Do Your Research!--the Importance Of Choosing The Right Breed For You

wow, what a story, Tx!
I've met or heard of ppl who go for the breed their family had as kids,
unaware that a dog living with lively active children playing outdoors a lot
is not the same set up
as a dog living with sedentary older person watching tv all evening.
Plus, it's possible as a small kid to be a lil oblivious to how difficult the parent might have found the dog.


It does seem more and more ppl are finally becoming aware,
there is such a thing as high energy dogs
and lower energy dogs,
and that they should try to match their own energy with their dogs energy level.........
NOT just go by what breed they "like".

My dogs drive my mom crazy, they don't bother me one bit

Even though I have two dogs, I still want to have another one.... later in life (5 years hopefully )
Anyways I did research on the top 5 dog breeds that I want to own. I have information saved and tons of sites favourited. I would love to own a border collie, australian shepherd, and a german shepherd but they are very energetic. It would be very different lifestyle owning one compared to having golden retrievers

that is AWESOME, Bekah, that you DO research a breed before just adding a dog to your home. It sounds like YOU are considering carefully whether or not a high-energy dog would truly be happy in your lifestyle, wish more ppl took the time to think it over carefully, the way you are.

How bored a dog might be living with a person is something to think about, too.
Some breeds can tolerate boredom without being real real destructive, some breeds can't do boredom well at all, not at all. Either way, a bored dog is not a happy dog...and often has behavior problems, because they are BORED. Then the humans are unhappy, too...cuz their dog is acting nutz day after day after day....(not that your dog would be bored, i'm just saying, for anyone else reading along, it's something to think about honestly).


NO matter how much one might crave a certain breed, if they have lives that are not set up for that breed's needs, and if they can't keep that dog busy and happy, that dog will most likely add stress to the human's life.

Also, many young ppl, have to also look ahead to their college years. If the young person leaves for college, can they bring their dog?
Would they have time for their dogs, if they are in school full time, doing homework, working a job, and partying with friends? Will the dog still get enough of their time? Can be done, but wow, it takes an energetic determined person to make sure the dogs get the time they need.


Stuff like that should also be taken into consideration in choosing a dog for those who are young, cuz, five years from now.... eight years from now......... who knows what their future moves might bring? who knows if they might want to move into some apt with their best friends, but it doesn't allow dogs........................ or fall in love with some person who is allergic to dogs................. or get a job in another town which requires frequent travel, etc etc.

Lots of unknowns about their futures for many ppl in the younger age groups especially. True enough, these things could also happen to adults, too,
but with young ppl, is good chance,
that their life setup in their teen years
will not match their life setup 5 or 10 years from now.

maybe the oncoming life changes of a young person might work out great for the dog,
maybe, not so much. But, it's something to think about.

Also, many young ppl, have to also look ahead to their college years. If the young person leaves for college, can they bring their dog?
Would they have time for their dogs, if they are in school full time, doing homework, working a job, and partying with friends? Will the dog still get enough of their time? Can be done, but wow, it takes an energetic determined person to make sure the dogs get the time they need.

MANY YOUNG PPL GET DOGS AS KIDS OR WHILE THEY ARE TEENS,
and they might be wise to consider, will THEIR PARENTS be able to keep up the dogs' needs when the teen grows up and moves out??
Will this breed work out well for THEIR PARENTS to care for?

Stuff like that should also be taken into consideration in choosing a dog for those who are young, cuz, five years from now.... eight years from now....... who knows what their future moves might bring? who knows if they might want to move into some apt with their best friends, but it doesn't allow dogs........................ or fall in love with some person who is allergic to dogs................. or get a job in another town which requires frequent travel, etc etc.

Lots of unknowns about their futures for many ppl in the younger age groups especially. True enough, these things could also happen to adults, too,
but with young ppl, is good chance,
that their life setup in their teen years
will not match their life setup 5 or 10 years from now.

maybe the oncoming life changes of a young person might work out great for the dog,
maybe, not so much.

But, it's something to think about, too, when researching getting a dog.


PS-----also, if one already has dogs that they can't quite control, or are in need of training, they might be wise to focus on training the dogs they already have, before adding more dogs to the home, of any breed.

Ah, college CAN be done with dogs. I live with mine. He spends a lot of time on his own but he doesn't seem to mind, we go for daily walks... I often have to go back during 2-hours breaks when I should be having lunch to get a potty break for him. But it's all good as long as I can get to be with him.

I'm stoked you were able to bring your dog to college with you!
Yes, like i said, it can be done, but, it takes an energetic person to do college, homework, often a job, having parties and friends, and still have time to train a dog, as well as finding housing that allows dogs. Some breeds would lousy during finals week....

That is great you were able to bring your dog to college, But many young ppl leave their dogs behind with their parents, who may,
or may not,
be into training, exercising and walking the dogs left behind.

LOVE the post TX!!!! Sooo true!!!!! I've met a lot of people that own (or have owned) a dog that they can't take care of. I remember one dog in particular, a dalmation. The owners didn't give him as much exercise as he needed, and he started becoming aggressive towards dogs and people. The owners eventually gave the poor dog away to another family. But here's the twist. The dalmation became a happy, go-lucky dog like he was supposed to be!!!! The new owners just exercised him as much as he needed. He lost his agression!!! This proves you need to do your research on what breed fits your lifestyle, if you want the best possible dog for you!!!!

//"The new owners just exercised him as much as he needed. He lost his agression!!!"//

off topic, but, amazing story, Dogster. Ahtough many blogs with zero footnotes <--(NO research done, is just opinion of the author posting it)
put forth that dog aggression can be caused by lack of exercise, i find it hard to believe. Destructive behaviors, YES! Yessss, i completely believe that dogs who are destructive are usually BORED dogs.
but aggressive?????----a dog who bites ppl or other dogs on a regular basis??? from lack of exercise?

I belong to several other dog websites, which are specific for owners of aggressive dogs, and increasing the exercise has NOT worked for any of us with truly aggressive dogs. Not even one of us there, has made the claim exercise had "cured" our aggressive dogs, nor even reduced our dog's aggression.
But now, i have finally heard of such a dog. Btw, my dog runs full speed every day with few exceptions, walks 4 to 8 miles per day, gets several training and vigorous plays sesssions a day,
and has been aggressive every day of his whole life since i met him.

My dog could finish an hour of running full speed, and then do another hour of agility, every day, and still want to attack your dog on the way home, if he saw him....i WISH WISH WISH exercise "cured" aggression...i really do.
Millions of us across America wish exercise "cured" dog aggression. Aggression in dogs is soooooooooo hard to "cure", that it is THE NUMBER ONE reason that dogs are euthanized.........more than cancer, more than accidents, more than fatal illnesses or pain, the #1 reason owners have their own dogs put to sleep is uncurable aggression. It breaks their hearts, and if running the dog had worked, trust me, they would not have put their dog down.

but, despite this not working for any of the 100s of us on each of the multiple dog-aggression webboards--------- one can "never say never" i guess!!!!

Before I changed my mind about the uni course I was doing I commuted and hour n a half each way on the train to uni and back as I stayed living at home so I can be with my dogs, would never leave them with my mum, infact thats why I'm commuting again (thankfully only 40 mins on train) when I start university in September.

That's what I mean. If you want it, it can be done!

On the housing thing, it's very hard. They have forbidden me to bring my dog again on ridiculous claims - so I'll fight back and hopefully I won't need to move until the end of the year.

To Tigerlily: I think lack of exercise actually fed the dalmation's aggression. He was not aggressive as a puppy (didn't need as much exercise) but after he got older, I guess he didn't have a place to put all that bent-up energy. it IS very peculiar though, how more exercise cured his aggression. Never seen anything like THAT before.