How do YOU choose a dog??

Question

As a rescuer, I see people choosing dogs for many reasons...looks, ease of care, size, 'just always had as a kid", etc but often little regard is given to the actual temperament, exercise or training needs of the animal and therefore the animal is 'dumped' in a shelter or given away. I'm interested in knowing how YOU choose your dog...

I think some of you misunderstood the question. I do not need help in choosing a dog for myself; I know my criteria. I am trying to understand how so many dogs end up in shelters and rescues. Knowing what people look for when getting a dog helps me to understand that! Too many dont put any more thought into it than they think a particular breed is "cute" or "neat". There is wayyyyy more to choosing a dog than that! And KUDOS to all of you whom have adopted your pet! I applaud you!!

Answer 1

I got book, The Perfect Match, and spent a few years studying up on acceptable possibilities. I had wanted to get a dog right away, but knew it would be mean to get one with a 19 yr old cat. I new what I wanted by the time my cat died at 23. I used now defunct website to view shelter dogs and went to a few who had types I thought I was interested in. I'd studied up on temperament testing. Then I walked in and found the puppy I thought I had to have. I changed pups when the family returned that I'd seen with her, as the kids were heartbroken I was taking "their pup". I probably ended up with the better one. She was less submissive than the other and also looks and acts like a purebred Aussie. Her spunky attitude drove me to training and agility. The 2nd puppy, I chose in a bad, impulsive way---to solve first dog's problem. He was so adorable. Seems he always looks that way in public, but is psycho in the home. It was a small group rescue, who didn't tell me about his plethora of probs., though his foster would've known. I found out by day 2 and couldn't find them to return him, as contract said. Submissive wetter, fear of toys and authority, not food motiv. and much more. I tried to re-home him, but was honest about his probs. It's taken 5 long yrs., and agility away from home (becomes dog statue when I try to play w/ him in yard ) to make him more confident, less fearful of me and a good dog. So, doing the right research got me my "dream dog" and getting one on impulse, got me the "dog of my nightmares".

Answer 2

I researched breeds for about 10 years. I decided what size, temperament, sex, exercise needs, etc that I would need in a dog. I waited until I could financially support a dog with training and premium food and not worry about vet bills. I found what breed I wanted and spent months searching breeders and shelters. I didn't adopt from a shelter because many dogs from shelters come with "backgrounds," and this is my first dog and I wanted to know exactly where my dog came from so I wouldn't run into any behavior problems I wouldn't know how to handle. I spent 2 years debating the breeder/shelter question. I actually didn't decide until just a couple of months before I actually bought my Golden. I think Toby might be the most attention spoiled dog on the planet. :)

Answer 3

You look at as many dogs as it you need to.When you run into the right one you will feel it.When you find one that you have this different bond right away or something about the dog you run into makes it impossible to leave it behind than you know you got the right dog.Also every dog will have some problems . Its just like raising a kid and to dump a dog back off into a shelter because they all of a sudden are an inconvenience is cruel.If you find a dog look at it as life long and put up with whatever you need to because in the long run its worth it.My dog is now 14 and from a shelter.He was a pain in the but when I got him but after about 5 years he was easy.He was also very sick when I got him he had parvo and everything from the shelter.I am so happy that I kept him.

Answer 4

We have 2 dogs. One we rescued from a shelter. We picked him as a companion for our other rescued dog who has since died. Great dog, intense eyes and smart. We wanted one that would prove easy to train and would be active, to play with our kids.

Our other dog that we have currently is a purebred. We bought her from a private owner, not a breeder. She's an affectionate, cuddling kinda dog. We had owned one of her breed before and enjoyed the traits inherent in that breed.

The shelters where we live won't let just anyone adopt a pet. You have to show that you have a fenced yard, that other pets will get along well with the new dog and they require the adopted dogs be sterilized. It's a no-kill shelter. Thankfully there are lots of caring people looking for great pets.

Answer 5

I have rescues myself, they chose me lol If I was to choose a purebred, I would look at what it's dietary needs would be, how much it would cost to feed, what problems they should be screened for, what the parent's temperament is like, how much time I can devoted to it and how much grooming, exercise etc it would need and what vet care would cost (desexing a larger breed is more expensive than a smaller one as it needs more anaesthetic etc)

Now, when you're choosing a rescue or shelter dog, you can't always do these things so you need to listen to what the carer tells you about the temperament, behavioural issues etc and any problems it has. Some of the other prerequisites still apply, like how much exercise, food etc I don't choose dogs as such, they choose me but I need to be confident I can handle it (bigger dogs can be stronger) i need to know if it will fit in with my family (is it ok with cats and kids and other dogs?)

So then I will sit down and see which one is interested in me (mind you i've taken on some special needs over the years) and we go from there.

I never dump, abandon or rehome my pets though, i make a commitment to them for life, they're part of the family and I will work through whatever arises with vets or other professionals if necessary. They aren't disposable or replaceable to me.

One of the best dogs I ever had was with me over 20 years, she was abused (tied up in a pit and left in the rain etc) by the owners and her owners gave her up to get a purebred, the purebred died a couple of months after they bought it, my girl lived a happy and healthy life where she was loved by me and my extended family, she was a pretty Australian silky X but she looked like one anyway. She gave so much love and believe me, it was returned. Her antics are still much talked about amongst family.

Answer 6

Actually we went to a foster home to see a dog that we found on petfinder.com. He looked perfect for us in the writeup, but the second we got there we knew it wouldn't work. He was skittish and nervous with new people, which would be a disaster since we are young and have people over often.

The lady had a second puppy she was looking to place, and after spending some time with her we knew she was a perfect fit!

I agree that personality is 100% more important than physical characteristics, like colours and whatnot.

I actually used a checklist I found on www.petfinder.com, it was called "how to select your next shelter dog" - and it was a series of behavioural tests to give you a rough idea of the dogs personality.

Answer 7

All the animals I have adopted over my lifetime have chosen me first. 10 years ago I walked into an animal shelter with no preconceived notions of what kind of dog I wanted and right away I connected with a Border Collie mix. When our eyes met, there was an instant connection. I then talked to the experts at the shelter about her breed and if she would be happy in the situation I had to provide her with. All worked out and we took her home. And, things were not easy. She had been an abused dog that was nearly starved to death. She had not received any training so she barked a lot, pooped and pee'd everywhere, jumped our 6 foot fence and had to be bailed out of doggy jail many times amounting in hundreds of dollars in fees. One of the worst things was that she would jump into our neighbor's backyard and beat up their dog! But the fact is, when I made the decision to adopt her, I made a lifelong commitment to her--to the point of spending thousands of dollars to bring her to Sweden with us when we moved. I educated myself about humane methods to deal with the problems without traumatizing the dog further. She is now one of the best behaving, sweet-mannered dog and people enjoy being around her. Some people in our neighborhood call and ask if we can bring her out to play with their dogs. She is 13, playful but with some arthritis that we get her shots and physical therapy for. My life has been truly blessed by my commitment to her and the bond we have. If people are going to adopt a pet, it is like adopting a member of the family. You must make a commitment to that animal for the rest of its life--not just when it is convenient.

Answer 8

pretty much I start out finding what I like to look at, then I research the breed even go to dog shows & talk to breeders. Also my Aunt, Mother & Sister are all professional groomers & my Aunt used to raise breed & show English Springer Spanils & my Mom works for a vet so we're all educated on health problems, personalities, grooming needs etc etc etc.....I try to be sure I can give the dog the happiest life I can with regards to my personal needs & wants also, I rent & live in a smaller house w a small yard so I opted for the Pug over the Boxer, and lucky me I found her at my local shelter!!! Otherwise I most likely wouldnt have a dog yet because I wasnt set to shell out BIG money to buy a pug but like i said LUCKY me I found one who needed a good loving home where she could spend the rest of her life!!!

Answer 9

I choose by the way they act. I inspect the hell out of a dog if I am going to buy it so if they try to bite me or something like that I'll look elsewhere. I take into account they might be nervous or something but if it's too skittish or jumpy, it's not going to survive a week in my house. It seems there is always one dog in a litter that keeps coming back to me and I confess that is usually the one I get.

Answer 10

Sad isn't it???
Unfortuneately what is even sadder is that you have to ask that question. But, just read the questions on this site & that SHOULD answer your question TOTALLY!!!!!
If I could answer these questions like I want, I would be kicked off the internet. I cannot believe the ignorance out there!!!!
Unfortunately, the animals & children suffer from this OVER abundence of ingnorance. WAY TOO MANY PEOPLE HAVE KIDS &/OR ANIMALS WHEN I WOULDN'T TRUST THEM TO EAT WITH A FORK WITHOUT TAKING THEIR OWN EYE OUT!!!
THANK GOD FOR PEOPLE LIKE YOU!!!!