Which dog breeds are the best pet for you?
Here are some recommendations given by the American Kennel Club:
Apartment dwellers may want to consider adopting a Bulldog, Shih Tzu, Maltese, or Pug
A family may want to consider adopting a Labrador Retriever, Golden Retriever, Beagle, or Collie
If you want a guard dog perhaps consider adopting a Doberman Pinscher, Rottweiler, German Shepherd, or Rhodesian Ridgeback
For a good children’s dog consider adopting a Golden Retriever, Labrador Retriever, Newfoundland, or Bulldog
If you need a hypoallergenic dog consider adopting a Poodle, Maltese, Irish Water Spaniel, or Bichon Frise
Especially smart dogs, easy to train, look at adopting a Golden Retriever, Poodle, German Shepherd, or Labrador Retriever
To find a completely hairless dog consider adopting a Peruvian Inca Orchid or American Hairless Terrier
If you have special needs and want to train a dog for epilepsy, PTSD, suicidal tendencies, blind leading, anxiety, or therapy consider selecting a Golden Retriever (English creams are even calmer!), Poodle, Great Pyrenees, or Yorkshire Terrier
This is not a complete list! If you have a high-energy family that loves to hike, run, and play sports then you will want a high-energy dog. If you don’t have much of a yard and live a more sedentary life, then you want a calmer dog that will want to just lay around with you. Every dog has a unique personality. Some dogs, such as chihuahuas and rottweilers, connect well with one person only while other dogs, such as labs and golden retrievers, love everyone in sight. Consider your family size, activity level, and ability to meet that particular dog’s needs.
After evaluating your lifestyle and family situation, if you are still unsure about which breed is the right one for you then you may want to visit the AKC breed selector test to help you narrow the choices. Whatever you decide, you want a dog that will be a forever companion and not a temporary resident. Puppies are not a rent-to-own possession where you can just return the merchandise if it doesn’t match up to your expectations. Therefore, take time to figure out your match first and commit before purchase.
The one thing you want to avoid is going to a puppy store or local breeder just to look. You will fall in love with a cute face guaranteed! When the puppy grows up into a dog that doesn’t fit your lifestyle, neither you nor the dog will be happy. Do the research first! Decide on a few breeds that can fit into your life, then go shopping.
Once you have selected the breeds that will fit your life the best, and there will most likely be more than one, find a reputable breeder. Puppy stores that house the puppies together are not ideal places to find a puppy. This is not a natural setting for a dog and not where you want your puppy to originate.
Instead, find breeders that include the dogs in their lives. They should have a home that mirrors the kind of home you hope to create for your new adopted member. How the puppy starts does affect how the puppy grows. While picking a puppy randomly can be succ
essful, selecting a puppy carefully will be a better guarantee to have the type of dog in the end that will bring you the most joy.
For more suggestions on puppy selection, read my articles of puppy personality tests here.
