell I love German Shepherds, can't you!)

However, we found ourselves wanting to add a boxer to our family. Being utterly confident in our dog handling capabilities, the finer points of choosing a suitable dog breed never entered our heads and off we went to bring home the most handsome 8 week thorough bred boxer boy.

Life Was Never The Same Again!

Try as we might to get him to do what we wanted him to, Chief (as he came to be known) happily continued to do exactly what he wanted to! We could not understand it - we were respected dog trainers ...... it was Chief’s fault ...... he had to be a bad dog.

Thankfully, through our experience with dogs, we knew there is very rarely any such thing as a bad dog - it was usually bad handling. Well, we knew we had to find some information and find it fast!

We spoke to Chief’s breeder who recommended a great book on Boxers. We devoured this cover to cover and it all made so much sense. Boxers are as different to German Shepherds as night is to day - and Chief and been trying to tell us exactly this all along!

Armed with our new knowledge, we did eventually get a happy, healthy relationship established with our beautiful, intelligent, affectionate, life and soul of the party boxer - however, we did decide we’d not ask him to sign up for the obedience regime which our German Shepherds thrived on ...... horses for courses and all that!

Well, we made the mistake of not paying enough importance to choosing a suitable dog breed - now you can learn from our experience and keep your stress levels down!

Recommended Viewing

We have carefully researched this subject and in our section on Dog Breeds we have provided you with profiles on some of the most popular dog breeds - thus enabling you in choosing a suitable dog breed. These go into some depth about an individual breed's health issues, training requirements, exercise requirements and suitability with children and other pets so you can see how widely dogs’ needs differ from breed to breed, and how much attention you need to pay to details when choosing a suitable dog breed.

Or you can click on the links below for totally free information on the particular breed you are interested in. These sites belong to people (not faceless organizations) who are passionately committed to their dogs and who share my views completely in relation to the seriousness with which we should approach the responsibility of dog ownership.

Labrador Retrievers - Labradors are great dogs and here at All-About-Labradors.com Mel and her team are dedicated to bring you and Labrador lovers all over the world the very best and latest information.

Standard Poodles - Poodles have been the love of Sandra's life for years and years - and here at StandardPoodlesUSA.com, Sandra and her team have ensured you will find everything you need and want to know about this wonderful breed.

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Click here to subscribe to our FREE monthly magazine Paws Here!. This great little magazine is crammed full of the latest useful information and interesting products – you’ll love it!

In addition to choosing a suitable dog breed, two other topics you need to consider carefully, are – Your Children and A New Dog and – Other Pets and a New Dog.

Click on the links below to find more invaluable information - all free - on these and other subjects which we have carefully researched for you – to make your experience with dogs as enjoyable (and as interesting!) as ours has always been.

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