When buying a new dog, sometimes a lot of research is done depending on the person. You want to find the best dog for you or whoever the dog will belong too. Picking the right dog can be very challenging as there are so many different aspects and pros and cons to account for with each and every dog. Many potential dog owners believe it is all about the breed. While the breed plays a large part in what you will get out of a dog, picking the right dog goes beyond just the breed. It’s about the individual.

Check out the article below for more info about picking the right dog.

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How to Pick the Right Dog

Beyond just the breed, this is about the individual

Which Breed Is Right for You?

Are you a golden retriever person? Maybe you like Weimaraners. Having a preference for a certain kind of dog is totally normal and likely based on a lifetime of indoctrination that I’m not going to be able to overcome in this article. But you have to understand that the supposed merits of “pure bred” dogs are largely a case of marketing, and marketing is designed to manipulate you. 

Thanks to all the brand’s ad buys, you might really identify with the rugged, all-weather ability—combined with the plucky anti-establishment vibe—of a Subaru. But I’d argue that it’d be an even better car if Honda made its motor and Audi supplied the interior. Now imagine if someone was prepared to give you such an improved car not for more money but for free…

Well, that’s exactly what you’d get if you adopted a mixed-breed dog. You can still choose a look and some alleged personality traits of a breed that speaks to you, then you can reduce its health problems, ensure that it’s sane, and make it totally unique by adopting a mix with your breed of choice in it. (If you want to read more about the health benefits of mutts, read this.) 

That’s what we did with Bowie. Virginia’s always wanted a Siberian husky, but I prefer dogs that are a little larger than those scrawny little rascals and that are easier to train. So when a husky-German shepherd puppy in need of a good home popped up on Instagram, I tracked him down, we video chatted with his family, then decided to bring him home. A year and a half later, he’s proved to be the most easily trainable and intelligent dog I’ve ever had, by far the most athletic, has never had even an inkling of a health concern (not even fleas), and everyone who meets him seems to agree that he’s the most handsome pup they’ve seen. If I sound like a proud dad, well, it’s because I am. That’s a way better package than any pure bred husky would have given us. 

How Old Do You Want Your Dog to Be?

Adopting an eight-week-old puppy gives you the most control over the dog’s development possible, but it’s also an all-consuming commitment. You will be cleaning pee and poop, you will not be sleeping, and you will lose furniture, clothing, and other possessions to the process. 

Adopting a juvenile dog (say one to three years old), still gets you in at a time when their personalities are pliable, and gets you past all that puppy hassle. But they will come with some personality traits gained from whatever they were doing before you came along. 

Adopting an adult dog nets you less frenetic energy and the ability to see their mature personality and physical form before you commit. But that personality will now be largely set and training may take more time than it would with a younger animal. An adult dog is also more likely to come with some behavior issues, but you will at least likely be able to identify those issues ahead of time. 

Adopting a senior dog is a noble thing to do and it means you’ll get a dog that’s going to be calm and grateful for its new home and family. But you are potentially taking on health problems, your dog’s ability to keep up outdoors may be limited, and your time with it may be short. 

Teddy was about five months old when we adopted her two months ago. That’s proven to be sort of an awkward age, as she’s still going through the last throes of potty training, while also coming to us with the experience of running feral and likely being physically abused at some point. That means she shows signs of fear and uncertainty easily, and is hyper-competitive with our other dogs for resources. We’re applying plenty of patience, consistency, and nurture, but looking at her objectively, we still got kind of the worst of both worlds—a puppy level of commitment, with the personality foibles of a juvenile rescue. We’re okay with that, but she’d be a difficult dog in the wrong hands. (I’ve previously written more about socializing and training your dog.)

What Size Dog Do You Want?

You’re reading this in Outside, so I’m going to assume you like doing stuff outdoors. It also likely means that you live in a city. That can create problems for potential dog owners, who may be subject to size restrictions, but need a dog large enough to join them outdoors safely. If you live in or visit places with coyotes, that’s something you need to consider carefully. A coyote will have no trouble carrying off a dog weighing up to 30 pounds, and you probably want your dog to be at least 45 pounds or so if you want peace of mind on off-leash hikes and camping trips or just while your dog plays in the yard. 

Because larger dogs are generally calmer dogs, they can actually make better companions if you live in an apartment or small home. Just make sure you’re aware of any potential size restrictions before getting your heart set on a new buddy. 

Beyond the need to worry about coyotes and the tendency of larger dogs to be calmer, I struggle to see a practical consideration in choosing the size of a dog. Dogs can get in and out of cars themselves, so there’s really never much need to lift them up or carry them around. I guess larger dogs do eat more, but since you’ll be feeding him an affordable, healthy raw food diet anyways, that cost isn’t a huge concern. But you probably do have a personal size preference, so just go with that. 

Originally Reported on WGNO

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