How Do I Know Which Breed Of Dog Is Right For Me?

Is there anything more exciting than welcoming a new puppy into your family? Teaching them ‘sit’, ‘stay’ and ‘speak’, taking them out for walks and enjoying long snuggles on the couch?

However, before you get to that stage, there’s plenty of other things that you need to consider when getting a new puppy! The first, of course, is to figure out which breed of dog is right for you and your family.

To make the right decision, there’s a few things that you and your family will need to take into account. Here are the main things to think about when deciding which breed of dog is right for you!

Size

When considering the size that you’d like your dog to be once they’re fully grown, you need to take both your current situation and future situation into account!

For example, if you live in an apartment building or in a small home with no garden, you perhaps want to shy away from picking a medium to large dog breed, as they simply won’t have the room to live and play comfortably in your home. However, even if you do have a larger home with a garden, a large dog breed may not be ideal for couples who are looking to start a family at any point within the next few years, as they can be surprisingly strong and could overpower or accidentally injure your young children.

The majority of dogs don’t take long at all to grow to full size, so make sure that whatever puppy breed you choose is suited to you now and will be suited to you in the future!

Exercise

All breeds of puppies and dogs need regular exercise, but it’s true that some need more exercise than others.

Think about how many hours a day you will be able to commit to properly exercising your dog. This can be taking them for walks or playing high-energy games (such as fetch or catch) with them in your back garden, but you’ll need to make sure that you have the time to give to them to keep them in top condition!

English Bulldogs tend to need the least exercise, as they are naturally quite low energy and don’t like to be outside for too long, especially on a hot day. Other breeds who are fairly low-maintenance (as far as exercise is concerned) include Pugs, Shih Tzus, Basset Hounds and, surprisingly, Chihuahuas.

The breeds which need the most exercise include Labradors, German Shepherds, Dalmations and Border Collies – generally, the larger the dog, the more exercise they need. However, there are exceptions to this rule, so be sure to check!

Grooming

Just as humans like to look their best, so do dogs!

When choosing your breed, it’s important to consider how often you will be able to groom them – not just brushing their fur at home, but how long you will be able to take them to a groomer to have their coat washed and groomed professionally.

Again, there’s a fairly simple rule as far as grooming is concerned! Long-haired dogs tend to need the most regular grooming sessions – Poodles, Yorkshire Terriers, Cocker Spaniels and Afghan Hounds are just a few of the breeds which require a more regular grooming schedule. Meanwhile, short-haired dogs such as Beagles, Boxers and Greyhounds all need much less grooming, both at home and professionally.

You should also think a little about how much hair you’re okay with your new dog shedding, as this varies a lot between each breed. It’s definitely worth double checking how much your chosen breed is likely to shed, as you could find yourself brushing up after them a little more than you might like!

Temperament

Last, but most certainly not least, you definitely need to put quite a bit of time into considering what temperament you’d like your new pooch to have.

Dogs may be of one species, but each breed varies widely in their different natural instincts and behaviours! Maybe you’re looking for a more family-friendly breed – loving, affectionate and generally great with kids and the majority of strangers. If this is what you’d like, Labradors, Yorkshire Terriers and Cocker Spaniels are all a great choice!

However, if you’re looking for a dog that doesn’t need quite so much attention from you – perhaps more comfortable being at home for a few hours each day – Bulldogs, Mastiffs, Dachshunds and West Highland Terriers are all famous couch potatoes and sleep for hours a day!

It’s worth considering, however, that if you’re likely to be out of the house for upwards of eight hours every day and there is nobody else at home with your dog, then it might not be the best time to introduce a dog into your family. Even the most low-maintenance dogs need a fair bit of attention throughout the day!

There’s A Perfect Breed For Every Family

Whoever you are, there’s a perfect dog breed out there for you – looking into all the factors above, you’re bound the find the right kind of pup for your family eventually.

Here at Pexswillow Dogs, we have puppies in a wide range of breeds – including Yorkshire Terriers, Labradors, Cocker Spaniels, Cockapoos and Labradoodles – available for adoption. If any of the breeds that we have here sound like they could be the right fit for your family, why not get in touch? Your new furry friend might be right here waiting for you!