You know you want a dog but there are so many breeds to choose from. Here are some things we thought about when deciding which dog breed should I get.
What’s the Purpose of Your Dog?
Are you looking for a dog that you can take when you go for a run? How about a dog that can learn to do tricks like catch a frisbee. There are many different reasons/purposes for getting and having a dog. Knowing what yours is will help you when deciding which dog breed to get. My family was looking for a dog that would be good with the kids (plays some, cuddles some). We joke that we are looking for a “therapy” dog.
Do You Have a Size Preference?
As you know dogs come in all sizes. That size can have a wide range even within a given dog breed. Think about what your preferences are where size is concerned. For our family we were looking for a dog that wasn’t so small we would trip over it. Yet, it couldn’t be so big that it would need its own seat in the car. Ultimately we were looking for a 12-20 lb. dog.
Are There Allergies to Consider?
A big concern for future dog owners are allergies and shedding. If you have pet allergies you will want to consider a dog breed that is known to be hypoallergenic. This means that your pet won’t shed fur (or less of it). When the fur is shed it releases the allergy inducing dander. Therefore, less shedding equals less dander released and less sneezing for you. Check out this article on Goodhousekeeping.com for a list of dog breeds known to be hypoallergenic.
Is There a Budget Limit?
A dog can cost anywhere from $0-$5000 or possibly even more (just to purchase it). Different dog breeds have different prices. If you have a smaller dog budget try to avoid falling in love with the more pricey puppies. You should be able to find a loving pet for your family in any price range.
When Do You Want to Have your Dog?
Maybe you want your dog as soon as you can get it. Others might prefer to have a period of time between deciding on the dog and when it actually comes home. Then there are those who will want the puppy to be a birthday or Christmas present. Deciding on when you want your dog will help you narrow things down when deciding which dog breed you should get. We didn’t want to wait too long for our new puppy but we also weren’t ready to pick it up quite yet. We were able to find our puppy in a litter that was already born but wouldn’t be ready to bring home for another 6 weeks.
Ultimately with all things considered the Mini Goldendoodle was the right breed for our family. It would be our “therapy” dog. We also found a breeder whose puppies would be between 12-18 lbs. Since the goldendoodle is considered hypoallergenic and our puppy would be ready to come home in 6 weeks it was a perfect fit! The price was also right. So use these questions to help you decide which dog breed you should get.
