Dogs have a certain way of cheering up a family. Not only do they help us feel a little safer at night, but they also make great companions. Deciding if a dog is right for you (or your family) is the first thing to consider before you commit to bringing a dog into your home. This article contains some tips for not only determining what type of dog would be best for your family, but also for helping your family and your new addition get comfortable with each other.
You must keep in mind that when you take in a dog, you are assuming the responsibility of caring for a real creature that thinks, feels and loves. Make sure you or other family members are willing to take the time to train your dog (if he hasn’t already) and offer him attention, companionship, and discipline. If you’ve worked out the details on that front, then the next question to ask yourself is: what traits do I want my dog to have? Dogs vary based on how they were raised and the quality of life they have had, but there are particular traits that show up in certain breeds of dog. Do you want an intelligent (ie easy to train) dog?
Do you want a dog that is good with children? Are you looking for a low-energy lapdog or a high-energy stocky dog that can keep up with your active lifestyle? These are all questions to ask yourself to help you find the best dog breed.
Your lifestyle will have a big impact on what type of dog is best for you, so you really should give this a lot of thought. If you have children, research the breeds best known for making good family pets. German shepherds, most breeds of spaniels, golden and Labrador retrievers, and beagles are some of the breeds that are famous for their treatment of children.
I have always gotten the best results doing research based on the temperament of a breed. Some of the best dogs I’ve ever owned were from breeds I’d thoroughly researched before bringing them home. This is a great way to prepare for anything that may come up, including stubbornness (harder to train!), proneness to certain medical problems, and exercise requirements. So remember, do a lot of research between different dog breeds before making a decision.
Once you’ve decided which dog you want, schedule a meeting with the dog’s owner or breeder so everyone in your family can get to know the new addition. Let the dog sniff everyone thoroughly so he can remember his scent later. When you finally bring your dog home, you should be able to remember each family member’s scent quite easily, which will work to reduce his stress and help him calm down. One thing I personally did to help my pup settle in was buy a baby blanket (just the regular fabric type) and give it to the breeder a few weeks before we brought our pup home.
We asked the breeder to place the blanket on our dog’s bed (which the litter and mother shared) so the blanket would pick up familiar scents. When we picked up our puppy, we also brought the blanket and put it on our dog’s bed. If your future dog is not a puppy, see if he has any toys or blankets of his own that can keep him company. Familiar smells and objects are always a good idea.
A great way to get your dog to settle down a bit faster is to keep him entertained with activities. Playing with him and letting him walk you around the house while you do chores are great ways to get him involved in family life. Also, you might consider buying a set of pet stairs and training your pet to use them. It doesn’t take long to teach a dog to use the steps, but the time you spend training him will foster a bond of trust and companionship between the two of you, and this is crucial to making your new dog a good pet.