What Dog is Right for Me? 7 Crucial Factors to Consider

What Dog is Right for Me? 7 Crucial Factors to Consider

Have you decided that you want a dog but you still don't know if you want a purebred dog or maybe an adopted one? There are thousands of dog breeds but there are many questions before choosing the right one for you:

  • What gender should I choose: male or female?
  • Should it be a small dog or a large one?
  • Should I adopt a puppy or should I adopt an adult? Or maybe should I make a senior dog happy by adopting him?
  • How to choose the right dog breed?

Well, you need to know that adopting a dog is one of the most important and exciting decisions you can ever make. Before you decide what kind of dog you want, you must really want and be prepared to take care of one because a dog comes with a lot of care, love, and patience.

Also, it is essential to understand that having a dog may need some monetary investment (especially when it's about his health).

Why choosing the right dog breed is important?

Knowing the breed that would be most suitable for your personality is crucial because every breed has a particular set of personality traits. If their other characteristics match your needs, a hypoallergenic dog breed like the Poodle may be suitable for you if you have a severe allergy to animal fur.

Criteria for choosing the right dog for you

Here's a checklist you may want to go through, before going in-depth:

Here's a checklist you may want to go through, before going in-depth ⤵️

1. Maturity:

☑ Puppy

☑ Adult

2. Size:

☑ Small

☑ Medium

☑ Large

3. Activity level:

☑ Lazy (couch potato)

☑ Active

4. Gender

☑ Male

☑ Female

5. Status

☑ Buy

☑ Adopt

6. Coat

☑ Curly

☑ Hypoallergenic

☑ Straight

7. Color

☑ Black

☑ White

☑ Multicolored

☑ Other colors

☑ Doesn't matter

1. Puppy or adult dog

young pup or adult doggo

Puppies

When it's about puppies no one can resist and maybe is the first option to choose, because you are thinking that you want to grow the puppy along with you.

If you are thinking to adopt or buying a puppy, you will find that they are extremely curious and eager to learn, so it is absolutely necessary to have time for them. With love and training, you can turn them into masterpieces dogs.

So, one of the advantages of having a puppy is that you can be in control of training from an early age. Training is both fun and difficult, but If you have the time and patience, you will have a huge reward. All your efforts will build a strong bond between you and your young pup.

But of course that having a puppy comes with some puppy-related disasters like furniture or shoe chewing.

Adult dogs

Another option is to adopt an adult dog. The most important reason is that when adopting an adult dog you can save its miserable life and sadness.

If you are a dog owner for the first time, you will find that maybe an older dog is better suited to your lifestyle. Why?  Because most adult dogs will be trained already and used to behaving in public. But, this doesn't mean that our job is done here. It is a lot of work with adult dogs, too. The beautiful part is that you can establish a connection as strong as with a young pup.

Unfortunately, some adult dogs from shelters haven't been so lucky to receive a loving home in the past. They may come with a small "emotional baggage". These special dogs need a lot of love, time, and patience. The result will be a huge reward for both of you: a lifetime friendship.

2. The size of the dog

small-dog-big-dog

Small dogs

A little lap doggie that you can carry everywhere around or a large fluff to have activities with? If you cannot decide, just go for a medium-sized dog 😅.

If you want a small dog you must know that he is more vulnerable and sensitive. They need warmth and spoiling and attention not to cause serious injuries.

Small dogs think they are the "tough guys" by their attitude - I'm sure you've seen at least one small fluff pup barking on the street at other dogs, bigger than them or barking randomly to the running people. Be sure you can handle their temperament before and accept them no matter what.

Big dogs

The "big frens" are a blessing. They need more space to move around and a lot more activity. So, if you're thinking to get a big dog you must dedicate time for walks and training.

Big dogs are calmer than little ones. They won't run after you when jogging on the street.

They tend to be more friendly and loving. Big dogs are a blessing for families with kids.

3. Activity Level

Meet Coco - he was and still is the most loved dog 

You must know that the activity level of the dog depends more on the breed. But you cannot rely only on the breed to measure your dog's energy. A dog's energy comes from how much you provide him with walks and training, good healthy food, love, and care.

If you're an energetic person with an active lifestyle who likes to go out for a run or practice sports of any kind then these active dog breeds are the right choice for you:

  • Caniche/Poodle/Doodle
  • Golden Retriever/Labrador
  • Border Collie
  • Bichon
  • Australian Shepherd
  • Husky
  • Cocker Spaniel
  • Jack Russell Terrier

If you're not a fan of doing sports and you prefer staying home and watching movies instead, then the following lazy dog breeds are suited for you:

  • Basset Hound
  • Pug
  • Cavalier King Charles Spaniel
  • Boston Terrier
  • Chow Chow
  • English Bulldog
  • Bullmastiff

Energetic or lazy, both types of dogs need an exercise routine (walks, training, playing).

And be careful to exaggerated behavior: if your dog is too energetic and he chews all your shoes or he "destroys" your home -  it is a sign that you have neglected his activity routine. Contrary to this behavior, if your dog is too lazy without any mood to walk that you should take him to the vet for routine control.

4. Gender: Male or Female?

female-male-dog

Another thing you need to know when looking for a dog is whether you want a male or a female. Opinions differ from a person to another and - in the end - you will make a decision according to your personal preference.

Some owners say that females tend to be more loving and easy to handle, while others say the opposite - that females are more independent and distant. Uncastrated females can be difficult to control during the heat. The cost of castrating a female is higher than castrating a male, especially if she is already pregnant. Also, females tend to be more protective, especially if they have puppies. 
Males are considered more determined, caring, and confident. Castration can make them a little easier to handle if they become too bold - but this depends more on the dog's personality and the age of the castration.

Uncastrated dogs of both sexes can sometimes be difficult to control. That's why there is no simple answer to choosing between male and female.  You have to know that a big amount of the dog's behavior will come with the individual personality and also with the time you dedicate for walks, playing, socializing, and educating.

Both male and female dogs are heart-keepers. You only have to give them love and learn to receive it a lot more back.

5. Buy or adopt?

buy-or-adopt

Here is a sensitive subject and a fight between opinions. I think that every dog deserves a home, whether he is bought from a pet shop or he is adopted from a shelter or saved from the street.

It can be an incredible feeling of fulfillment to adopt a dog from a shelter and give him a second chance to enjoy life. There are many dogs waiting for a loving home – everyone with their own story. Many have lost their first home, many have been abandoned or the sad part: many were injured by a car or by mean humans. All of these dogs deserve to be loved and to have a chance for a good life.

But if you dreamt for a puppy with a pedigree or a mixed breed, you need to look for a recognized breeder. Some associations or veterinarians may have a list of newborn dogs available or may put you in touch with breeders in your area.  Try to choose carefully a licensed breeder.

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Here is a "secret": every dog ​​can learn and adapt throughout his life, whether you have him as a puppy or an adult. And we can also learn a lot from a puppy or an adult doggo, too.

If you've decided that the time is right to have a new family member, congratulations! Now it is time to figure out what type of dog is right for you.

Conclusion

There are many factors to consider before you choose a dog. But, most importantly, analyze your current lifestyle and think about what kind of adjustments are you willing to make for a doggo. Also, examine the needs of your family, especially if you have children or other pets.

In any decision you take, you have to take responsibility for giving the best home and love to your pup.

Believe me, having a dog will completely change your life. You can read my short story with my 17yo Poodle that gave us the best time.

On the next article! 🐾