What is the Best Breed of Dog for You?

The breed of dog that you admire from a distance maybe not the right choice for you as a dog owner. Often your surroundings and lifestyle dictate which breed of dog would be a good match for you.

Dog breeds were originally developed to serve a purpose such as retrieving a duck that has been shot down by a hunter or herding a flock of sheep. Working dog breed are not restricted to the larger breeds of dog, even the smaller dog breeds had jobs. Contrary to popular belief not all toy dog breeds were developed to be just companion animals. Some of those smaller breeds were developed to hunt rats or chase prey right into the prey's den and then dispatch the animal. That is probably one of the main reasons people are shocked when they find out that small dogs can be nippy.

So how do you go about figuring out which dog breed would be a good match for you? There are over 200 major dog breeds in the USA. There are even more than that world wide. First go to American Kennel Club website at AKC.org and pick out at least 5 dog breeds that interest you. Next decide how much time you will have each day to devote to your dog's exercise. What type of activity level will you be willing to devote to your dog? Will it be just a casual walk around the block, a vigorous 3 mile jog or a trip to the local lake so the dog can go for a swim? After you have decided on the amount and level of daily activity you are willing to devote to your dog you can then study each of the dog breeds you have decided on and gauge how well they would fit in. Hunting and working breed dogs will require the higher activity levels than most dogs. If you love to go swimming or boating then pick a dog breed that is noted as loving water. If you have other pets in the house that are not dogs it would be best to stay away from breeds that are expected to hunt. Terrier breeds are among some of the best rodent hunting breeds in the world. The sledding dog breeds love to run and will not do well in a small backyard without a daily workout of running. The small Jack Russells are noted for running and digging and get bored easily.

After sorting through your 5 picked dog breeds for activity level demands next check out the dog breeds for grooming requirements. Short hair breeds will require much less daily care than a long or thick coated dog. Dogs with light colored coats will be prone to staining, especially around the eyes. There are of course many breeds of dogs that have high maintenance grooming demands. As a former owner of Chow Chows I can vouch for the high grooming demands of very full coated dogs. Although I love the breed and had them for over 15 years I would not return to them because of their grooming demands. Some dog breeds require a professional dog groomer for clipping or stripping out the coat. If you are interested in a dog that requires a dog groomer you will want to set up a monthly budget for it.

After those 2 steps you should have narrowed your dog breed choices down to at least 2 breeds. At this point you should go out and met the breeds that interest you in person. Find a few dog shows in your area and talk to the dog handlers and owners. The AKC website lists dog shows so you can check there first.

Enjoy you search for the best breed for you. Take your time. After all, you don't want to rush into getting the wrong breed of dog and have your life turned upside down because of it.