So you think you are ready to add a four legged family member to the bunch. I have been working on researching different dog breeds (speaking in purebreds at the moment) to learn more about temperament, energy level, size at maturity and health related concerns. I will share with you some of the questions I had to ask myself (& Dennis, of course) to help narrow down the field.

First you need to think about what environment you can provide for the dog. What will your house be like? Have you purchased a house or are you renting? Does the house (rented or owned) have adequate fencing to contain a dog? Are you willing to have a dog in the house? Or do you prefer a dog that only gets to see you when you go outside? (Not a great thing for any dog breeder to hear about one of their babies future living situation.) If you are in an apartment/condo, does the property owner okay pets? Do they limit the size/type of the pet? If in an apartment, how many times per day are you willing to walk the dog?

A few more that somewhat relate to environment could be, travel. Do you plan to do a lot of traveling? Will the dog go with you? Will the dog stay at home with a pet-sitter? Or stay at a boarding kennel? There are many options available to travel with your dog. Many hotels/motels etc., do allow pets to stay with their guests so long as the dogs are well mannered and contained in accordance to the local laws. (Some cities have leash laws and others do not, it is up to the pet owner to learn these in advance. On another note, some cities now ban certain breeds of dogs that they have deemed dangerous…but that’s ANOTHER long story!)

Still interested in a dog? Great! Let’s continue then!

You’re willing to make a few sacrifices to accommodate your new addition. What type do you get now? Oh boy! Here are some MORE questions to ask yourself!!

What are you looking to do with your dog? Do you want a dog that will play ball for hours on end? The sporting/bird hunting dogs are notorious for endless hours of play, however they can overdo themselves. Do you want a couch potato dog that will just hang out and not do a whole lot? Some of the small toy breeds have a tendency to love the life of luxury where they aren’t required anything other than looking cute. Will this dog be required to jump into the car? --In which case a Basset Hound might not work for you! Or if you have a small car, a Great Dane will likely be uncomfortable. Are you interested in competition with your dog? There are various facets there! You can show conformation, which unfortunately requires that your animal remains un-spayed and un-neutered, but there is also, competitive obedience, carting, and agility where spayed and neutered animals are welcome to compete.

Have you narrowed down the purpose of getting a dog? Well, What about the size? There are hundreds of different breeds ranging in size from the small toy breeds about 5-10# on up to the giant breeds, about 150-200#. Some of the small dogs are not necessarily perfect family members, as some can be aggressive, but then again there are a few out there that work well. On the flip side, the large dog breeds are not necessarily perfect family dogs either. There are some breeds that have earned a bad rap as being dangerous, when in fact they are great dogs. The important thing to take home here is no matter what size dog you choose, how they behave is entirely up to you.

Ah what next? There IS more! What about the hair? Do you prefer the long lush coats of Australian Shepherds and Afghan Hounds? Or does the thought of brushing your dog everyday for about an hour turn your stomach? (A weekly trip to the groomer can get expensive, and you could be missing a great opportunity to bond with your dog.) There are also the short and medium coated breeds, Labrador Retrievers and German Shepherds. They also require grooming on a regular basis to keep their coats healthy, but you may not encounter as many tangles. Don’t think for a second that the short coat means that they won’t shed! Several short coated breeds have an undercoat that they shed twice a year and it looks as though your dog has exploded!!! If you want a dog that won’t shed, try the hairless variety! (This will present a whole new set of skin problems to deal with!)

The dog that is good with children. Does it exist? What is this mystery breed? Well I hate to disappoint everyone, but there is not one particular breed that is good with kids. That is very individual. There are a few breeds that have the potential to be great with kids, but it is up to you as the owner to take the right steps to make the dog child safe, as well as MAKE YOUR CHILD DOG SAFE!!!! That is a BIG part of making a healthy happy family dog!! Some of the breeds I have been researching to add to our family are the Greater Swiss Mountain Dog, Black & Tan Coonhounds, Boxers and Anatolian Shepherds. Greater Swiss Mountain Dogs and Coonhounds seem to have the most consistent temperaments so far. The Boxer might also make a great family member, however they are VERY high-energy dogs. The Anatolian Shepherd is what is known as a livestock guardian. They do not herd livestock, their job is to protect it from harm. While they might adopt your family as livestock, they require a very strong person who will not allow them to be the dominant component. Other breeds I would consider for a family situation are Australian Shepherds, Standard Poodles, Rottweilers, Basset Hounds, Boston Terriers, Golden Retrievers and Labrador Retrievers. These dogs all have the potential to be great family dogs (as well as many other breeds) but they do NOT come that way as puppies. Any dog can be a great family dog IF, and only IF, they are given consistent training and socialization. Any of the dogs I mentioned above also have the potential to be a great danger to your house and family. The amount of socialization and training is not any particular time or number. It is something that should be a part of your dog's everyday life. As with children, if you want good manners and safety, you must work hard at it everyday with every new situation.