How to Pick the Right Dog For Your Family

Choosing from the thousands of dogs available for adoption is tough but there is such a thing as picking the wrong dog. Learn how to pick the right dog that will bond with your family.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

1. 
   Flickr.com

   The first and most important step is to make sure you're ready to be a pet parent. Dogs are like children and should not be considered objects that can be given away when they are an inconvenience. Your dog will have accidents in the house, bark loudly, run away from you and grow up, sometimes to 10 times their size. Are you ready to be there for that dogs ups & downs like a true pet parent or are you just looking for something cute to put in your home? Its very important to know this before getting a new dog. Once they are yours their life is in your hands. Serious consideration should be given.

2. 
   Animal Planet

   Once you have decided that you are ready to be a pet parent you should take the Dog Breed Selector Quiz at http://animal.discovery.com/breedselector/dogselectorindex.do . This will select a suggestion for the type of dog that will fit your lifestyle based on questions you answer in their search quiz. This will rule out dogs that you are not ready for such as larger breeds, dogs that shed, vocal dogs or dogs that are not good with children. This will give you certain breeds to avoid and certain breeds to look for.

3. 
   Pebbles

   Once you have gotten a good idea of what type of dog you want then you need to do an audit on yourself. Here are 10 questions to ask yourself.
   1. Do you have the money for an adoption fee?
   2. Do you have the money coming in to pay for medications, accidents or regular checkups?
   3. Do you have enough time to devote to your pet (Consider this-would you leave your child at home for 10 hours alone? Obviously not. The same goes for your dog.)
   4. Do you have the space and supplies (crate, food, leash, bowls, shampoo etc.) that you need to properly take care of this dog?
   5. Has everyone in the home agreed to this new dog and promised to treat it with love and respect?
   6. Does your community or complex have any restrictions on dog ownership?
   7. Are you physically able to handle the dog you have chosen?
   8. Are you willing to invest in training for your pet if any unwanted behaviors could not be corrected by basic home training?
   9. Are you able to deal with drool, fur, chewing & barking?
   10. Will you love this pet even when it's difficult (Example-you're tired, upset, down on your luck or just busy)?
   
   This are the 10 questions you should answer before adopting. It's very important again to realize that this dog's life is in your hands. If you are unsure in any way of your ability to care for a dog properly than don't get one. You can always adopt when you are ready.

4. 
   Star

   The next step is the actual location of the pet you desire. Personally I believe in "Don't Shop. Adopt." Over 10 million animals are put to sleep every year, most simply due to lack of space to care for them. By adopting a dog rather than buying from a breeder you are saving one more life. That's very important. Keep in mind nearly 25% of all dogs in shelters are pure breeds so if you are looking for a particular breed you should have no problem finding it among adoption shelters. You can visit www.petfinder.com for a list of the pets available in your area by breed, sex, age and size. If you are not interested in adopting for other reasons than please visit www.akc.org for a list of American Kennel Club breeders. These breeders promote responsible dog ownership and have very high standards concerning the health and well being of their pups.

5. 
   Jasmine

   When you have located a dog that you are interested in adopting make sure that all of the people in your household are there to meet it for the first time. It is important for everyone to get along with the dog and vice verse. Having someone in the home who doesn't like dogs will only hurt the dog. Meet the dog, take it on a short walk and see how the dog reacts to people, to the leash, to commands etc. This will give you a feel of what it will be like at your house the first few weeks. Always meet your dog before adopting and if for any reason you don't like the dog or it's temperament be up front. Never accept a dog out of guilt because again the only one that will suffer is the dog. If you are sure have found the right dog for you then start the adoption process and bring your new pet home!

6. 

   Finally continuously educate yourself on dogs. Your dog will inevitably have potty accidents, be anxious if left alone and need training but with patience, love and knowledge you can overcome any obstacle and end up having a wonderful relationship with your pet. Educating yourself is half the battle and learning about food recalls, new training methods and even play dates in your area can help your dog pet healthier, happier and a more intricate part of the family and that makes everyone happy.

Tips & Warnings

• If for any reason you ever need to surrender your newly adopted animal ALWAYS return the animal to the original shelter even if you have moved. Contact them directly to ask them what to do. This may help save that pet from becoming euthanized or ending up in the wrong hands. In some places it's the law.
• If you don't see a particular breed listed on www.petfinder.com or at your local pet rescue then don't be afraid to ask! Sometimes they have breeds that come in that are not posted on line.
• Never expect a dog to act like a human and be obedient without question from day one. Dogs have their own personalities and quirks. The point is not to own a dog but to accept a dog into your family and give it unconditional love.
• Teacup means tiny and usually sickly or inbred. Chihuahuas and other "toy" breeds were not originally designed to fit in a handbag. Keep that in mind.

Resources

• Animal Planet