Selecting A Companion
Responsibilities:
One should put some serious thought into the process of selecting a companion. There are many factors to consider, such as space, time, and expense. An impulse buy at a pet shop because a puppy is so cute might turn out to be a nightmare down the road for both the dog and the owner. One must think about being able to provide the proper environment, where the dog can have ample space to live. One must have the time to both care for the dog and to have fun with him or her. Perhaps, walking the dog three or more times a day, feeding, grooming, exercising, and socializing, are all things to think about before getting a companion dog. Lastly, having a dog is not an inexpensive proposition. Food, routine and emergency vet bills, toys, and more, are necessary costs that one must be aware of. Everything mentioned above gives a brief insight as to the obligations of a responsible canine owner.
Pup or Adult:
Another thing to digest is whether a puppy or an adult dog would suit the individual better. Housebreaking, immaturity, high energy, and extra attention might not be as much of a concern with some adult dogs. Also, if the companion dog is going to be a working dog, will the owner have the time to train a puppy up to working status?
Male or Female:
The next question should be: male or female? In my experience, whoever spends the most time with the canine is usually who the dog will bond to the most. However, opposites naturally attract so, male dogs tend to bond closer to female owners, and female dogs tend to bond closer to male owners. In my experience, the best working relationships are those with owners who choose the opposite gender canine companion. Female dogs will give female owners a more difficult time in training, and male dogs will give male owners a more difficult time as well. Now, I can give first hand examples where these statements have not held true but on a whole, this is the norm. The typical personalities of the male and female canine are very different from one another. The male usually views life as a game the majority of the time and looks for stimulation more actively than the female, at times the male tends to leave the present environment to find stimulation. He is a little more carefree about his and others’ actions. However, males can be very needy and insecure, always wanting to be near their owner, especially when the owner is a female. The female dog is often a deeper thinker, and takes life more seriously. She does not tend to roam as frequently because she is preoccupied with making sure that everything is going well on the home front. Females usually have less tolerance than males and are generally not as forgiving. One must think about the ramifications of bringing a new dog or dogs into pre-existing dog environments. I usually recommend that if a person has a male, to get a female as a second dog, and vice versa. As I said earlier regarding owners and dogs of the same gender, confrontation can occur; this is much more likely among dogs of the same gender. The reason is because they are more directly in competition with one another, both for the owner’s attention, as well as regarding their status vis-à-vis the same gendered dog within the pack. If there are two or more dogs, and both genders are present, then usually I would recommend that the new dog be a male, again, because life is more of a game, and things are not so personal all the time. This would therefore, make it much easier to introduce another canine into an established pack. However I love my girls and most often prefer them over boys.
Picking a Pup:
Picking a puppy is always a joy, and I’m sure that most of us who have ever gone to pick one out, nearly always came home with one! Selecting a puppy requires
important observations. A saying that I have is that “an average puppy makes a great dog.” What’s an average pup? It’s the one that’s not withdrawn from its littermates nor is it the one that’s constantly pawing at a person’s legs. It is a puppy that is with its littermates because it wants to be with them to play and to be among its pack members. This puppy is usually a great dog. Of course, there could be many in one litter, and there should be if the pups are of good enough bloodlines to show consistent quality. Now, it’s not impossible for a pup’s personality to change around completely by the time the pup is six months old, but if one nourishes the desired personality traits from birth, very often the only change is normal maturity.
Choosing an Adult Dog:
Choosing an adult dog can be more difficult than choosing a pup. There are many variables to consider. Abuse, acquired or innate phobias, a lack of socialization, and poor development are just a few things to think about. The more that is known about a dog’s history, the better. Many places or people selling or adopting out adult dogs will allow a trial period. I highly recommend that people take advantage of this opportunity. These trial periods are not really adequate, generally speaking, there is not enough allotted time to truly give the canine the opportunity to acclimate itself to its’ new environment. When dealing with adult dog selection one should really apply the following rule: “What you see is what you get.” Expose the dog to every person and every animal within its’ new family. Try to go over the daily routine and to look for anything that might spark an obvious conflict. Doing these things will help the potential owner see if this dog might work out or not. If the dog responds negatively to anything, then I would not consider keeping the dog because it has a greater chance of bringing about danger rather than an asymptomatic dog. It is also likely to have issues in other unknown areas as well. I would recommend that dogs that seem to have socialization/behavior problems be placed in single dog households. Dogs that display any problems are not inadaptable just will be more work, so unless the owner wants to go through more then I tend to grade very conservatively.
Purebred or Mixed breed:
Selecting the proper purebred or mixed breed dog for the family or person is very important. The number two reason why people have problems with their dogs is that they have the wrong breed of dog for their family unit. This is only second to a lack of quality communication between humans and canines. I tell people to write out a list of their favorite breeds and their typical weekly schedule, and then find a good breed book to go through. It is important to write down the maintenance requirements of the dog: exercise, grooming, any special breed care; these are all important to note. Match up the weekly schedule to the dog’s maintenance requirements, and this is probably the best way for the average person to choose a breed of dog. From this list, a person should then go to see these breeds prior to taking one in so an individual truly has a good understanding of what they are getting into.
A Note on Health:
To me all of the things that I have discussed are important but the canine’s health is of utmost import. Unless a person is looking for a dog that is not likely to find a home due to health problems, one usually wants a healthy dog. Take it from me; there is nothing that feels worse than having a beautiful, witty, lovable dog that has crippling hip dysplasia. All the tools are there to make it a wonderful family dog, show dog, and/or working dog, but it has trouble being any of the above due to some kind of physical defect. It can be heart breaking. When selecting a companion dog, health is vital. Look at pedigrees, meet parent dogs, and ask for medical backgrounds. Unfortunately all of these caveats go out the window when a person sees that cute little ball of fur. One must try to keep a clear head; I know it’s not easy.
Selecting a Companion
Key Points
- Acknowledge all the necessary responsibilities that go along with owning a dog.
- Have ample space in a proper environment, the time to feed, groom, socialize, and exercise the dog.
- Be aware of the financial obligations associated with food, toys, routine and emergency vet bills.
- Puppies will require more time in respect to housebreaking, immaturity and high energy.
- Owners and dogs of the opposite genders tend to have a more homeostatic relationship.
- Males look at life more as a game, may wander to locate stimulation, at times be insecure and clingy but often carefree.
- Females are deeper thinkers and take everything more seriously. They like to tend to things on the home front. Forgiveness is not always the way of a female dog, despite it being the nature of the species.
- In many cases, same-gendered dogs are in direct competition with each other.
- “An average pup makes a great dog.” Choose the pup that socially appears like the majority, not too assertive or passive. Good bloodlines should mean larger numbers of “average pups.”
- Check adult dogs’ history in detail for physical and emotional problems prior to adoption or purchase. It is safe to apply the rule “what you see is what you get.” Take the dog for a trial period to assess the dog in your home environment and to socialize the dog to common forms of stimulation.
- A leading reason for problems with dogs is that people choose the wrong breed or mixed breed. Go through a good breed book to look at breed profiles.
- Health is a paramount concern, researching any dogs’ background thoroughly may save an owner headaches and heartaches later on.
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