Major
Category |
Minor
Category |
Considerations |
Home
Environment |
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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 |
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|
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)
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Avoid
two littermates since
they often dogfight
later in life |
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|
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. |
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|
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 |
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|
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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. |
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|
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 |
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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. |
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|
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. |
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|
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. |
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Waste elimination |
41)
|
Big dog, big elimination. |
42) |
Small dog better if
planning paper training. |
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Longevity |
43)
|
Small dogs tend to
live longer. |
44) |
Large dogs mature
more rapidly. |
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|
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 |
|
|
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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). |
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|
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 |
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|
|
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. |
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|
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. |
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|
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. |
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Financial |
119)
|
Consider both initial
and ongoing costs. |
120) |
Generally, bigger
is more maintenance
cost than small. |
|
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Other
cost issues: |
Food |
Toys
|
Kennel |
Bed |
Bowls |
Leash |
Spay/Neuter |
Boarding |
Vaccination/Exams |
Medical
Treatment |
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