Things to consider when acquiring a dog

Rafa

There are so many types and breeds of dogs when you consider owning one. First and foremost, I prefer to adopt than shop a dog as a pet. Breeds don't matter at all if you are born an animal lover because what matters most to you is to have a pet to be with and be considered a part of you and your family. It is of everybody's knowledge that there are lots of dogs killed inside a pound because of the increasing population caused by abandoned or neglected dogs left to stray and the growing population of stray dogs due to their owner's inability to kept them at home or simply ignore them when they no longer pleased the owner.

(Image shown is Rafa, our American Pit Bull)





If you consider to have a dog as your pet, it is important to select carefully in accordance to your personal and your family members' interests, your lifestyle and as well as your current circumstances. Think first if you want to own a puppy or an adult one. A nice and cute puppy might turn out to lose its charm when it grows old or an adult dog might not suit your family member's expectations in terms of its temper and size. The sex of the dog should also be taken into consideration if having a male dog benefits you or not as well as if you want a show dog or  not. Most guys prefer large dogs than the girls. Big dogs don't require more exercise than smaller ones but they need more space. If you are living in an apartment, having a big dog is not suitable for you. Think also if you want to own a pure breed, mixed or crossed breed, random-breed or a local dog called "Aspin" if you live in the Philippines. But if you want to adopt instead of buying, what had been mentioned are of no importance at all.

The following options are intended only for those who will acquire a dog other than adoption.

PURE BREED OR MUTT?

There are so many advantages when acquiring a pure breed dog as a pet. Simply just think that there are a lot of different dog breeds with different characteristics in terms of their mental and physical capabilities. You should consult first a known breeder or somebody who knows the attitudes of different dogs before choosing one that suits your needs and lifestyle. You might end up disgusted owning a very aggressive and powerful dog which you are not capable of handling at home or having a pet which do not fit your needs. Most pure breed dogs normally inherit diseases by its genes like skin allergies or some serious heart condition problem or disease, like the Doberman.

This German Shepherd/Golden Retriever mix has more average
mongrel traits than either parent. Text and image via Wikipedia

A purebred beagle. Text and image via Wikipedia

LARGE OR SMALL?

The size of the dog should also be taken into consideration and you need to decide whether you want a large dog or not. Temperament differs whether a dog is large or not. Big dogs like German Shepherds can be more puppy-like than small ones like Fox Terriers. Small dogs need more regular exercise than large ones and they fit on smaller homes with limited space or apartments. Some small breeds are more aggressive than large ones but they suit more for companionship and not all of them are companionable.

Chihuahua via dogbreedinfo.com

Labrador Retriever via nextdaypets.com

PUPPY OR ADULT?

Adult dogs especially the pure breeds normally are trained unlike puppies but it is not an assurance that they are safe with kids at home. Selecting an adult dog than puppy needs some tests to check its personality and behavior. Puppies on the other hand are still on their early-learning stage. You can easily check if the puppy is shy or bold within the litter.

Yuki, my pretty Labrador Retriever

Doberman Pinscher via greatdogbreed.com

Please feel free to post your comments here.

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