We’ve all been guilty of saying “AW!! How cute! I want one!”
As momma said, “Beauty is only skin deep”, this goes for choosing a canine (and even feline) companion as well. While the doggy in the window is adorable it might not fit your lifestyle. It’s important to be mindful of the breed’s disposition and be honest with your lifestyle, will the two make a good match. Too often we end up seeing thousands of dogs each year being rehomed because they’re tearing up the couch, shedding too much or just outgrew their surroundings. These are all easily avoidable with research before committing to 10-15years of a dog’s life.
The Lifestyle
We’ve seen the darling dane puppy that is all feet, bounding right into our hearts, but let’s be honest this dog would not be comfortable in a small one bedroom apartment setting. The lack of room to move around and let off steam could result in the pup becoming board and start to damage property to relieve its own lack of stimulation. An active individual that hikes regularly wouldn’t do well with a Brachycephalic breed such as an English Bulldog, French Bulldog, Pug etc. The strenuous activity and potential hot temperatures on top of that could be catastrophic opening the way to respiratory distress and potentially death.
The Household
Other factors need to be taken into account, like occupants of the current household. The adorable Husky, a ball of fluff, more than likely won’t be BFFs with your cat. These dogs are known for their high prey drive and pretty well known for not liking kitty-cats. Some breeds, even if raised with kids, aren’t ideal child companions like Daschunds. Their long back make them prone to back injury and a rambunxious toddler could do a lot of damage, the same thing with Chihuahuas and their tiny bones. Chihuahuas and Yorkshire Terriers can break bones just by jumping off the couch, imagine the damage a child could do without meaning to. These small breeds easily feel threatened by children and thus jump to protecting themselves which could lead to a nip, or worse, a bite. It’s just not an ideal mix to mingle toy breeds and children.
Your best place to start is the breed club for the breed you’re interested in. They supply a lot of valuable information on their website and if you’re still interested, after reading all that information they can answer any lingering questions you may have. Then once you have officially decided that this breed will fit with your lifestyle and household they can even provide a list of reputable breeders to ensure your pup is with you for many years to come.
Remember not all breeds are recognized by the American Kennel Club so if you’ve found a breed that you’re interested in start with a google search “[Breed Name] Breed Club”. (example: Rat Terrier Breed Club)