Are you able to look at another breed objectively?

Question

Many first time dog owners prior to buying come on here and ask what kind of dog they should get. I've seen where they even list the two or three types of dogs that interest them. I understand everyone thinks their breed is BEST but, cant you set aside your preference long enough to answer the question objectively? I own Saints and to tell you the truth I rarely recommend them to most people. I surely wouldnt tell an apartment dweller in the city to get one. Just because they are my favorite breed doesnt mean EVERYONE should own one. Lets try to help these people and read their questions and concerns. Why not recommend a dog that will best suit their situation? Not everyone should have a bully breed, toy or giant breed. Some should go to the shelter while others should not.
Do you agree?

Who knows maybe we could stop even a few dogs from ending up in the pound by giving better advice?

Answer 1

i agree.. being one of the people who have asked about what kind of dog i should get and what suits me best alot of people just tell me what they're favourite dog breed is rather then what they think would best suit me which gets me no where... but there are some that do own a breed that i am asking about and tell me honestly what is good and bad about the particular breed and if i should get one.. these people bring me closer to decide on which dog is perfect for me and my family :D

Answer 2

yes, I have rotties and have never recommended them, postitively not a dog for a first time owner or someone who does not know how to discipline their kids. (that does not mean punish.) I usually ask what they are looking for in a dog then recommend a few that might fit the bill. There is not a dog that is a one size fits all. Another thing I feel just because you LOVE the way THAT dog looks, it might be a nightmare for you when you take it home and find out that it chews, barks, sheds gobs, drools, or is a booger to housetrain. I also try to suggest that if they don't have the time, they should stay away from certain needy breeds, or dogs with grooming requirments (these add up if you can't do it yourself),or dogs with other "perks~", exercise or space limitations. It really depends on the perspective owner, I find that a giant breed can live just fine in an apt. IF the owner is dilligent about exercising it's body and mind. I also take into consideration whether they have kids or not.

Answer 3

I agree with you 100%.... even though the APBT is my favorite breed it is NOT a breed for everybody ! I think by giving advice truthfully when it comes to questions regarding what breed is best for someone we may do more good for both dog and human than we realize.....not everybody that wants a......lets say.....jack russell terrier has the time or energy it takes to keep up with these little whirlwinds,so if we just go along with them and say how cute and funny they are when they go out and bring one home and find out how energetic (and without enough exercise how destructive)they can be this usually means the dog ends up neglected or sent to a shelter or rescue.this may have been avoided had someone on here when asked explained that and suggested another breed......I also think we need to really emphasize the importance of training!!!!!! if half the dogs sitting in shelters had just gotten some basic training they may not be there....why do people just assume a dog will know how to act and never give a thought to training?Do children know right from wrong if not shown?this was a great question !!!

Answer 4

Lets not sit all the blame on the anwerer, alot of it has to do with the asker. They ask questions like, "Which is better, a cat or a dog"? or " What breed do they think would work for an elderly couple"? My answer is always find an animal that would fit the situation. You know what, best answers are given to people who say "A dog" for the first example and a "Boxer" for the second example. Most askers will give best answers to people because that is the breed that they like best, not whats best. The askers have not done their own research.

Over 50% of animals go to shelters because people did not do their research before getting the animal. Once home, they find that they don't fit in the home.

I have come here less and less because many askers use this site only to confirm something they already believe to be true or the answer is what they want to hear.

Answer 5

i have noticed this too. people are jut tellling others to get their breed.whats best for one is different for another,.
some people say they are interested in a small dog that is good with kids it isnt really helpful when someone answers and says labs are the best dogs or great danes are the best etc.
instead i try to help people decide which is the best dog . i ask them how much time will they exercise them? how large is their yard? do they want a long haired or a short hairded dog? etc.
if people arent certain on what breed they want i recommend they adopt a dog .i tell them to go to www.petfinder.com and serach available dogs.
i have a brittany spaniel and i usually dont recommend this breed to a lot of people. these dogs are great , sweet, energetic dogs that are great with kids. however they need a lot of exercise and may be too energetic and rambucous for little kids.
if people know what breed they are interested in they i recommend www.petfinder.com or a reputable breeder.
i dont have a problem at all with reputable breeders.but more often then not if people want a dog they arent goign to take the time to locate a good breeder so i recommend adopting instead.
a good site i sometimes recommend is www.yourpurebredpuppy.com it list the pros and cons of each breed.

Answer 6

ohhh st lady get a lab...they are great....blah blah blah...I hate that answer...not that i dislike labs i have known some very nice ones...and have mixed rescued ones right now. are they the great family pets they are made out to be, no. and if u can't walk them daily with a couple hours to do it then its no wonder so many end up in shelter with their hyperness/untrained and LOVE to eat things they shouldn't. While most are easy to train they need someone who can make things fun but are sturn...they have a bone head side as well.

I love german shepherds. should everyone have one? no they are very smart and most train fast....but if u are not leader things could turn out bad...very bad.
and with all the poor breeding of popular breeds its no wonder they are in the shelter.

the reason why there are so many breeds is because everyone looks for what they like in a dog. or the job that dog has to do. looks alone should not be how u pick a dog.

I like the breedselector. its not perfect but it help in what is suited for u if u are picky...like grooming, size...i use to love breed all about it. on animal planet.
But i'm not picky about breed if it needs more grooming fine....if it shedds alot i'm make a coat..(j/k). if it needs a leader who will tell it how it is fine. ifs it 'backward' i will try. but i also have been working with all kinds dogs my whole life in a shelter. with my own....with friends dogs...
if they want a breed i don't know much on i tell them to go the the akc.org. if i do know the breed i try to point out the good and bad things....and still give the akc site.

http://www.selectsmart.com/beta_dog/index.html

Answer 7

I've noticed this too, and I agree. I own Papillons, but they are far too people-oriented and sensitive for the average 8-hour day working person. I am not sure I've ever suggested one. I do usually suggest checking a shelter first, but I don't push it as the only option- I live in a rented apartment, and I could not have adopted a dog without any knowledge of its past. Chewing, barking, or failure to potty train would have caused me to be evicted from my apartment, so buying a puppy whose breed I'd already worked with for years made more sense for me. In the future, when I own a house and land, I'd love to rescue. But it's not for everybody all the time.

As a groomer, I have a pretty objective view of all breeds, I have seen most of them with and without their owners, and have gotten a good idea of their overall breed personalities. It drives me nuts when people suggest a typically biting-type dog for kids (or worse, a 5lb toy breed for a 3 year old) "because I have one and he's so sweet!" Yes, so far, your dog has not bitten YOUR family- that doesn't mean he's not an anomoly to the breed.

Answer 8

All I can say is that if I tell someone I like a certain breed it is personal choice. It's hard to imagine the exact situation they are talking about. They may say we have a rather large yard, so one might say a larger dog, when in all reality their "large " yard is 10 ft x 10 ft, which may be large for their area. All I can recommend is what I have had good experiences with, or other breeds I may have some knowledge of but a breed that is good for me will not be good for the next person. So I would have to say I agree with you. I have had a lot of dogs in my years and had everything from a poodle to Saint and Newfoundland, and would not, as you said recommend them to a lot of people( although I loved them myself).

Answer 9

I generally recommend questions they should ask themselves rather than a specific breed. I ask them to think about the grooming, grooming costs, shed factor, exercise requirements, size, training required, temperament with strangers, if they dont have kids but plan to can they expose the dog to kids so they are raised around and comfortable with them, their ability to be the firm consistant leader needed by some breeds, whether their lifestyle is expected to change in the next 10 yrs (college, married, having kids, moving from house to apt.) How much time they have to spend with the dog, what they are wanting from a dog as far as a lap dog, a jogging partner, a dog to work in obedience or agility, the enviroment they plan to keep the dog in, are they to be an inside or outside dog or both. The temp where they live, if they want the dog to be outside with them a lot in a cold enviroment a heavier coated breed would be much happier than a greyhound for example, some dogs don't deal with heat, some with cold. The size factor as far as the larger the dog the more it costs to feed, flea preventative, heartworm preventative, any medications - larger dogs simply cost more to maintain. I ask them to learn about any breed of dog they may consider and the medical issues that go with that breed, whether they are willing to pay to treat these conditions should they arise. I also suggest they research the specific breeder once they settle on a bred.

I love my dobe and it is the perfect bred for me but have never recommended the bred to anyone. I hate more than anything to see a dobe end up in rescue because people thought they were a cool dog and did not research before they commit to ownership. They are an awesome breed with major time requirements and health risks. There are so many back yard breeders that sell for a lower price that looks good at first but expotentially increases the chance of future temperament / health problems. That lower price usually costs you more in the long run because of health or a short lifespan.

Answer 10

I do agree. I can easily recommend a breed other than the ones I have when I feel that another would be more appropriate. However, in all honesty, I am slightly prejudiced against some breeds that I don't favor so I would probably rarely recommend any of them. For example, I'm not a big fan of Labs so I would most likely recommend one of the many breeds that shares similar characteristics of the lab; such as health, temperament, trainability and level of energy. I'm certain that I have recommended some breeds that I don't favor though.