How to Choose a Dog That's Right for Your Lifestyle

I took a test today for fun. It is supposed to match your personality up with the right dog. According to my results, I should have a dog that craves a calm environment, appreciates my laid back lifestyle, and is somewhat reserved.

None of that fits with the two Chesapeake Bay Retrievers that currently share my couch and bed.

My dogs were definitely not reserved when they first moved in. The first time I left them home alone they chewed up the books, remote, and pencils on the coffee table and the pillow and afghan on the couch. The chew toys, I offered to distract them from the furnishings, lasted no more than five minutes. Even after 11 years, the backyard still has no grass.

It's a good thing for them I didn't take that test 11 years ago. They would not have had the opportunity for a happy home with me. After much adapting, trial and error, we have managed to coexist peacefully.

Fortunately, landscaping and beautiful furnishings are less important to me than my dogs.

On the other hand, I probably would have saved myself a lot of grief if I had taken the time to match my personality to the right dog. Thanks to the internet, it is easier than ever to do that with Iam's Dog Breed Selector, or the Which Dog is Right for You Quiz.

For information about dog breeds, temperament, size, and activity levels check out My Dogs Breed.

The above links should help get you started on the right foot to finding the right dog for you.

According to the Human Society of the United States, one of the things you might want to consider when choosing a dog is whether you want a purebred or a mixed breed. They state that "Mixed breeds offer several advantages that prospective pet owners may fail to consider. For example, when you adopt a mixed breed, you get the benefit of two or more different breeds in one animal. You also get a pet who is less prone to genetic defects common to certain purebred dogs."

Some other questions to ask yourself in determining what kind of dog is right for you might include,

• Are you active? Do you enjoying outdoor activities such as hiking and walking?

• Do you have small children? Are you elderly?

• Do you have pets already?

• How important is a clean, mud free, hair free home to you?

• How about landscaping?

• Are you willing to commit approximately 15 years to loving, and caring for a dog?

In addition to checking out the above websites, go to dog parks, animal shelters, dog breeders, rescue groups, and dog shows to talk to some of the dog owners and handlers.

Dog ownership can be challenging but also very rewarding. There's nothing quite like the bond between dog and human.