Hey Woofa’s,

I’ve heard many stories about people who have bought puppies on a whim!  They’ve seen a movie and they want the same dog, they think a dog is cute so they want it.

What they don’t do is ask themselves, Is This Dog The Right Dog For Me?

For Example –

One lady’s daughter spent a lot of money on a Pomeranian puppy, but she hates dog hair and is too busy to brush it!!!

A customer’s friend had recently lost her beloved Maltese x.  She has now gone and bought a Kelpie x!  Two very different dogs with very different needs.

Another lady was concerned about someone she knew who bought an ‘Oodle’ breed of dog believing you don’t have to do much grooming because the coat doesn’t shed!!!!!

 My friend was looking for another dog.  She babysat a Staffy pup over the holidays and it got into all sorts of destruction.   She decided not to get a puppy and she rescued an 8 year old Staffy x Red Cattle dog.

Just because you’re a dog lover doesn’t mean every dog is the right fit for you!

And if you’ve never owned a dog before YOU really need to do your research.

The main thing to ask yourself before Choosing a Dog is, Why Do You Want A Dog in the first place?

I) WHY DO YOU WANT A DOG?

1. Who are you buying the dog for?
2. Are you buying the dog for yourself or your family or someone else?
3. Have you ever owned a dog before at any stage in your life?
4. Do you have time for a dog?
5. Are you aware that dogs don’t train themselves?
6. What is the real reason you want a dog?
7. If you are buying a dog because the kids want one, think again.  Someone in the family has to put work into the dog and look after it.  The kids will love the dog but won’t want to do the chores that go with it!   This  ALWAYS falls on someone else i.e a parent.
8. Are you buying this dog as a present?  Has the person you’re buying the dog for ever owned a dog before?
9. Do you have a sufficient area i.e backyard, house, apartment near a park etc for the dog to live in?
10. If you like to travel, do you have someone, or somewhere safe the dog can go while you are away?
11. Do you know anyone with a dog?  Have you asked them about what it takes to own a dog?
12. Are you a responsible person?
13. Dogs love routine, just like kids, can you give the dog a routine based life as much as possible?
14. Do you have money in your budget to put aside each week for a dog?
15. Are you prepared to groom the dog or to pay someone else to do it for you?
16. Have you done ANY RESEARCH on what it takes to own a dog?
17. Dogs join your life, you don’t buy one to put in the yard and forget about.
18. Do you have 10-15 years or more of your life to share with a dog?

These questions are to get you thinking about why you want a dog.

I’m not trying to deter you from buying a dog!

I just want to make sure you’re aware of WHY you want a dog and whether or not you have what it takes to own one!

Trust me, all the time, money and effort is so worth the unconditional love you get from a dog.

II) HOW DO I CHOOSE THE RIGHT DOG FOR ME?

Okay so you’ve done your research and decided that YES you are ready for a dog!

You need to take a few things into consideration before deciding what type of dog to buy!

a) Where do you live?  

Your living arrangements will play a big part in deciding what type of dog will suit you.

1. Do you have a backyard, apartment, caravan, house etc i.e. somewhere where the dog will be able to live, play, spend time with you etc.
2. Are you a renter?  Some people do not allow pets in rental houses/apartments.
3. If you’re in an apartment, have you checked with the Body Corporate too see if they allow pets?
4. Are your fences secure in your backyard?
5. Have you decided whether the dog will be allowed inside, or just be an outside dog or both etc?
6. Where will the dog sleep?  Inside, on your bed, outside in a kennel, in the laundry, in the garage, is there somewhere safe for the dog to sleep?  The dog will need an area it feels safe to sleep.
7. Do you have a yard big enough for the dog to be played with in, i.e. chase a ball, or will you have to take it to the dog park to play?
8. Are you prepared to walk the dog everyday, if in an apartment or small yard etc?
9. Is your local area a dog friendly area?  Does it have a dog park, dog beach, dog cafes etc?
10. Where will your dog be when everyone is at work or at school etc?

These are just some questions to get you thinking about where the dog will live and what breed will suit your environment.

b) What size dog will suit me?

In this case, size does matter!   If you have young kids (or elderly people) around, you don’t  want a dog that is going to easily knock them over.

In saying that, yes dog’s can be trained not to jump up, but sometimes puppies get over excited and this can happen accidentally.

1. Have a look around at where you’re bringing the dog back to and picture a size that will suit.
2. Do you want a lap dog?
3. Do you a dog that will guard property?
4. Do you want a working dog to work on a farm?
5. Do you prefer a dog that will fit into your work out regime?
6. Are you a runner and want to take the dog running with you?
7. Is your family into water sports and you want a dog that loves water?
8. Do you want a more laid back dog?
9. Do you have kids, what age are they?  Will a new born be coming into the house and therefore the dog will soon be ignored etc?
10. Have you visited your local dog park, dog beach etc to check out all sized dogs?
11. Have you asked other dog owners whose dogs differ in size?
12. You could also check with your local dog trainer, local vet or even dog groomer.  Dog Groomers see dogs of all sizes all day long, they even speak to the owners about different behaviours etc.

What you want to decide is what size dog will suit your living area and your lifestyle?

c) How much grooming is involved?

When I say grooming, I mean brushing the dog, bathing the dog, keeping the knots out of the hair, keeping the eyes and ears cleaned, nails trimmed etc.

Yes this is something to take into consideration!   I can’t stress this enough!

So many people I come across, buy a long haired dog and don’t brush it!!!

All dog’s have different hair lengths!  That’s a no brainer!  Some dogs need to be brushed so much more than others!!!

1. How much grooming are you prepared to do for this dog?
2. Are you prepared to pay someone else to groom the dog regularly for you?
3. How often are you prepared to brush the dog?
4. It’s good to know that even short haired dogs malt hair.
5. Be aware that all dogs shed hair (lose old hair) to some degree.
6. If the dog’s hair is non-shedding, I can guarantee you you’ll need to be doing a whole lot of brushing to keep the knots out.
7. This is definitely an area to ask the local Dog Groomer.

There’s nothing more upsetting than seeing a matted dog that needs to be shaved off because the owner, didn’t brush the dog!!!!

d) How much exercise does the dog need?

Again this depends on the breed of dog you choose.  Even if you choose a cross breed it’s good to know what breeds are mixed into that dog.

This way you can determine how much extra exercise the dog will need.

For example 

When Billy ( Staffordshire Bull Terrier x) and ,our neighour’s dog, Ellie (Border Collie) use to play together, Ellie would run rings around Billy.

A Border Collie is a working breed.  By working breed I mean they are bred to work on farms, round up sheep and cattle etc.  They need exercise AND mental stimulation or they can become bored and destructive.

When you think you have chosen a dog, ask a breeder or google what that actual breed of dog was originally bred for.  Even if it is a cross breed, look up the two main breeds in the dog.

This will help you to make a decision on the amount of exercise the dog will need.

All dogs require exercise and should be walked regularly.

e) Personality/Temperament

Knowing what breed is in your dog will also help to work out the temperament of your dog.

As mentioned above, some dogs are more active than others.   Other dogs are happy to be lap dogs and other dogs require more mental stimulation.

Some dogs are good with other dogs, others need to be just a one dog home.

Some breeds are good with other pets, some breeds are prone to high anxiety etc

If you are looking at rescuing a dog, most rescue places these days do temperament testing on their dogs before rehoming them.

This way you know whether the dog will suit your life and your family.

WHAT DOES ALL THIS MEAN?

If you’ve never owned a dog before, you need to do A LOT of research to figure out whether you’ve got what it takes to be a dog owner.

If you have been a dog owner before, you know what it takes.  Just be aware if you’re taking on a breed that you’ve never owned before.

There are many factors that come into play when choosing the right dog for you –

• Where you live;
• What sized dog will suit your lifestyle;
• How much grooming will be required;
• How much exercise the dog needs;
• What temperament the dog is.

It may seem daunting, but it’s well worth it when you know you want a dog for the right reasons, and you’ve chosen one that suits you!

The rewards go above and beyond.

IN THE COMMENTS BELOW – BILLY WOULD LIKE TO KNOW – WHAT BREED OF DOG SUITS YOU?

CHEERS