Major
Category |
Minor
Category |
Considerations |
| Home
Environment |
|
|
| |
Children
ages and planned |
| 1)
|
If
child is 0-3 yr old:
forgo the dog and
focus on training
the kid |
| 2) |
If planning children,
best to raise child
to 3 yr+ before getting
pup |
| 3)
|
4-12
yr old = ideal time,
but choose gentle
dog, not guard type |
| 4) |
12-18+ kid = only
adopt pet if ready
to take over dog |
|
| |
Consider
other pets |
| 5)
|
If
a dog, select different
gender and size to
avoid competition |
| 6) |
If a cat, provide
safe places for cat
to get away |
| 7)
|
Avoid
two littermates since
they often dogfight
later in life |
|
| |
Preferred
location for elimination |
| 8)
|
Back
yard: Do you have
a fenced yard, and
appropriate spot? |
| 9) |
Nearby green belt:
How close in bad weather?
If no yard, better
choose a small dog
and train inside elimination. |
| 10)
|
Inside: Smaller dog
is better (quantity);
Puppy = easier to
teach. |
| 11) |
Inside and/or yard:
any dog will do |
|
| |
Preferred
location for exercise |
| 12)
|
Inside (e.g. high
rise) = small dog |
| 13) |
Nearby green belt:
More weather flexible.
Any dog. |
| 14)
|
Back
yard: Only exercise
off the property counts
as exercise. |
|
| |
Preferred
location for sleeping |
| 15)
|
Outside: Not recommended.
Any dog should sleep
near people. Plan
on doghouse if outside
any significant time. |
| 16) |
Indoors in pet bed:
Best plan. Budget
for crate and pillow. |
| 17)
|
On
my bed: Smaller and
calm easy going personality
dog. |
|
| |
Other parameters |
| 18)
|
If all else the same,
pick dog with same
color coat as your
carpeting to reduce
evidence of shedding. |
| 19) |
If fine furniture,
choose calm, low energy,
plan on kennel-training;
plenty of chew toys
and lots of supervision.
Older dog or cat best. |
|
| Dog
age and gender |
|
|
| |
Age |
| 20)
|
Puppy: Can control
socialization; No
bad habits to overcome. |
| 21) |
Adult: Can test personality;
Miss puppy time investment;
may come with existing
problems. |
| 22)
|
Senior:
In calmest stage of
life; more medical
$; great for senior
people. |
|
| |
Gender |
| 23)
|
Male:
Bigger for protection,
exercise; less $ to
neuter |
| 24) |
Male neutered: Benefits
of male with less
behavior issues. |
| 25)
|
Female:
Less roaming, fighting,
marking; better for
training. |
| 26) |
Female spayed: Benefits
of female, less medical
problems, no male
visitors because no
heat cycle. |
|
| Dog
body size & shape |
|
|
| |
Size |
| 27)
|
Select
puppy based on expected
adult size. |
| 28) |
Physical protection:
Medium to large, agile,
male or female. |
| 29)
|
Vocal
Protection: Any size
can sound an alarm. |
|
| |
The
desired body "Look" |
| 30)
|
Eyes:
Droopy lower lids
catch dust and infections.
Tight lower lids may
turn inward causing
eye abrasions and
discharge. |
| 31) |
Ears: Droopy have
more problems. Erect
more expressive. |
| 32) |
Muzzle:
Flatter = more like
a human; longer =
more like wolf. |
| 33) |
Tail:
Long is expressive,
good for balance.
Short doesn't
knock over items. |
|
| |
Exercise |
| 34)
|
Joggers:
choose big and more
active. |
| 35) |
If "I have no
time," go small
dog, more passive. |
|
| |
Function |
| 36)
|
Companion:
Any dog or cat. |
| 37) |
Hunting: Look up specifics
of retriever, pointer,
etc. |
| 38) |
Rescue:
Scent oriented breed. |
| 39) |
Agility or obedience:
Intelligent, active. |
| 40) |
Therapy: Calm. Non-aggressive.
Non-bossy. Affectionate. |
|
| |
Waste elimination |
| 41)
|
Big dog, big elimination. |
| 42) |
Small dog better if
planning paper training. |
|
| |
Longevity |
| 43)
|
Small dogs tend to
live longer. |
| 44) |
Large dogs mature
more rapidly. |
|
| |
Cost |
| 45)
|
Larger eats more. |
| 46) |
In many cases, $ increases
with size. E.g. medication,
X-rays, surgery, boarding,
crate, dog house,
etc. |
| 47) |
Long hair requires
more grooming. |
| 48) |
Smaller
require more dental
work. |
|
| |
Lap
time |
| 49)
|
Smaller is easier. |
| 50) |
Bigger person lap
can handle bigger
dog. |
|
| |
Mixed
or purebred |
| 51)
|
Many purebreds are
not carefully bred
and have problems. |
| 52) |
Responsible breeders
produce the most predictable
dog. |
| 53) |
Some
feel (first generation
only) mixed breed
dogs have "hybrid
vigor" = "best
traits of both breeds"
with fewest defects. |
|
| Coat |
|
|
| |
Length |
| 54)
|
Should relate to local
climate: Long hair
in colder, shorter
in warmer climates. |
| 55) |
Longer requires more
time combing and brushing. |
| 56) |
Longer
requires more professional
grooming and $. |
| 57) |
Longer
has more pleasure
in tactile feel. |
| 58) |
Longer
is less likely to
cause allergy (but
still can). |
|
| |
Color |
| 59)
|
Personal preference. |
| 60) |
Consider color of
carpeting to match
shedding. |
|
| |
Double
or single coat |
| 61)
|
Longer single coat
sheds less (replaced
less often) |
| 62) |
Long double coated
(with fine under hairs)
shed more |
|
| Dog
Personality |
|
|
| |
Excitability |
| 63)
|
Less is better: More
leads to barking,
jumping, running. |
| 64) |
More difficult to
train (short attention
span). |
|
| |
Activity |
| 65)
|
More is better for
a jogging companion.
|
| 66) |
Need more exercise
or may turn destructive
in frustration. |
| 67) |
Most
people do better with
a less active dog
personality. |
| 68) |
Tend
to have better attention
span for training. |
|
| |
Reactivity |
| 69)
|
Responds to potential
alarm. Good for protection.
|
| 70) |
Responds to good training
protocol. |
| 71) |
Tends
to not be patient
with children. |
| 72) |
Tends
to be less affectionate,
more likely to bite. |
|
| |
Intelligence |
| 73)
|
Good for training.
Aptitude to learn
tricks. |
| 74) |
Tend to be more playful. |
| 75) |
Requires
more time involvement
and training. |
| 76) |
Easily
bored and frustrated
leading to barking,
digging, destruction
if not kept stimulated. |
|
| |
Aggressiveness |
| 77)
|
Good for protection
if owner can control
dog. |
| 78) |
Requires more training/daily
work to maintain human
leadership. |
| 79) |
More
legal liability is
breed is known as
aggressive |
|
| |
Desire
to please, and "friendly" |
| 80)
|
More is better. The
single most important
personality trait. |
| 81) |
Increases trainability
with less requirement
to train. |
| 82) |
Better
social interaction
with kids, cats, dogs,
strangers. |
| 83) |
More affectionate. |
|
| |
Vocal
|
| 84)
|
More for hunters,
or protection |
| 85) |
Generally, less is
better. Avoid very
vocal dogs. |
|
| Human
Personality |
|
|
| |
Desire
for protection |
| 86)
|
Bigger, aggressive,
and vocal all preferred. |
| 87) |
Not everyone can control
a strong willed dog personality
|
| 88) |
If you say, "I
like to spoil and
coddle," avoid
a canine personality
that may take over
house and result in
aggression toward
people who challenge
them. |
|
| |
Independence:Which
statement is closest? |
| 89)
|
I am ready to make
a 15 year commitment. |
| 90) |
I want an intermittent
buddy on my schedule. |
| 91) |
Hang
with me but don't
cling. |
| 92) |
I like to be needed. |
| 93) |
Worship
my every move. |
|
| |
Lap
time |
| 94)
|
If like to have nice
clothes, never allow
dog in your lap. |
| 95) |
If "once in
a while is nice,"
then require a SIT
before coming up. |
| 96) |
If "live in
my lap" raise
a small dog in your
lap from puppyhood. |
|
| |
Want
to become a breeder? |
| 97)
|
Study economics before
beginning (not a $
maker usually) |
| 98) |
Extensive breed study
before selection. |
| 99) |
Plan to do it for
fun not profit. |
| 100) |
Be
able to let go of
great personalities
but with other defects. |
|
| |
Vacations |
| 101)
|
If gone frequently,
consider a cat or
fish. |
| 102) |
If frequently using
RV, small dog can
come along easier. |
| 103) |
If travel frequently,
consider if really
have time available
for a pet at all. |
|
| |
Exercise |
| 104)
|
Minimum dog commitment
= daily walk or jog
off your property |
| 105) |
If only have "lap
time," get a
small dog or a cat. |
| 106) |
Choose big and active
if you can tolerate
physical activity
inside the house (Play,
chase, wrestling,
ball, tug-o-war, etc.) |
|
| |
Bonding:If
you want… |
| 107)
|
One person dog: choose
adult, shy, poorly
socialized. Not good
with children or strangers. |
| 108) |
Friendly to others:
test adult personality,
or work at heavily
socializing puppy
to people and dogs. |
| 109) |
Bond deeply, beware
of adopting "first
dog encountered."
Instead do careful
selection |
| 110) |
Calm canine personality;
test many dogs, and
look for this trait
which varies among
individuals. |
| 111) |
Affectionate;
Look for attention
seeking traits like
licking, jumping,
nudging, leaning,
following, seeks lap
time. |
| 112) |
Highly
affectionate dogs
may be more likely
to develop separation
anxiety if any human
bond is broken. |
|
| |
Training |
| 113)
|
"Let them be
dogs" philosophy
usually results in
poor dog manners,
and frustration for
both dog and human. |
| 114) |
"Every family
member gets education,"
is a better motto. |
| 115) |
Consider the time,
money and effort for
basic and ongoing
training. |
| 116) |
Consider if these
are appealing: obedience
degrees, herding trials,
search and rescue,
therapy dog, agility
or "flyball"
competition. |
|
| |
Children
present |
| 117)
|
Either select adult
personality as patient
and passive, or select
puppy with this potential,
and heavily socialize
to kids early |
| 118) |
I am willing to do
90% of the work, and
take over the dog
when they leave. |
|
| |
Financial |
| 119)
|
Consider both initial
and ongoing costs. |
| 120) |
Generally, bigger
is more maintenance
cost than small. |
|
| |
Other
cost issues: |
| Food |
Toys
|
| Kennel |
Bed |
| Bowls |
Leash |
| Spay/Neuter |
Boarding |
| Vaccination/Exams |
Medical
Treatment |
|
