After some thoughtful consideration, you have decided to get a dog. This article is designed to help you start to think about the appropriate breed or breeds for you. We will not be covering the various health issues associated with each breed but rather behavior and activity levels. If you decide to go to the shelter and give one of those wonderful dogs a home, you will most likely get a dog of mixed breed heritage. A mixed breed dog is likely to have characteristics of each of the breeds.
KNOW YOUR BREEDS:
Group 1: Powerful Breeds
The Powerful breeds include Pit Bulls, Rottweilers, German Shepherds and a few of the Belgian dogs. These breeds are known for their toughness, use in fighting and police work. These dogs need regular exercise and someone who will be the leader of their pack/household. If you are looking for a dog to coddle, these are not the breeds for you. These dogs are wonderful companions but require an investment of time and money for obedience training.
Group 2: Small Fluffy Breeds
When we think of a fluffy dog, we think of a dog who tends to be less than 30 pounds and who needs grooming at least a few times a year. The small fluffy breed include Poodles, Bichons Frises, Cavalier King Charles Spaniels, Shih Tzu, Maltese, Pomeranians, Yorkshire Terriers, Mini Schnauzers, and various combinations of those. These dogs tend to be less active and more adaptable to apartment and indoor living. Though they need light exercise, their requirements are not as great as some of the other groups we will discuss. If you enjoy coddling a dog, these dogs may be more your style. These breeds also tend to be more hypoallergenic as they shed less than other breeds.
Group 3: Hunting/Sporting Breeds
This group is divided into two divisions, the hunting dog and the sporting dog. The serious hunting dog includes the Pointers, Vizlas, Brittany Spaniels, Springer Spaniels and the Labrador retrievers. The sporting dog includes the Golden Retrievers, Labrador Retrievers and the boxers. All of these breeds need exercise and a backyard. Hunting dogs often need twice as much exercise as the others. To put it in terms of time, many of these dogs need at least 1-2 hours of exercise every day. Sporting dogs tend to be good family dogs and do well in households with children. These dogs tend to be very smart, trainable and food motivated!
Group 4: Herding Breeds
The Herding Breeds (dogs with jobs) include the Australian Shepherds (regular and mini), Border Collies, Collies, and Cattle dogs. These dogs are traditionally known for the ability to herd cattle, sheep and various livestock. Even though removed from a farm, many will still have herding instincts and will herd children or other pets! These dogs require a moderate amount of exercise and often need enrichment activities that challenge them. These dogs make great agility dogs, search and rescue dogs, and companions for those who have an active lifestyle. These dogs would not do as well in an apartment setting unless they had large amounts of environmental enrichment each day.
Group 5: Terriers
The terriers include the Jack Russell Terriers, Cairn Terriers, Fox terriers, Airedale Terriers, and a number of other large and small terriers. Historically these dogs were used for hunting small game and were companions for hunters on horseback. Nowadays, they can be seen bouncing along on a walk or taking laps around a bigger, slower dog. To say that these dogs are full of energy is an understatement. You will never have a dull moment with these dogs. Known for their larger than life personalities, these dogs require a large amount of exercise. Terriers tend to be loyal dogs that require a commitment of time spent on obedience as they tend to have a stubborn streak.
Group 6: Working Dogs
Working dogs are known for their size (often large), who at some point were bred for work. These working dogs include rescue dogs, cart dogs, sled dogs and guard dogs (both of humans and livestock). Some of the most common breeds include Mastiffs, Bernese Mountain dogs, Saint Bernards, Newfoundlands, Huskies and Doberman Pinschers. These dogs tend to need moderate exercise depending on their size and individual activity level. It is essential that the working dog be trained at a young age, and establishes who its master is as these dogs have the potential to become very large and very strong. These dogs do love to work as their name suggests, but they also can make a good pet for the right person.
Disclaimer: This is by no means a complete list of the many breeds of dogs out there. The American Kennel Club has over 150 breeds registered. I apologize if I have left out your favorite dog such as the pug, bulldog or little dachshund. Not everyone fits into these larger general categories, not that they wouldn’t make great pets. My main objective was to get you thinking about dogs that are compatible for you and your family’s lifestyle. If you have narrowed it down to a group or maybe now you are not sure about a particular dog, please talk with your veterinarian. These tend to be generalizations and your veterinarian can help you navigate the nuances of each breed.
A final thought, don’t forget that there are many wonderful dogs at local shelters just waiting for someone to take them home.
HOW TO CHOOSE THE RIGHT DOG FOR YOU
By Dr. Jennifer Tutko, DVM
May - June, 2011
