How to Choose the Best Dog for You

A key part of knowing a dog fits you or not is first understanding their personality and what type of home is best for them. Personally, I’m going to evaluate a few dogs and offer my take on what I think they will need out of their forever home.

I’ll be looking for things like energy level, the dog’s willingness to engage in training and more.

Two thing I highly recommend to you when it comes to having a new dog is firstly, let’s adopt, don’t buy. There are a lot of homeless dogs out to really need a new, suitable home for them. You can check out in the local animal shelter to look for some dogs, which I’m sure you will find out at least one.

Secondly, when meeting a new dog, let him/her smell you to get them at ease immediately. Now, after making friends with some furry, it’s time for you to consider which is suitable for you.

Things to consider before choosing the right dog

Probably, the very first question you need to ask yourself is “Do you want a puppy or an adult dog?”.

Well, puppies have to be potty trained and they usually go through a significant biting and chewing stage, all of which can take months of consistency to endure and resolves. But, some of the advantages are they don’t know much about the world yet, you can be there to teach them everything and that can be so fun and help encourage an incredible bond.

Speaking of an adult dog, they just can be rewarding which means surely, they had a life before you but it’s life they have with you that really matters.

Some older dogs might have established behavioral issues from their past life, which can be usually overcome, with a little bit of patience and consistency. Besides, many older dogs already come potty trained. Score!

Plus, they might already know things like sit down and stay, too.

When you evaluate a dog, pay special attention to their energy level. This is the single best way to determine a dog is right for you

Energy level

I typically rank dogs in level 1, 2 or 3 based on energy level because energy level is one of the fastest ways to size up a dog and determine if they are going to be right for a certain situation.

Level 1

Level-1 dog is for those furry who are a little bit shy at times and they demonstrate a lot of body language which indicates they are not extremely comfortable.

If you usually hear the dog whine, that’s a clear sign of he/she being a little bit anxiety. So, let them ease down by allow the dog smells you, and playing with you a little bit.

You can try giving them some treats and make them look at your eyes. Then, this is important – see if they will play with a tug toy.

If they are not interested in it, but more likely to wander around like “What the heck is going on?”. That’s a sign of them being nervous right then and they don’t like to play.

If that is the case, walking is a good way to exercise the dog because they don’t appear like overly energetic either. Let’s soothe them with some treats, let them know that great things happen when they are in places like that.

The priority is getting them comfortable, not giving them to sit, stay or lie down. When they are already comfortable with the surroundings, start exercising them by using treats.

Remember that anxious dogs need a lot attention. Let’s do some eye contact with them! That’s why a more seasons family who’s got some experience with dogs would probably be more ideal for them.

Level 2

For example, if a dog gets really excited and he/she can’t control themselves while in other times, he/she seems to be deserved and quiet, I will list them in level 2 dog.

Level 2 dogs are awesome for most people who really want to be engaged with training but don’t want a dog that is super high maintenance.

One of the first things I like to access for is a dog’s willingness to look at me in the eyes. So, I can get a dog’s eyes on me that tells me I’m in a better position to communicate with them. Traditional training focuses on really popping the leash or kind of jerking the leash suddenly to get a dog pay attention.

But if you get a dog’s eyes on you voluntarily so much more authentic, gives you a lot of better results down the road.

If a dog gets great eye contact, his demeanor is good, he follows his lure, he follows a little bit here, or he goes back and forth, that just means it’ll be easier to guide him with the treat.

Another good indicator as to what dogs teach ability is their play drive: Are they willing to engage promptly in a game of tug-of-war? Do they do it off and on he’s really lighting up and getting happy by a tug toy? Even if he doesn’t into the toy, that would be fine, too.

Now, why is tug of war is so important?

Great question! When dogs play with a person so much more rewarding than say just playing with another dog, but there’s something about playing with people that seems to really satisfy dogs in a way of nothing else does.

Tug of war can be more of powerful rewards or currencies for a dog that there is. Now, if a dog is really enthusiastic about tug that also may be an indicator that they are going to particularly high maintenance because they will have a lot of energy.

Level 3

The thing about energetic dog is it’s all or nothing you put in the time with them and you have an amazing dog or you don’t and you have issues with the wrong. It’s because dogs like this is really tough to teach if you don’t get their energy out on a regular basis.

The best way to know how eager they are is letting them play with toys.

If he’s all about and right into the game of tug-of-war and ease right into it after eating turkey which is really interesting. That’s what I like to call dual- currency.

If a dog will work for treats and work for play in the same exact training session, that indicates some very trainable dog most of the time.

The reason for that is when dogs are like eating something really good to kind of quell their desire to bite and play. That gives you a lot of tools if you’re training a dog.

If while playing tug-of-war game, he keeps growling, that’s a good sign of playing growling. You can take advantage of this to teach him to let go by just making boring and then, when he lets go, give it right back to him. When you let go, you get to play. When you don’t, the game gets boring.

Let go is one of those things that frustrates so many people but it’s one of the easiest things to teach. Another thing you can do is using a treat to distract them while with some dogs, that may quell their desire to play tug of war with other dogs who are willing to engage in play and treats and the same training session. You can probably get right back into the game.

To test how friendly they are, you can try holding them, lifting them a little bit or touching them. If they let you do those things, they are really a friendly guy.

If they end up to a family that isn’t willing to exercise him 30 minutes to an hour a day, five days a week, they are probably going to experience a lot of problems with them. But if they do, this dog maybe learn just about anything.

Level 4

With displayed dogs, you even don’t need treats to engage with them on the very first met. And when you lure them with treats, you can see how eager they are to follow them.

It’s important to when you are teaching a dog to look at you, especially if you don’t know them very well, to exercise some caution, you don’t just want to get up in their face and say “Hey, look at me”.

But, with level 4 dogs, they are really happy and pretty obedient. But too eager dogs might be jumping if you try using treats to eye contact with them. You should discourage this habit by luring them into a sit. They might not be immediately taken, just wait, if they back up, reward them. Show them that you prefer them to do that than jumping.

Remember that just reward him only when he does something that you like. If he sits, give him a big treat.

Too eager dogs are usually not necessarily interested in tug of war. Instead, they kind of love playing and running around, that’s their playful mood which is a good sign of a dog who likes to engage people and training.

So, ask yourself: what performance level of you expect out of your new dog and more importantly, how much time do you have to regularly get that energy out. That’s how you decide what kind of energy level of dog is right for you. this should be your top consideration about breed size or appearance.

What if your family have kids?

Obviously, any family should be careful with any dog, particularly if they have young children.

They say that dogs and kids are their best friends. Sorry to break the news! You need to acknowledge of some cases that dogs bite kids. I’m not blaming about that because we don’t have any details surrounding those cases.

In that particular situation, it might be just because a child was a bit overbearing, particularly young child. If they are not really introduced properly, you can encounter that.

But if a 10 or 15-year-old kid in the house who was really interested in engaging a dog and really enthusiastic in teaching, a level-2 dog will do an amazing that.

Size dog

Next, you have to consider what size dog you want. Don’t be fooled into thinking that just because a dog is small that there will be less work. Instead, think about the pros and cons of both large and small dogs.

For example, sometimes, larger dogs need more space. Also, the larger the dog, the more expensive his basics needs may be. Think about how much food a large dog will eat compared to the smaller ones.

Smaller dogs often live longer and easier to pick up when necessary. A larger might be more likely to ward off strangers though many small dogs can make excellent watchdogs, too.

Mix breed or purebred, this type of dog is for those who have strong preference for a particular breed, I think this is probably one of least considerations you need to consider when choosing a dog.

That’s because personalities and energy level vary so widely between all breeds of dogs. And, even within the same breed and those factors are way more bored.

Many of the best dogs on this planet or mixed breed dogs regardless of which type of dog you choose, make sure you check out your local shelter and rescue groups first as they have tons of both mixed breed and purebred dogs to choose from.

Top popular dog breeds in America

There are a lot of dog breeds to consider, but here, I will round up to 10 best breeds for first time owner:

Shetland Sheepdog

Might their furry coats might make you confused for the first time, however, Shetland sheepdog is a very friendly guy to be a great companion in your family. Besides, they are really easy to take care. All you need to do is grooming them regularly.

Pug

Tell me, who don’t love these squishy faces? They are another great breed to keep in mind for any novice owner thanks to their easy maintenance. Pug is an active dog who will surely keep you on your toes always.

Poodle

Poodle is my next recommendation for their incredible temperament and intelligence. No matter which size they are, you can easily take care and train them. They also make excellent exercise partners and when hugging, you are in heaven.

Papillon

Never underestimate this dog breed just because of their tiny body build. Papillon is one of the most active and playful dogs with great personality to readily kick butt on the agility field. For, if this is your very first time owning a dog, consider it.

Labrador retriever

Well-known for his social characteristic, along with that, Labrador retriever is very easy to train, which has made them become the next great selection for new owner. There’s just one thing you should take notice is that compared to his Golden Retriever cousin, Labrador Retriever needs more exercise.

Greyhound

Greyhound is large breed dog that will be a perfect running companion in your house. They need a lot of exercises but meanwhile, they tend to sleep a lot. You will be amazed by how much a greyhound takes over your couch. But don’t worry, they are really docile and seem to be a good boy.

Golden retriever

This dog breed is largely a popular choice for many families with kids because of their friendliness to both adults and children. They come in great personality with low maintenance.

Cavalier king Charles Spaniel

Cavalier is a truly sweet dog who always loves being with people. Though you will have to groom them regularly, this kind of dog breed will be your best companion due to his warmth, friendliness and a little bit laziness.

Cane Corso Italiano

In this list, Cane Corso Italiano might be the dog breed that takes less maintenance. In their characteristics, there’s a perfect compromise of an obedient dog and an excellent guard dog who is always ready to protect you from bad things. Cane Corso Italiano is also joyful to go out with you for a walk.

Bichon Frise

Not only a great option for novice owner, Bichon Frise is also a favorite choice of many experienced ones based on their great temperament and low maintenance. There are just two things you need to bear in mind when living with them are firstly, regular grooming and secondly, daily walk with them.

In briefly, three first and foremost things for new dog owners to consider choosing their best furry are easy training, great temperament and low maintenance.

Now, for those who live in an apartment, there are more things to consider. You should look for a dog who is not a big barker, sociable with new dogs or humans and comfortable with loud noises or vibrations.

In this case, mixed breeds are the best choice. However, if you prefer the purebred, here are my recommendations for you:

• Greyhound
• Tsvetnaya Bolonka
• Biewer
• French Bulldog
• Cavalier king Charles spaniel

Yeah, that’s the end of this article. I hope such information and guidance included here is useful for you to find out the best dog suitable for you and your family.

And, do you ever notice that choosing the right food for your dog can be harder than choosing the right dog? Don’t be too overwhelmed because I already wrote some detail articles for you. Take a look:

• Best dry dog food to consider
• Best wet dog food you can think of
• Best organic dog foods

By Luna | Published: February 19, 2019