Don’t Blame the Breed

Many pet owners buy the wrong dog, for the wrong reasons, only to end up with a long-term commitment to an animal that doesn’t suit their lifestyle. Parents may finally give in to their children’s begging and buy a cute fluffy puppy, only to find themselves struggling to cope with the daily demands of an over excitable animal in the house.

While owning a dog can bring a lot of joy and benefits to a household, the choice of dog is crucial in creating a happy relationship between pet and owners. Too many times dogs end up homeless or abandoned because their owners couldn’t handle their behavioural problems. The irony is that many of these perceived ‘problems’ may be simply the natural behaviour for that breed. Terriers bark, Bostons lick, Beagles dig, Huskies pull at the lead. While these issues can be dealt with through proper training, it is important to understand and accept that they are hard-wired into the dog, and that a lot of effort and patience will be required to alter their natural behaviour. Every breed is different, and each comes with its own behavioural patterns both good and bad. Good knowledge of the breed is the key to identifying, preventing and solving behavioural issues.

There are many factors that you should take into consideration when deciding on which dog to buy or adopt. How much space do you have in your home? Size matters! While you may love Great Danes, you need to ask yourself if they will have enough space to co-exist peacefully (and safely) with you and your family, without anyone needing to step over coffee tables or squeeze around bookcases to move around the house. What type of garden do you have? If you are a keen gardener you will not want to choose a breed whose natural instinct to dig will destroy your prize-winning Dahlias. Do you want a dog for protection or as a quiet pet? If you live in a busy area and don’t want a noisy dog, then you may want to avoid territorial breeds such as Terriers.

Consider how much time you want to actively spend with your dog. If you are looking for a dog to keep you company and curl up at your feet while you catch up on your favourite series on TV, then a dog with a large amount of energy such as a Boxer is not a good choice. On the other hand, if you are looking for a dog to take for long hikes through the countryside, then you will need a breed with stamina and a good muscular and respiratory system to keep up. If you dream of participating in dog shows, and training your dog to bring your paper to you, then you will have a lot more fun with an intelligent breed such as a Border Collie, while you could be tearing your hair out with a breed such as a Samoyed.

Before racing out to the pet store and picking up the cutest pup available, spend time doing some research. There are plenty of good websites and books available that can explain the personality of each breed and help you to choose a good fit for your home. While you will still be responsible for basic training of your dog, your job will be a lot easier if you are not fighting against a dog’s natural instincts.