How To Pick A Dog

 How purpose, cash, and affection factor in when selecting your pet.

The Why Factor

Have you considered how to choose your dog, or dog breed? Many canine lovers jump into their new or next four-legged friend for one big reason or another, instead of using a balanced framework to handle the question.  Is it just about having a companion (without the emotional complexities of dealing with one of the human kind), or picking the right dog for your family or household? Or for some of you, is it all about the pride, and brownie points you can collect from owning a top breed for trophy, or competition purposes?

The Money Factor

You may discover, once the issue is framed this way, that the “find my perfect dog” project may be fraught with unneeded financial or logistical hazards. Years ago, the release of the movie “101 Dalmations” resulted in a spate of purchases of that breed, as families heeded their children’s desire to have such a cute puppy. However, puppies grow up, as mature Dalmations take up much space, and can be quite cost or labor intensive to manage, as many exasperated households found out. A resulting easy lesson was learned---just watching a Disney movie might not be the best way how to choose your dog.

The truth is, some dogs cost more than others, and are easier to deal with day-to-day. In terms of the question “how to find my dog breed,” hounds such as greyhounds or whippets are not known to cause much hassle and upkeep. Other dogs can end up emptying your wallet, from those that shed too much, or leave wet drool around on surfaces, or have heartworm or similar pet care conditions, to those who never remember they’ve been trained not to urinate on the carpet, etc. These costs may eclipse your concerns about adopting the best canine based on affection.

The Love Factor

If you’re well off, have enough time on your hands, and a big pet maintenance budget is not an issue, however, your main interest can be in simply loving your pet. How to choose your dog, if based on love, can come down to figuring out what is being loved, or why you love it. Several experts in veterinary medicine believe the science of the last few decades supports the theory that dogs display or express many more human characteristics than previously understood. Our furry friends even mimic their owners’ mannerisms in many cases. If dogs are in essence acting like a mirror, could that mean dog owners are merely practicing a new form of self-love?

So, you should ask yourself, does your love of your dog reflects genuine outward feeling, or inward isolation (“the lonely old lady with a thousand cats” syndrome)? Fortunately, experts note that dog owners are actually highly loving, and nurturing people, whose care for their pets reflects an outward generosity and kindness.  In that light, picking the right dog for your family should be about fostering those same caring qualities among all members of the household, and selecting the breed of dog that encourages you to shower love upon the most.