A Guide to Choosing a Suitable Dog - one to fit your lifestyle

Choosing a Suitable Dog -
One that Fits Your Lifestyle

Choosing a suitable Dog? Large or small - active or couch potato - longhaired or short - we’ll help you find the perfect one!

Our Dog Cassie, with her little friend, Lucky

Dog ownership is not to be taken lightly. If you are at all concerned that this may not be the right option for you - I would strongly discourage you from going any further without thoroughly researching and investigating all the pros and cons on choosing a suitable dog(and believe me there are many!) first.

On this page you will find helpful advice and information on -

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Also do not miss the other useful articles available to you – check out the links at the bottom of this page for free information and help with all your pet queries and concerns.

What Kind of Dog Will Best Fit my Family?

Choosing a suitable dog for your family is a major decision and there are ALL SORTS OF things to consider. Will a dog fit with your lifestyle? Will you have the patience to deal with rehoming a mature dog? Or would a puppy be best for your family? Even if you have decided to go the puppy route - do remember that cute little bundle of fur could easily out-weigh you in a year's time!

Will a large dog be best - or a small one? Do you have children? Do you have other pets? Choosing a suitable dog raises so many questions to consider.

However please, please do take the time to find out all about keeping dogs. Choosing a suitable dog is so important. They are the best companions and make wonderful family pets ........ if you get your sums right!

Making the wrong choices results in heartbreak for yourself and your family - and another unhappy or abandoned dog. But the very fact that you're here shows that you care - and we want to help make choosing a suitable dog as easy as possible for you so that life with your dog is as amazing an experience for you as it has been for us.

You will find this and the following pages crammed choc full of information to help you in choosing a suitable dog - please do use the contact form to get in touch if there is anything at all that we have not covered!

Choosing a Suitable Dog - What TYPE of Dog Should I Choose?

The type of dog that will fit in with your family largely depends on the type of family you are.

Are you the outdoors type?

Do you get plenty of exercise?

Do you have a large house or area where you dog can live comfortably?

If the answer to all these questions isyes - you will probably be quite happy with a medium to large, active dog which can join in all your fun. Do remember though that the larger the dog, the larger your food and vet bills are going to be too!

If you lead a more sedate lifestyle, a smaller dog would be more suitable.

However, when thinking of choosing a suitable dog, there are always exceptions. For example, the German Shepherd is quite happy to live in a flat or apartment providing she has fairly regular exercise and a great deal of mental stimulation.

Or, you could compromise by settling for a big dog in a small dog's body! - something like the Scottish Terrier comes to mind. They have the noble temperament and intelligence of the big dog, but they come in a delightfully compact package of fun and character!

Recommended Reading

Dog breeds are as different from each other as night from day - check out our dog profiles at Dog Breeds, where you will find unbiased information on the most popular breeds, their suitablity to family life, exercise requirements, life span and more

A short article that I would recommend you read is Shannon Emmanuel's e-book on Choosing the Best Dog for my Family. Shannon has researched the subject thoroughly and priced reasonably, this book is well worth the cost involved.

It will help you avoid the much greater emotional cost of making the wrong decision. Reading Shannon's book on choosing a suitable dog for your family will certainly help you with this process.

OR - click on the links below for totally free information on particular breeds. 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 sould 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.

Do remember to bookmark this site for future reference as you will find it is crammed full of invaluable help and advice on choosing a suitable dog and ALL SORTS of other doggie related matters!

You will feel just so much more in control and confident of not only choosing a suitable dog - but also making a huge success of your lives together later.

Other Factors to Consider

Before you make up your mind regarding the breed or type of dog you plan on getting, you also need to consider the dog's grooming needs - ie: shorthaired or longhaired dogs?

If you go for a longer haired breed, you will need to factor in the additional cost of professional grooming - though you could learn to do this yourself. Yet another thing that bears careful consideration when choosing a suitable dog, is the cost of looking after a dog.

More dogs than you can care to think of end up in a dog shelter or worse still on doggy death row simply because their owner had not forseen the cost implications.

Not only do you have the usual expenses such as beds, food, vet bills, annual vaccinations, insurance and things like that. You also need to take into consideration the care of your pet while you're away on holiday and emergency medical costs (these can cost a BOMB!)

Well ---- you can see how quickly the costs can add up. I've not included things like stair gates, pet proofing your home, etc. If these costs put you off getting a dog - so be it. You are so much better off having discovered this now. As we have always said - we want you to make an educated decision.

And, Last but Not Least - What Type are You?!

Well ...... choosing a suitable dog largely depends on your own personality. After all, it's no point considering a dog which is the life and soul of the party if you're the retiring type, is there? Nor is it much fun choosing a dog which "grows up" fast and becomes all dignified - when what you thrive on is regular rough-and-tumble, either!

Also, only choose a dog like a boxer if you have the patience of a saint - they are so intelligent they play tricks on you! You're much better of with a labrador if you want an orderly life - though they are notorious for chewing things till quite late into their adolescent years.

So do your research at this stage - there is a lot to be considered when choosing a suitable dog. Read the recommended material and you'll find yourself a dog which will settle into your lifestyle so comfortably, you wont remember a day when he wasn't there! You'll be so pleased that you're taking the time to consider all these important questions properly. We are committed to helping you in choosing a suitable dog and in making the best decision for yourself, your family AND the beautiful four legged addition to your family.

Click on the links below to go to pages brimming over with important information to help you along this journey of discovery in choosing a suitable dog........

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