Build-a-dog. Picking the right one for you. * CORE DTS| Dog Training Service

Getting a new dog and bringing them home is probably one of the most enjoyable moments a human has, minus the big milestone and family miracles. Choosing the right dog for you and your family is one of the single most important decisions you will be faced with. Let’s talk about some of the best ways to approach that decision; if you think you might be in this situation down the road.

Let’s get a few mental housekeeping items out of the way. First, every puppy you pick up is going to feel like they are the biggest and best bundle of puppy cuteness there is. Next, almost every rescue dog story you learn about is going to feel like a pretty heart wrenching story. Unfortunately, we can’t save all of them. Once we can agree to this, we can keep it in perspective and start deciding which dog is going to be the right dog for you.

So how should we approach this? Should we start thinking about puppy mills, puppy stores, shelters, store adoption events, and craigslist?

The answer to all of that is no.

Selecting the right dog for you is just as important as selecting the right dog that’s going to allow your dog to be setup for success and overall family pack happiness.

Some key components to consider before selecting the type of breed you want and where to get your new dog are;

How many hours do you work in the day?
How many hours will your dog be crated or outside?
How much space will you have to offer your new dog?
Will your dog be inside an apartment all day? A house? A garage?
How big will your dog’s poop be?
You think I’m kidding about the last one, but you have to consider a waste plan.
You will be the one disposing of it…
And you have to consider a food plan!
How many hours will you have to give back to your new dog once you’re off of work?
Will you be building in training time as part of your normal routine?
Will you be needing to hire a trainer so you can start enjoying your dog beyond the backyard?
How much of your monthly budget are you prepared to use for your new dog?
Are you a novice, intermediate, or experineced dog owner?

These are some of the basic and most critical questions you should be asking yourself before diving into bringing home any dog. Each dog breed has their own traits and attributes. With proper planning, you and your new dog can have one of the greatest bonds you’ve experienced and have a very happy household. Without any proper planning, you can have some sunshine mixed in with a whole lotta hurricane!

Here’s an example that happens often, unfortunately.

Human is excited and brings home a Great Dane puppy. (Any big dog really) And that puppy grows up fast. That human works 12 hours a day, 6 days a week. And they live in great, big ole, one bedroom apartment.

That is not a good fit for you and it is definetly not a good fit for your new dog. You’re going to have a restless dog who doesn’t have enough space to move around and all of your expensive electronics and retro furniture should just be marked as perishable at that point. Something’s gonna give and it’s generally going to be in the dog’s favor at first.

Then that same inexperienced owner will get frustrated. Attempt to re-home that dog because they want to do the “right” thing. And if that doesn’t work; their new family dog is going to be sent to a shelter.

So we really want to consider those key components before bringing home any new dog.

Then we will be ready to decide the type of dog we want and where to find them at.

There is almost always a breed type that is just right for you and your everyday living situation. So have some fun researching all of the different types of breeds there are and what they are known for.

It’s a lot of fun!

And if you find yourself stuck between making any decisions, let me help you by recommending one of the most common and awesome types of dog you can get. This dog type is almost always universally suitable for all different living situations. They’re awesome! They’re called a rescue…