SELECTING THE BEST PUPPY/DOG FOR YOU

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After making the decision to add a canine member to your family, the following questions are good ones to ask yourself:

• Why am I adding a dog to my family?
• What behavior traits are important to me?  (Take into account your personality, lifestyle, and environment.)
• What physical traits are important to me?  Appearance?  Size?  Shedding?  Odor?  Exercise needs?
• Do I want a purebred? Mixed breed?  Male?  Female?  Puppy?  Adult dog?

We can help you in your quest to find the most appropriate puppy/dog for you.  We strongly encourage you to spend time preparing to choose the best match.  Keep in mind that this dog will, hopefully, be a family member for 10—20 years.

The following general questions will help you get started in the process:

• Are all family members in agreement about acquiring a dog?
• Realistically, who will be responsible for providing food, water, grooming, exercise, and veterinary care for the dog?
• Describe a typical week in your household—who’s home?  When?  Who trains the dog?  Who goes to obedience class?
• Where will the dog be when you are at work, school, or on vacation?

If you are involved in the selection process now, our recommended dog selection preparation is to:

• Read at least two books on puppy/dog selection
• Talk to dog trainers, veterinarians, and dog show participants about breeds you are considering.
• Consider a dog selection consultation with :
  
  
  • Dana Stillinger @ Best Friends Obedience and Agility School / Doggy Daycare - Corvallis, OR  (541) 754-6956
  • Julie Flanery @ Wonder Dogs – Philomath, OR  (541) 929-3915
    
    
• Locate a breeder and arrange for a nose-to-nose experience.  The ideal source of a puppy is a healthy litter raised by an attentive mother in a household where excellent care is the rule and the puppies are well socialized.

Since most people choose a dog based on predictability of behavior traits and appearance, purebred animals are the safest bets.  If you choose a mixed breed, consider the breed characteristics of the predominant breed and pay close attention to the temperaments of the mother and father (if known).

We strongly discourage selecting a puppy or dog from a pet store or “box on the sidewalk” because of the risks of a “bad fit.” 

If you are selecting a puppy, the ideal age to bring one home is 6-8 weeks.  Much of their socialization is completed by 16 weeks of age, therefore, it is important that they have positive human and world contact during these weeks.

Two books we have found to be very helpful in the selection process are:

1. The Perfect Puppy by Benjamin Hart, DVM and Lynette A. Hart
2. The Right Dog for You by Daniel F. Tortora, Ph.D.

The Perfect Puppy emphasizes behavior differences of 56 common breeds and how to match these traits to your wants/needs.  The first 31 pages of the book introduce the selection process and explain behaviors of reactivity, aggression, trainability and investigation.  On pages 32-33, the authors explain how to use the information in the remainder of the book to help you in your selection.

The Right Dog for You focuses on your personality characteristics and lifestyle in choosing the breed of dog that will be best for you.  As an example, non-assertive people are not well matched with dominant breed dogs.  Dr. Tortora provides many questionnaires to help you determine breeds that will mesh the best with your household.

In summary, we believe in “preventative medicine.” FIRST do your homework and select the best breeds for your household based on predicted temperament and appearance.  Schedule a courtesy consultation with us after you have done your homework. Then it is time to go find your new puppy.  Don’t limit your selection to the breed of dog you may have had as a child or one you like the looks of at the park.  There is a “best” dog for your household.