How To Select The Right Dog

Take your time.  Don’t purchase a pup on “impulse”.  Think about your lifestyle, and your spouse, partner, children.  Are you busy, or do you sit around the house a lot?  Are you the outdoors type?   How much time do you have for walking a dog every day - and I mean EVERY SINGLE DAY.  Are you a high energy go-getter?  Do you want a dog that can swim with you, or go hiking with you?  A guard dog, or fun loving companion?  Is the dog for you or for your children?  Do you have other pets?  Ask yourself questions and answer them honestly.  Try to find a breed similiar in character to what you’ve come up with.  There are dog breed books available at your local library and book stores.  Check on-line.  Spend several hours researching different breeds.  When you find the dog you think you want, sit down and everyone discuss it.  Choose the dog based on everyone’s input, and commitment.  When picking out a pup or adult dog, watch them from a distance and pick them up or pet them.  They should show a natural curiosity without fear or aggression.   Make sure you know how the tail is supposed to be carried based on breed so you’ll know if the tail is “dominant” or just curled over the back.  A tail tucked between the legs could be a sign of fearful anxiety.  A tail held high could be a dominant signal.   Need more information?  For temperament testing and evaluation of dogs in shelters or in a litter, contact TCDOA or a local professional dog trainer or animal behaviorist.  Remember – never buy or adopt on impulse. You always make the wrong choice.  STOP PUPPY MILLS.  Don’t buy from puppy stores; instead find a reputable breeder.

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