There are an estimated 74.8 million pet dogs in the United States and many more around the world. Dog ownership is at an all-time high today. At no time in history have so many people shared their lives with dogs as companions.
People today also have many choices when it comes to what kind of dog they will choose as a pet. There are over 400 recognized breeds of dog in the world. They range from the tiny Chihuahua which originated in Mexico to the wide range of ancient breeds that came from southeast Asia, such as the Akita, the Chow Chow, the Pug, the Pekingese and the Tibetan breeds. They include the old spitz-type breeds such as the Malamute, the Siberian Husky and others; and the very old breeds of the middle east, such as the Saluki, the Afghan Hound, the Pharoah Hound, and the Greyhound.
In addition to all of the breeds of dogs in the world there are numerous Designer dogs being bred these dogs. Designer Dogs are intentional crosses of two purebred dogs. They may be bred for a special reason, such as to try to produce a low-shedding coat or more intelligence or trainability, or some other aspect of one of the parents. Or, in some cases, they are bred simply because they may produce cute puppies. Designer dogs have been in high demand in the last several years and can command enormous prices.
Besides these intentionally-bred dogs there are several million dogs in animal shelters each year looking for homes. Some of these dogs are strays, some are puppies from unplanned litters, and some are stray puppies and dogs imported from countries outside the United States for adoption here. Some of the dogs are young dogs that have been adopted once and returned because their owners didn't know how to handle adolescent dog behavior.
All of this means that you have a huge range of choices when it comes to trying to decide what kind of dog you want. How do you even begin to narrow your choices?
The best thing to do when you consider what kind of dog to get is to consider your essential needs. Do you have allergies? Do you hate dog hair in the house? Do you want a dog that can go jogging with you? Do you live a quiet lifestyle? Do you live in an apartment or do you have land in the country? Do you have kids? Do you have time to spend on grooming a dog or will the dog go to a groomer? Do you want a low maintenance dog or do you enjoy fussing over a coat and grooming? Do you intend to train your dog to learn more than housetraining?
When you consider these questions and others like them you should try to be completely honest with yourself. You want to get a dog that will be a good fit for you personally. It's a bad idea to get a dog because it's the popular thing to do. Don't adopt a shelter dog if you have allergies. Chances are that you will be allergic to the poor dog and have to return him. Instead you will need to identify the breeds of dogs that are usually better for allergy-sufferers. Even then you will need to meet some dogs on a one-on-one basis to see how you react to them.
Don't let yourself be pressured into getting a dog that you don't want. If you have always wanted a Greyhound don't let somebody talk you into taking a Beagle-mix because the dog needs a home. There will always be dogs that need homes and you cannot save all of them. Chances are that you won't be happy with a dog that you didn't truly want. If you feel that you want to rescue a dog there may not be purebred dogs of certain breeds in animal shelters but there are often purebreds with purebred rescue groups. Greyhounds, for instance, have a very active rescue network. You could get the Greyhound that you always wanted and rescue a dog at the same time. You can find information about purebred breed rescue organizations online.
If you choose to get a purebred puppy or dog from a breeder make sure that you choose a reputable breeder. Reputable breeders do health screening on their dogs to make sure that they are good candidates for breeding. For many breeds this means that their hips are x-rayed for hip dysplasia. For some breeds their eyes may be checked and they receive a CERF certificate. Other breeds may have their hearing checked by BAER testing. The list goes on. Breeders in each breed take different precautions to make sure their dogs are healthy. You should do some homework about the breed so you know the potential health problems. That way you will know what to ask the breeder and what health testing should have been done.
Good breeders are willing to stand by the puppies and dogs they place. They should be willing to guarantee a puppy or dog's genetic health. No dog will remain healthy forever. Dogs, like people, must all eventually die. But good breeders will make guarantees about the possible genetic problems in their breed and what they will do in the event that a dog of their breeding develops a problem. Will they replace a puppy? Will they refund money? Will they help pay costs to correct the problem? All of these things should be spelled out in the contract you have with a good breeder. Buying from a good breeder is, however, a two-way street. The breeder will also expect many things of you regarding the proper care of "their" puppy. Don't be surprised when they put you through a gamut of questions about your fitness to own one of their dogs.
Adopting a dog from an animal shelter is often not as easy as it once was. Whereas you could once walk into a shelter, point to a dog and take it home, in many shelters things are a little more complicated nowadays. Some shelters require a lot more information about people adopting dogs now. Dogs (and cats) are often evaluated for temperament. Shelters try to match people with dogs that have temperaments that will suit people interested in adopting them. They hope that this will cut down on the number of dogs that are returned to the shelter. Fees for adopting dogs are also higher than they once were since shelters try to cover the cost of shots and spaying/neutering. The costs of adopting dogs through rescue groups are usually even higher. Rescue groups justify these costs by saying that they may not spend a lot of money on one particular dog but they may have a case where a dog has heartworms and they have to spend a lot of money on that one dog. So, they spread the costs to everyone who adopts.
There are countless wonderful dogs available, whichever route you decide to take. You can get a great dog at your local animal shelter or you may find your dream dog by searching for a reputable breeder. The important thing to remember is to identify the key points about your own lifestyle that you will be sharing with your dog. Focus on finding a dog that fits the way you live. Do what's best for you and you will find the right canine companion.
David Beart is the owner of the Professors House [http://www.professorshouse.com]. Our site covers family related issues from raising children to dogs [http://www.professorshouse.com/pets/pets.aspx], relationships to cooking.
