How To Choose The Right Dog For You And Your Family
With over 200 breeds, and a larger number of crosses, how do you work out which pup will be right for you? In his book, What Dogs Want, Mat Ward reveals what to think about before adding a new pooch to the family.
With over 200 breeds, and a larger number of crosses, how do you work out which dog will be right for you? In his book, What Dogs Want, Mat Ward reveals what to think about before adding a new pooch to the family.
One thing’s for sure, it’s unlikely you’ll be able to resist adopting the first puppy you visit once those adorable eyes meet yours – so do your research before your heart takes over. Ending up with a working Border Collie in a tiny flat or expecting your miniature dachshund to be a marathon training partner, is not what you or your dog wants!
Do you want pedigree predictability, crossbreed character or mixed-breed magic? An advantage of adopting a pedigree is that you’ll have a good idea of their future physical and behavioural attributes. However, crossbreeds (two crossed pedigrees) and mixed-breeds (mixtures of more) often benefit from hybrid vigour – good health and sharp brains! And some crossbreeds have really fun names like …
Ewokian: Havanese and Pomeranian
Gollie: Golden Retriever and Collie
Havapoo (yes, really): Havanese and Poodle
When choosing a breed, behavioural tendencies are more important than looks. Some breeds, such as terriers, have not been bred to follow human directions. Instead, a terrier’s job has been to head off independently and kill vermin. If you’re after an easily trained, biddable dog, a Jack Russell may not be for you. If you want a dog with character, look no further!
If you have allergies, you may want to consider a breed (or crossbreed) that is less allergenic. Poodle, Bichon Frise and Soft-coated Wheaten Terrier are all good choices. And remember, tiny puppies can grow into huge, powerful adult dogs. Do you have the house and physical strength to manage a mighty giant?
Once you’ve decided on a breed, the next piece of detective work involves where the puppy comes from, which can make a huge difference to their tolerance and sociability in the future. The main things you need to investigate when adopting a puppy are: The puppy’s early experience and the temperaments and health of the puppy’s mum and dad. A puppy that has had a broad range of early experiences will be better set up to cope well with what life may throw at them. If you are able to meet both parents – or at least your potential puppy’s mum – and they are relaxed and friendly, this is a good indication the puppy will develop a similar temperament. if the mum is kept away, walk away!
The ideal place for a puppy to grow up is at the centre of a busy home. The variety of sights, sounds and social interactions will help your puppy’s brain become wired up for tolerance. Picking up puppies daily from a very young age, and handling them, is called gentling. This extra stimulation has been shown to help puppies develop calmer temperaments. It’s fantastic if your breeder does this normally but being handled regularly by a family and visitors will also do the job!
Giving a rescue dog a happy new home, and helping them fulfill their potential, might well be the most rewarding role you can do as a dog guardian. There are so many unwanted dogs in the world. When you adopt a rescue dog, you are giving them a chance to flourish in a loving home, which is what all dogs want. However, be aware that there are dogs that are relinquished to shelters because of behavioural issues, and they might have had a rough start to life. This means that rescue dogs may be more challenging behaviourally than your “average” dog.
Look out for rescue centres that have a policy of obtaining and sharing the history of their dogs – they can help you adopt the right dog for your experience and living situation. After adopting your rescue dog, bear in mind that their immediate behaviour may not represent their long-term behaviour. They may be bringing historical baggage from their previous homes, and the institutionalised experience of rescue kennels. They may also feel a little overwhelmed with the change in scene when moving in with you. Give them time to decompress and you’ll see their personality and capability blossom.
If you’re after a sedate companion, some lovely older dogs end up being relinquished when their owner passes away. Offering these dogs a quiet retirement home means that you get a close companion while dodging the velociraptor puppy stage.
If you begin to experience issues with your rescue dog, it’s okay to ask for help. Problems don’t mean that you’ve done anything wrong – each dog comes with its own life story, and you’ve done a great thing already by bringing them into your family. If your rescue is showing unwanted behaviour, find a clinical animal behaviourist for advice. They have the qualifications and experience to help you.
Vaccinations and worming: Make sure your puppy has had a health check, first vaccination, and parasite treatment before you take them home.
Medical records: Some pedigree dogs are susceptible to specific health issues. A responsible breeder will do all they can to test for these conditions in their breeding stock. Do research on the breed and ask for evidence of relevant genetic tests and veterinary checks on the parents.
This is an edited extract from What Dogs Want, by Mat Ward, Bloomsbury.
Text: bauersyndication.com.au