The question I get asked the most by prospective dog owners is “Which breed of dog is best for me?” or “Are Staffy’s smart?”, “Are Mastiff’s aggressive?” “Are Jack Russells Crazy?”

Now, before I answer these seat tightening questions, I want all future dog owners (or multiple dog owners) to do me a HUGE favor. First, take a deep breath. Now, put your breed stereotypes on the shelf, tuck your rescue dog horror stories under the stairs, and wrap your sunny pup ideals in the shiny wrapping paper they came in.

Now that you’ve got your investigative helmet on, I can take you through my crash course in “Choosing Your New Best Friend.”

Now be honest with yourself. If this is your first dog (and that means it’s the first time you’ve been solely responsible for a dog), you should work even harder to prepare for this than someone who has a bit of hands-on experience. Now, don’t think that every past dog owner can ride the ignorance train to dog ownership, you should also do your research and learn how to prevent any of the mistakes you made with your last dog. (Superdog owners beware. If you put little effort into training your last dog and it turned out to be a superstar, remember that doesn’t make you the next Victoria Stilwell, you just got lucky.) You may also want to look for a dog that is “easy going”, with low to medium energy levels, consider an older rescue dog that has been living in a foster home for at least a month.

I won’t pretend that you’re not all thinking, “but, but, but… I’ve dreamed of raising my own puppy ever since I was a little kid.” So here are some tips for choosing the right puppy for you:

  • DO NOT buy your puppy from a pet store unless you support the manufacturing of puppies in puppy mills/farms where animals are mistreated, raised, and disposed of when no longer needed. You also likely have a puppy that has been potty trained where he sleeps and eats and you may never be able to train him (due to altering his natural instincts to be hygienic). Disease is another big factor in pet store puppies, genetic mutation, and the fact that your dog rarely grows up to be the dog promised on the window tag.
  • Look for a reputable breeder. Ask a ton of questions and if there are any signs of deception, run a mile.
  • Only buy from a breeder that allows you to see the puppies yourself and at least the mother, if not both parents.
  • A good breeder will keep the puppies at home getting them used to human life (not locked in the garage or laundry room).
  • When choosing a pup from the litter, watch how they interact with each other. Look at the different energy levels. If you are a new dog owner, relatively inactive, or not committed to super levels of training (one that will challenge your dog beyond basic training), choose the pup that is most relaxed, not the one that jumps everywhere. you and the other pups.
  • On the other hand, watch out for the cute little “little guy” in the corner who seems shy and withdrawn. These dwarfs are not treated well by the rest of the litter and can become anxious, very fearful and antisocial. If you have little knowledge of dog behavior, don’t feel sorry for this dog and think that you are saving it.

Now, as promised, here are my two hundred races. Breeds can be an indicator of how a dog will behave when he gets older. One example is that, when in distress, we can predict that a Malamute can howl where a Maltese terrier can bark. Genetics plays only part of the puzzle here, so ensuring that your dog has been living in a socially rich environment (being positively exposed to a multitude of strange people, places, sounds, sights and smells) is VERY MUCH in my opinion. more important than a dog’s genetic makeup. That being said, we all have a soft spot on our chest that attracts us to certain breeds. My chest clenches every time I see a Doberman gliding through the dog park like a cheeky gazelle, no other dog dares steal its squeaky toy.

That being said, I wasn’t so blindsided by my squish that I went out and bought myself a Doberman puppy. I knew that work commitments and living situations would be better suited to a smaller, older, less energetic rescue dog. Now, whatever path your squish takes you, the best way to understand a breed is to talk to breed owners, visit breeders and shows, and meet as many dogs as you can. Also, beware of idealistic blurbs on Breed Specific websites and books that may have you pulling your stereotypes off that shelf.

When choosing a breed, you want to look at a few main points:

  • Energy levels: how active are you right now and how active is the average dog of that breed? These must match or the dog must be less active than you.
  • Sociability: Dogs that are genetically less likely to be social (get along well with other humans and strange dogs) need more socialization as puppies. A normal puppy needs to have a positive interaction with at least 100 strangers (including many men and boys) by 14 weeks of age (before they can safely leave the house due to vaccination issues). Guard breeds and other “distant” breeds will need even more effort in this department. An antisocial dog is an insecure dog and cannot safely interact with other dogs, strangers, and ESPECIALLY children. Antisocial behavior includes withdrawing, hiding, growling, barking, and other signs of fear or uncertainty around strange people, places, and dogs. Ask yourself honestly, how much time and experience do I have in this area?
  • Intelligence/trainability: I noticed that one of the most popular dog breeds in Australia is the Labrador, often chosen for its trainability. What most people don’t realize is that with this intelligence comes an enormous responsibility to challenge the mind. Or, you’ll end up with a dog that gets bored easily and finds its own satisfying activities (barking, digging, raiding the fridge). High intelligence usually comes with high energy (to result in high learning ability)
  • Grooming Needs – Do you really have time to brush your dog every day? Or are you willing to pay weekly and 2 monthly grooming costs?
  • Size – This is last on my list because I think it is less important since all other factors have been handled correctly. Of course, a large runaway dog ​​will be much more difficult to handle than a small one. I don’t think big dogs can’t live in smaller places, as long as extra effort is put into daily outings and plenty of off-leash play time is allowed outside of the house. Who do you think is happy? A large dog in an apartment that gets 2 daily walks and 45 minutes of free time to play with other dogs in the park, or a small dog in a large house that sleeps in the living room 20 hours a day and has free time in the yard rear. to play alone?

And remember, within each breed and within each litter there are great variations in all of the above factors.

I will not delve into the world of rescue dogs here as I could go on forever. For more information or any questions, please visit my website. I will say that anyone kind enough to rescue a dog in this ugly world makes my chest drop. If the fact that you saved the life of an innocent animal isn’t enough to convince you, consider the following:

  • You can visibly see how a rescue dog acts and looks (as opposed to a pup that hasn’t shown its true colors yet)
  • You can submit your current pets to test compatibility.
  • You can take your new friend for a test drive, and most salvages allow a return policy if things don’t work out.
  • You can see any health problem with your own eyes.

So now you’ve come to the end of your crash course in “How to Choose the Right Dog or Puppy for You.” I hope you’ll put your prejudices and doggy ideals back where you stored them and continue your research into one of the most important decisions you’ll ever make for yourself and your family. And remember, even the ugliest and wildest dog can be a wonderful pet, and even the prettiest and most obedient dog can turn into a nightmare!

If you are ever unsure of the choice you are making, I advise you to seek the guidance of a professional dog trainer/behaviourist.

For a free breeder quiz visit my website.