Choosing a dog is a big decision. How do you choose the right dog? All puppies are cute, cuddly and irresistible and so are the softest-sell in the world. Go for a casual look-see and you’ll be putting down a deposit before you know it.  So be selective, do some homework and only visit a litter of the right breed. The same applies if it’s a rescued dog. So what’s the right breed for you?

Breed

Most people start by thinking of the breed of dog they would like to own. Good idea as they are fairly predictable! Of course, thanks to centuries of selective breeding. This tends to produce groups of very similar individuals that when bred together, produce equally similar offspring. In general, this applies well to physical characteristics but less so for behaviour, which can be less predictable.

Practicalities

So let’s start with the physical. Choosing a dog is a practical decision too. How big is your home and garden? Town or country? It might seem obvious but big, hyperactive dogs are unhappy in small urban homes. Toy breeds cannot run tens of miles cross-country (in general). So the first decision, how big, how active? That depends on your domestic situation and the time/space to exercise. Working Spaniels and Collies need hours per day but sight-hounds (Whippets, Greyhounds and Lurchers) are sprinters. Easier in some ways but they will chase anything that runs. And they will not stop for fences, hedges roads or railways. So be warned.

If you go small, terrier breeds are well-named as they are often very territorial. Protect your postman. They do have big personalities though. They love the sofa especially if that means the humans are pushed off onto the floor! Terrier temperaments are split 50/50 into psychopaths and pacifists and the best guide you have comes from the parents. Like all breeds, try to see both the mother and the father, although this is often tricky with professionally-bred dogs. The stud dog may well be some distance from the bitch’s home.

Middle-sized dogs have recently become much more popular with cross-breeds such as Cocker Spaniel x Poodle (Cockerpoo). The first generation of this cross is fairly predictable. However, if two Cockerpoos produce puppies, the second generation is much more variable. They may look more like the grandparents than the parents. If puppies from this generation are selected for breeding and then their offspring in turn, in three more generations the physical characteristics become more stable and predictable. Clearly, to accurately predict what your puppy will grow into you need to know its family history.

Behaviour

As for behaviour, my advice for puppy selection is choose the friendly (but not over-friendly) quieter one. Not the puppy that cowers in the corner or refuses to be cuddled and neither the puppy that throws itself into your face. The younger your children the quieter the puppy should be as kids and pups wind each other up often with tears as a result. Young children must learn to treat puppies with respect and allow them time to rest and to be left alone. Of all the lessons a young dog needs to learn, the most important one is human attention and affection must be earned by being obedient. The best way to achieve this is by ignoring your dog a proportion of the time so that when attention is given, it’s a real treat.

Choosing a dog, whilst a big decision, will often be one of the most fulfilling and best you make – if you choose right! Finding what is right for the dog and you, could be the start of a lifelong love!