There are several points to consider whenever you are choosing a dog for you or your family. You want to match your new pet to you and/or your family and to your overall needs as closely as possible. Please, never get a dog on impulse. With any luck you're choosing a pet that is likely to be with you 8 to 15 years. Select the right dog, and you will both enjoy those years.
If you don't take the time to plan a bit ahead of time right now, you may regret it in the future. This is one of the main reasons that shelters are so full of unwanted pets today - and one thing that could easily be avoided. I always urge people to look for a rescue group or reputable breeder when choosing a dog and to avoid getting a dog at a pet store.
This decision alone can be overwhelming. The selection of available dog types is simply amazing. Did you know the dog comes in more than 400 different breeds? There is more variation in dogs than in any other species. Dogs can come in all shapes, sizes, coat types and personalities.
Your job is to find the perfect dog breed that fits both your personality and your lifestyle. So, here is a list of things, in no particular order, that you'll want to take into consideration when deciding on whether or not you should get a dog in the first place.
1) Why do you want a dog in the first place? Do you simply want a companion, a dog for protection purposes, a dog to participate in sports activities with, or some other reason? Again, you must research the breeds carefully. Example: if you want a dog that can be trained to duck hunt with you then a Corgi may not be the right breed for you.
2) Do you want a purebred or mixed breed dog? Unfortunately, many animal shelters and dog rescue organizations will have plenty of each. The main difference between purebreds or mixed breeds is that with the pure breeds you will have a much better chance of knowing how big he'll be once he reaches adulthood and what basic physical and behavioral characteristics he will probably have.
3) Learn all you can about the different individual dog breeds: visit local dog shows if possible to see many different dog breeds in one location, speak with groomers, dog breeders and your veterinarian. They can all offer you more insight into various dog breeds - the pros and cons of each and may better help you decide on a few dog breeds that you may be really interested in.
4) Are you an experienced dog owner or is this your first dog ever? There are many dog breeds that are not appropriate for a first time owner. Knowing all you can about the breed and what the breed was originally bred to do (it's original job) is a big step in understanding the dog and what you could possibly expect from it.
5) What is your lifestyle? Are you sedentary or are you very active? Some dog breeds require a lot of daily exercise � both physical and mental. A half hour walk given to a Basset Hound is no where near enough exercise for an Australian Shepherd. Researching many dog breeds thoroughly before getting one is truly essential.
6) Can you properly house your new dog? Dogs are very social animals and your new dog should really be part of your family pack - they really do better when they are a real part of the family. And the best place for your new dog is in your home with you. You should also have a securely fenced area for your dog to exercise in. Having your dog chained in the back yard is not proper housing and is also very cruel. Which brings up a new issue.....
7) How much time can you really devote to your new dog each day? Can you really commit to the dog for it's entire life? What if you have to move? Add another child to your family? If you have children, are you willing to teach the children to peacefully co-exist with the dog? If you can't devote time to raising the dog, making sure it is socialized and well trained for the rest of it's life, then please, do not get one.
8) Puppy or adult dog? Keep in mind, puppies require a lot more work than adult dogs overall. You will have to schedule additional time for puppy classes, training, socialization, and many other activities. Remember, these are babies. House training and teething are just a few of the things you'll have to go through with a puppy, but not necessarily an adult dog. Training and learning is a lifetime activity. Attending one obedience class does not make your dog trained.
9) Can you afford to own a dog throughout it's entire life? Getting the puppy or dog is just the beginning. Now comes all the other things you'll need to get: vet checks, leashes, collars, extra toys, all sorts of treats, a crate and other necessary supplies, puppy shots every few weeks, training classes, food (the bigger the dog the more food you'll go through), medical emergencies, etc.
10) What about dog grooming? All dog breeds need some kind of grooming � even the hairless ones! Some breeds require only a few minutes of brushing once a day while others may require professional grooming. It's important to note that all dogs need regular attention to their teeth, ears and nails. Also, all dogs shed - some dog breeds may shed less than others but this is one fact you must accept.
I hope all these steps have gotten you to thinking that adding a dog to your life is no small thing. Impulse buying can often lead to trouble. It's your job as a future dog owner to think about both your life as well as several dog breeds to help decide on which breed is the best possible match for you - BEFORE you bring that new dog home.
Copyright 2007 Debbie Ray. All Rights Reserved.
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Debbie Ray, former teacher and lifelong dog lover, is also owner of http://www.the-website-doctor.com ,
http://www.pedigreedpups.com , http://www.pedigreeddogs.com and http://www.total-german-shepherd.com . Interested in more internet or purebred dog related information? Need to promote your dog related website? Check out my sites for more info.
Dog Day Care Home Business
Dog Day Care home business is booming internationally due to its multitude of facilities provided to the dog owners who do not find time to groom or walk their dogs and have difficulties while traveling as well as providing home security, picking up mail, newspaper and watering the potted plants. Considering the number of dog owners in the country today, Dog Day Care business is one of the best small business ventures that you can undertake having sufficient clients who will ask to take care of their dogs when they are out. Survey report reveals that this is the best time to start a business in the Pet Care Industry for increased inclination to pets that will thrive even in the coming years.
It is amazing to find that in United States alone there are upwards of 63.2 million individuals who own a pet, or two where roughly 64 million are dogs in the households. This small report is enough to support reason behind the swinging up of Dog Day Care home business. Pet owners throughout the world are mentally at peace and are breathing a sigh of relief at the thought they need not to worry about their dogs when they travel which was a great problem in the past when the owners have to rely on grandparents or relatives and the neighbors to see to the needs of their pets when they had to travel for business, or a family vacation. Due to several other problems some people gave up and simply refused to have an animal. The unbearable scenario that has to be viewed by the dog owners when traveling, or how they behaved after being picked up from a kennel after a week or more away from home persuaded them to come out with an unique idea of a pet care business which spread like a wildfire.
Before starting Dog Day Care home businesses chalk out the recognition of true animal lovers. Though the foundation of your business depends on your love for animals but the success of your business lies in your smart business sense that will keep you maneuvering. You can set up the business for a minimum budget but care should be taken that a budget should be laid out to meet the costs of the outgoing business. Some research work is needed to expand your business. Go for niche and be competitive in your rates. Learn to be people person and cultivate warm and friendly temperament. Get acquainted with each pet and their habits, character and personality. You should also collect history of illnesses, vaccination records, veterinary information, as well as a place to contact the pet owner if needed.
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Exploit Your Dog's Personality Wisely
Exploiting your dog's personality wisely and positively will bring effective results. Harnessing dog's natural tendencies and reinforcing them into proper channels will helpful to modify your training and achieve a happier, healthier bond between you and your pet. As personality varies from dog to dog so is their training.
It is easy to train a Curious dog than an Aggressive dog because curious dogs by nature are inquisitive and love to learn and perform. They are most easily trained by giving them a challenge to work out and once they are trained to focus their attentions then these dogs prove themselves excellent in tracking whereas unlike curious dogs, the Aggressive dog are difficult to tame and are very defensive of its master's belongings. This personality trait of this type of dogs should be reinforced in a positive way that is by teaching the proper outlet for its aggression otherwise there is the risk of finding this dog attacking a neighbor's child for getting too close to the fence.
The Friendly dog are wonderful companions and are amazing when trained for specialized purpose for example visiting hospitals in a pet therapy usage. These doges are easy to handle because they are very obedient and will do anything to please you and to gain your attention and approval. These friendly attitudes need a little bit of modification which involves how to control their over friendly advances as their warm personalities can be a bit overwhelming for some peoples liking.
Patience and Understanding are the key factors to train a Shy or Reclusive dog as well as The Nervous or Easily Frightened dog. Shy dog by nature will always try to stay out of your reach and sight and can be stubborn during the training process but the trainer needs to be patience and understanding. Even the Nervous dog must also be treated carefully with patience because they have worst, abusive and neglecting past records. Therefore it is strictly recommended to avoid using negative reinforcements unless a particular behavior could prove harmful to you, the pet or another individual. Learning the past of the animal and finding what behaviors activate the fear reactions of the animal will help you to work accordingly. Leash training with a lot of rewards for appropriate behavior will help you to establish a healthy relationship with your dog. Trust between you and your dog must be established before you start any training.
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