How to Choose a Dog

Video Transcript

"Hi I'm Dr. Marcia Martin and we're here at Safe Harbor Animal Rescue in Jupiter, Florida and today we're going to talk about how to pick a puppy. I think the biggest mistake people make when they get a dog is picking a breed that is not appropriate for their lifestyle so before you go out and you get a puppy, think about what you want this puppy for. If you are a family and you have young children you probably want a dog that can be independent and that is good with kids, that's relaxed, that can handle a lot of noise and a lot of upheaval in their life, something like a Labrador is a good choice but there is others out there that have that kind of temperament. If you are a single person and you work long hours once again you want a dog that is kind of independent that doesn't need a lot of care and attention and you want a breed that is bred on the independent scale. Something like a herding dog, a Border Collie often have those temperaments where they can stay alone for long periods of time. If you are athletic and you want a dog that is going to go jogging with you and running with you pick a dog that is athletically minded. Don't pick a breed that can't run for long distances or tires easily or tends to be on the obese side, pick something that can run. So picking your puppy like I said it depends on what you want the puppy to do. The worst way to pick a puppy is by what you saw on TV or because it looks cute in the book and even among the breeds, once you pick a breed even among the litter there will be differences in personality so look at the entire litter and see how they are interacting. If you have kids and a lot of noise and stress in your life, don't pick the little puppy that is hiding in the corner because he is probably not going to be able to deal with a lot of noise and kids and change. Pick the one that is coming up saying, pick me, pick me, pick me, the one that looks like he wants to interact and have a good time. If the dog growls at you, if the puppy growls at you and won't let you take his toy, probably not a good choice if you have kids. If the puppy is sitting off and kind of aloof, he may make a good choice. He may be a little brave, he is just kind of checking you out to see if you are going to be a good owner. Pick the puppies up, handle them, see if they let you take their toys, see if they let you roll them on to their back without getting aggressive or upset about it, see how they handle food, take food away from them see if they are growly, interact with the puppy, see how they look at the litter and really think is this puppy going to be a good fit for my lifestyle and my family? That's probably the best way I know to pick a puppy."