Choosing a Dog
You should decide what kind of dog will best meet your requirements. You may want to choose a cross-breed, designer or pure-bred dog. For detailed information on choosing and training a dog see our in-depth report on "Choosing and Training your Dog"
Choosing a Designer Dog
If want to choose a designer dog such as a Puggle or Labradoodle, then you have to decide whether you want a first generation or a multi-generational dog. The first generation Puggle will have some random combination of its breeding parents, a Pug and a Miniature Poodle, breed characteristics. A multi-generational designer dog will generally breed true and it will look like its breeding parents. A good example of a designer breed that is breeding true is the Australian Labradoodle. For more information on choosing a designer dog, see our section on Choosing a Designer Dog in "Choosing and Training your Dog".
Choosing a Family Dog
Most people who want a family dog go out and choose the cutest dog available at a reasonable price. They do not take into account the age of their children and the activities the family enjoys. Small children and toddlers are not compatible with the toy dog breeds. They are too rough and may injure the small toy breeds. If you want to choose a family dog that gets along well with small children then look at Family dog breeds that should do well with children. If both parents work during the day and the children are at school then you should look for Dog breeds that might adapt to being left home alone during the day. If someone in the family is allergic to dogs then you probably should look for
Hypoallergenic dogs or non shedding dogs. Some families are very active and like to go running, biking and swimming. They should be trying to choose a family dog with a higher activity level rating. Information on size, grooming, exercise, living space, tolerance to children, tolerance to strangers and health concerns is available in our Directory of Breed of Dogs and in our E-book "Choosing and Training your Dog".
Choosing a Puppy
1. Use our Directory of Breed of Dogs to choose the dog breed that will best meet your lifestyle. Do you want a dog that: gets along well with children; is a low-shed dog breed that is good for someone with allergies; is a low activity small dog; or is easy to groom? See our detailed information on choosing a puppy contained in "Choosing and Training your Dog".
2. Select a breeder who is knowledgeable about the breed and has raised several litters of pups. Don’t buy from a puppy mill or pet store.
3. Find a breeder who has shown his dogs at a national kennel club conformation dog show which indicates his bloodlines are meeting the conformation standards for that breed. You can frequently find such a breeder at a dog show.
4. Choose a breeder that cares about his dogs as pets and companions and breeds for good health and temperament and not just for conformation.
5. Select a breeder that has his breeding stock certified against common hereditary genetic defects that are common to that breed. For example if a particular breed of dog commonly has both eye disorders and orthopedic disorders, then a breeder should provide results of the breeding parents Orthopedic Foundation for Animals (OFA) and Canine Eye Registration Foundation for Animals (CERF) examinations.
6. Select a breeder where the environment and the animals appear clean and well looked after.
7. When choosing a puppy from a litter, the puppy should feel solid and heavy with sturdy legs.
8. The puppy should show no outward signs of inflammation or infection indicated by unpleasant smells or redness.
9. The puppy’s coat should be glossy but not oily and there should be no indication of redness or discharge from the eyes, ears or anal area.
10. Choose a puppy with a calm temperament. Pick up each litter mate and handle and play with them. Try and choose a puppy that is neither too shy nor too aggressive. Find the average puppy in the litter.
11. If you want to enter your dog in conformation shows, then ask your breeder to help you select the puppy that best meets the breed standard.
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Articles
Choosing the Dog Breed For You
You should decide what kind of dog will best meet your requirements. You may want to choose a cross-breed, designer or pure-bred dog...
Hereditary Diseases in Dogs
An article on hereditary dog diseases that lists common health problems and the breeds that commonly inherit them.
Top 10 Toy Dog Breeds
The Toy Group includes most of the very small and miniature lap dogs and apartment-sized companion dog breeds. Toy dogs play a critical role in the lives of people that live alone and their presence can have beneficial effects on the health of the sick, the elderly and the housebound. Toys are popular companion dogs for people living in cities and adapt well to apartment life.
Top 10 Terrier Dog Breeds
The Terrier Group includes those small but lively terrier breeds that were developed (mainly in Great Britain) to hunt small burrowing animals such as badgers, foxes, otters, rabbits and rats.
Top 10 Hound Dog Breeds
The Hound Group includes dog breeds with a wonderful sense of smell and/or great athleticism. These breeds were developed to follow game either by sight or by smell.
How Dogs Can Help Teach Your Children Responsibility
Owning a dog is a great way to engage your kids in the process of responsibility. Teaching your children to be responsible is probably one of the most important aspects of being a parent. And why not have a little help in this department with the assistance of a brand-new puppy?
Making A long Road Trip More Comfortable For Your Dog
If your road trip is going to be a long one then you need to take a few extra steps to plan accordingly and ensure that you and your puppy get to your destination safe and happy. Here are a few suggestions that can help...
Xoloitzcuintli Dog Breed
The Xolo is one of the world’s oldest and rarest breeds. Statues and effigies dating back more than 3,000 years have been found in Mayan tombs. Xolos were valued for their loyalty, companionship and intelligence as well as their curative and mystical powers.
Our List of Dog Breeds
A list of over 110 Dog breeds and growing.
Additional Content
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