How To Choose a Dog for Life

You walk into the pet store and your heart melts.  He's got the sweetest little brown eyes you've ever seen.  His tail curls ever so slightly to the side and this adds just the right amount of character for you to fall in love.  Your kids are hopping up and down telling you that the Bull-mastiff mix is what they've always wanted.  They promise to feed him, bath him, walk him and even clean up his messes.  Of course, you're just not sure this is the right way to go.  You're worried that you'll end up the one who is stuck doing all of the dirty work and you're probably right.  This puppy will soon become a full grown dog with full grown problems if you don't have a plan.  The first step to this plan is knowing how to choose the right breed and individual dog for your life.

It is estimated that approximately 5 million dogs are abandoned in the U.S. each year.  Some dogs see the inside of a shelter many times before they find a forever home.  Sadly enough, some dogs aren't so lucky.  Many are thrown to the streets to fight for themselves.  Many others are put to sleep because they haven't been properly socialized as pups.  These abandoned dogs were once brought home just as you are doing now.  This article will help you find the right fit for your life and your new dog its forever home.

1. First take a good hard look at your family.  You have to be absolutely sure that this is the right time for you to bring a dog into your life.  Are your children old enough to realize the responsibility associated with caring for a new puppy?  Are you financially able to care for this dog from puppyhood into its senior years?  In this step, it's suggested that you (being the head of the household) call a household meeting.  In this meeting you should examine the pros and cons of bringing a puppy home, the responsibilities of caring for this dog as well as the fears and hopes of each family member.  It's also an excellent idea to draw up a schedule to divide the responsibilities of caring for the new arrival.
2. Take a trip to a few local animal shelters and/or pet stores.  Animal shelters are the best place to go since they are overflowing with dogs waiting to be adopted.  The choice however, is completely yours.  When entering the shelter or store do not run over to the dog directly.  Take your time walking around silently observing how the dogs interact with each other.  Allow the dogs to come to you.  Make sure your children realize that this is the way to approach a dog and that rushing to the dog could end up making him feel threatened.  At this point you are a stranger and the dog must get to know you without having its space invaded.  In this step do not choose a dog you have just met.  Go home and proceed to the next step.
3. At this step you should call a second family meeting.  In this meeting, discuss each dog that has your interest from the visit.  This is where you, as the head of the household (aka pack leader) should be well aware of the energy level within your home.  If your family likes to jog on the weekdays after work, hike on the weekends, camp and join in other athletic activities you already know you are a high energy pack.  If your family would rather take drives, lie around the house and watch television; you should be aware that your family has a low energy level.  The trick to finding the right dog is to find one with the same energy as your family (or pack).  Some breeds are generally more laid back than others but this is not always the case.  You have to look at the breed and then the individual dog.

   Here are a few typical low energy breeds: Bulldogs, Bassett Hound and many of the toy breeds.  And here are a few high energy breeds: Dalmatians, Jack Russells, Border Collies and many of the Retriever varieties.  Please remember that this is only a guideline, each dog has his or her own personality or energy level and you must assess each animal individually.  Think about all the dogs you've met in your first visit.  Set up appointments to visit with each dog individually.
4. When appointment time comes bring the whole family along.  Remind your children to remain calm and allow the dog to sniff them out.  Tell them this is the way the dog let's you know he's ready to be petted.  It is up to you to observe how the dog interacts with your family and make the right decisions.

   A few things to watch out for during these meetings are as followed:

   • Jumping, Leg Humping, Pushing children to the ground, refusing to move out of the way for you to walk are all signs of dominance and may be hard to break unless you can devote a lot of time to training.
   • Cowering, Panting, Salivating and Shaking are all signs of Anxiety in dogs and this can be extremely hard to rectify. These dogs can often be so fearful that they become aggressive when afraid.

   There are some positive signs that you should look for when choosing the right dog for your family.  These behaviours will make it much easier to introduce your new dog into your home.  A dog that calmly explores the new surroundings and people by sniffing is a good sign.  He is a little cautious of new things but adapts easily as his comfort level rises.  By the end of the meeting the dog should be comfortable playing around your family and enjoys being in your company.

5. This is the last step in the process of choosing the right dog for your family.  You may have to repeat steps two through four as needed until you have narrowed your selection down to about three dogs.  Notify the shelter workers or pet stores that you would like to have these three dogs held for a determined amount of time.  Overnight is often the best idea and shelters will more than likely agree to this time frame.  Pet stores will often only allowed an hour or two to make your decision.  Either way, this is an important step not to skip.  Call your final family meeting before taking your new dog home.  Discuss each dog and allow each family member to give their opinions on which dog they think is best.  Through this discussion you should come to an agreement on which dog will be your forever family member.  Once your family is 100% sure that they have found the right dog head to the shelter or pet store to pick him up.  Make sure everyone remains calm during the pick up because this will help the transition go smoothly.  Another great suggestion is to take the dog for a ten minute walk before the car ride home.  This begins the bond within the new family and also works off energy for the dog before the ride home. 

By following these steps you should be able to make an informed decision on choosing the right dog for your family.  You should have a well balanced family (aka pack) and each and every member should have a specific role to play in the development of the group.  Being diligent and not skipping any of the above steps will enable you to continue a balanced life with a new dog.  Because of these steps, your dog will have found its forever home and have a much better chance at a happy life.  Please remember, most dogs at shelters started out just as your new dog started on his journey.  He was brought home by a well intentioned family who realized too late that he just wasn't the right dog for them.