Placer County, CA - How To Research And Find The Perfect Dog
The first step to finding the perfect dog for you is to determine which dog breeds fit your lifestyle. Some things to consider are:
- Experience - Are you an experienced dog trainer? If not, are you willing to seek the help of a professional trainer to teach you how to train your dog, especially if you get a puppy? Unless you are interested in the easy-to-own, small dog breeds like the Shih-Tzu, Bichon Frise or Coton de Tulear, obedience training is highly recommended.
- Purpose - Do you want to engage in physical activities with your dog, or are you looking for a couch potato? I wouldn't suggest getting breeds that have a lot of drive if you don't plan on keeping them busy...or they will surely find ways to keep themselves busy that you may not appreciate!
- Grooming - The time and/or money required for grooming depends on the dog breed. Some don't require much at all, just baths and a little brushing every now and then. Others may need more pampering with a complete grooming package (wash, blowdry, cut and style) every month. Shedding is also something to consider, except for breeds like the Poodle, Yorkshire Terrier or Portuguese Water Dog.
The next step is to research all of the different dog breeds you're interested in to see if they fit what you're looking for. You can spend hours reading about dog breeds at AKC.org or at your local library...or better yet, attend a dog show where you can meet the dogs and talk to their owners. Once you've narrowed down your choice of dog breeds, here are some recommended ways to find your perfect dog:
- Local Shelters & Rescue Groups - You never know what you may find at your local shelter or rescue group, as there could very well be young puppies and/or purebred dogs, along with adults and mixed breeds. One thing to consider regarding getting a puppy vs. adult is that with adult dogs, what you see is basically what you get and with puppies, you are responsible for their environment and upbringing. Here are some links to help get you started:
- Breed-Specific Rescue - If you Google the dog breed and the word "rescue" you should easily find the rescue groups websites for that particular dog breed. The more common dog breeds are more likely to have local rescue groups, while the rare breeds will probably have a national rescue group. This is a great way to adopt a purebred dog, but you may also have to be patient until the right one comes along.
- Breeders - One thing to help you determine if the breeder is an "ethical breeder" is to make sure that both parents of the litter have AKC registration papers, OFA certification for hip dysplasia and titles for conformation (dog shows) and temperament testing like CGC (Canine Good Citizen) or TT (Temperament Test by ATTS, American Temperament Test Society). "Backyard breeders" tend to do "nothing" with their dogs to prove them to be breed-worthy, but won't hesitate to tell you their dog has "many champions in their pedigree".
Bob and I have been tremendously lucky to have found our four perfect dogs, as a result of thorough research, responsible breeding, consistent obedience training and an ample amount of time spent with our dogs inside and outside of the home, including traveling all over the country to compete in dog shows and earning temperament test titles. They are the LOVE, LOVE, LOVE and LOVE of our lives! :)
Comments (8)Subscribe to CommentsComment