Consider the Needs of a Breed When Getting a Puppy

For those of you who just acquired a puppy or are planning to get one soon, please be sure to research the breed that you are interested in. You may not realize it, but not every breed is suitable for every person, family and lifestyle. Say you fell in love with a beautiful red Viszla puppy, but you live in an apartment downtown and work ten to fifteen hours a day.

Consider that this breed of dog needs a great deal of exercise and it would be detrimental to the dog to keep it locked in your apartment all day only to be walked for a potty break once in the late evening. Unless you can walk this dog for at least 45 minutes in the morning, come home at lunch and walk it again, then in the evening go for a run for an hour, perhaps this dog isn't for you. You might consider getting an aquarium and fill it with exotic fish.

Consider the needs of the breed and your lifestyle. Consider the breed if you have small children or elderly parents that live with you or if you are elderly. Some breeds are natural pullers such as Siberian Huskies and Malamutes. These dogs can pull a child or elderly person right to the ground and possibly drag them down the pavement. These dogs are very strong and were bred to pull sleds. They do make great companions, but remember, the pulling instinct is very strong and extra attention must be paid to this.

The two most important and vital issues that I cannot mention enough are: training and exercise. The number one reason for death in dogs is bad behavior. Dogs that don't get the obedience training they desperately need wind up with behavioral problems and the owner gets frustrated with the dog and the dog ends up in a shelter or rescue and invariably, put to death.

Dogs behave like dogs, not like humans. Jumping, barking, digging, and chewing are natural activities in dogs. When humans don't know how to train the dog "not" to do these things, the dog loses its home. Also, dogs need exercise and some breeds need lots of it. A tired dog is a happy dog and more likely to learn. If you don't have the time or patience to train and exercise a dog, please consider getting a different type of animal such as a cat. Remember, training is a lifelong process for a dog. They don't just learn it in seven weeks and that's it. They must be reminded constantly for your sanity and the life of the dog.

By Sandra from Orlando, FL