Looking to buy a dog?

I have always loved dogs, and lived with them for most of my life. I studied vet medicine for a couple of years, and worked in a variety of pets stores. The information in this article is to help you determine the right dog for you.

Dogs come in a huge variety of breeds, types, sizes, and temperaments. Each breed of dog has its pros and cons. When I decided it was time to purchase my first dog, I first had to figure out what I wanted in a dog. I wanted a breed that was low-shedding and hypo-allergenic (see a list of hypo-allergenic at the end), because of my mom's allergies. I wanted a dog that would adjust well when I get married and start a family (because I am very single now!), who would not be aggressive to a husband or children. I wanted a dog that I could train fairly easily and would be a great companion. There were a few breeds I was considering after I determined all of these things, and eventually I ended up with a poodle.

How Do I Decide?
So, after you have determined you are ready for a dog and the commitment involved, the next step is to determine what you want, and don't want, in your dog. Consider size, temperament and how it will behave around your children, your desired tasks for the dog, intelligence, trainability, energy levels, and a variety of other things. Will your dog spend most of the day home alone? Do you have time and energy to walk your dog several times a day if you get a high-energy breed, such as a greyhound? Can you keep working dogs, such as German shepherds and huskies, busy enough they feel content?

Dog registry sites are a great resource for learning this information, regardless of whether or not you want or get a registered pure-bred. If you already have or know a veterinarian, they can also provide you with valuable information. Here are two links for very common U.S. dog registries:
American Kennel Club
American Canine Association

Which Dog Do I Choose?
So, now you have your list of what you want and don't want, and you have selected (hopefully) several breeds that appear to be a great fit to you, your personality, your life-style, and your family. Now, it's time to start looking! My first dog came from a pet store, my second from a newspaper ad. No matter how you shop, find out everything you can about the prospective puppy. Make certain you know where it comes from (avoid, at all costs, getting puppies from puppy mills!), what it has experienced prior to arriving where it's at, and it's medical history to date. Look the puppy over carefully. Don't be afraid to be judgmental. You do not want to by a sickly or questionable animal (unless you have the monetary resources to bring it to full health again). Make sure it's eyes are bright and clear, that the dog is alert and attentive. The coat should be sleek and shiny, unless it's a wire-hair of some time. Some breeds are naturally shy (especially schnauzers) and may not warm up to you immediately. If you worry about that, spend a week visiting the dog. Puppies who haven't experienced anything worse than a veterinarian will typically warm up to you in a matter of days, at most.

If you purchase a puppy from a pet store, walk around the entire store. Make sure cages are clean, animals have access to food and clean water, and that they generally appear healthy. Pet stores can sometimes have sick animals that they are nursing back to health, but if the majority look very good, you are in a good store. Look the puppies over. Do they appear to be good-quality puppies? After looking through photos of pure-bred dogs, do these look like good specimens? Stores that bring in high-quality pure-bred puppies, typically bring in happier and healthier puppies. When an employees asks you if you need help, don't hesitate to tell them about your list of what you want in a dog. They may have other suggestions for you that you haven't considered. Ask to hold and play with puppies you are considering. Do not put a deposit on any animal until you are confident it is the animal for you. You are picking out a companion you will have for the next ten or twenty years; do not choose lightly.

If you purchase a puppy from a newspaper add, find out everything you can. If the sellers bred their dog and are now selling the puppies, ask to see the mother and spend a little bit of time with her. Her babies will be very similar to her! Interact with all of the puppies there. Are they playful and energetic? Unless it is a shy breed, it is rare for puppies being sold like that to be shy. Make sure you know what shots they've received, how they are eating, what they like to play with, anything you can think of. If a family is selling a puppy they previously purchased, find out why they are selling it now. Was the dog too much work? Did it not get along with the children? Many people do get in over their heads here, and you might be purchasing a dog that is going to need a strict hand. Again, find out everything you can.

Considering an older dog? Great! There are definitely advantages there, namely that most training has been done already. You will still need to continue or redirect the training of the dog. Most dogs are eager to please, and once you have a growing relationship, the dog will try to mold itself to your life. It is the way of the pack. As with above, find out exactly why the dog is for sale, how it's been trained in the past, medical history, et cetera. If you are purchasing a dog from a rescue group, they do not always provide this information, but they can usually tell you a lot about the specific dog's temperament, strengths, and weaknesses, and what problems you might just encounter. Remember, with an older dog, it is probable that you will inherit someone else's problems, so, again, choose wisely.

I Got My Dog. Now What?
First things first. Get the same food the dog is currently eating. Changing food is very stressful for some dogs, and changing homes even more so! Keeping food the same just makes it a little easier on the dog. If you do not wish to continue using that food, after you have had the dog about a month, starting mixing in your preferred food. Mix different foods for at least a week.

Make sure you have a veterinarian. Take your dog for a checkup within the first week to confirm what your eyes already told you. If you haven't used this vet before, this is a great way to determine if it's someone you want to continue to use.

Now, to deal with training. I am no expert on training, and I will not walk you through what to do. That would be a whole different article anyways. No matter what you do, you, and every human in your household, needs to be a rank above the dog. Do not tolerate a dog that listens great to you, and is horrible to your spouse, or who bullies the children.

As you get to know your dog, you will know what your dog hates. My two poodles are very clingy, so they hate to be away from me. Whether in a crate, or tied up, or locked in a room. So, when they are in trouble, that serves as a great time-out. Yes, I said time-out. This is a highly effective way to train anything, I am finding. I use it for dogs and birds both.

My second dog was a little boy I found in a newspaper ad. He was almost two years old when I brought him home. For the most part, he was a good little boy, but his family had never done much with training. He did not come when he was called, and that needed to change because of how I live. When I began working with him, I would call his name several times. When he didn't not listen, I would start to use an angrier voice and say, "Covey, come here now." For my dogs, "now" is a warning word, meaning "start obeying or there will be consequences." When he continued to ignore me, I would stomp out, pick him up, carry him inside and lock him in his crate. He would be left in there for a half hour, despite all of his whining and crying. It took about a week, and he began coming when called. It is rare now that I have to go pick him up.

The trick to having an obedient dog? Either the dog does what you want, or there are consequences. Don't be afraid to be strict. Your dog won't hate you. Dogs live in a hierarchy. They thrive in a hierarchy. And dogs don't understand human society, so they need a human pack leader. If you do not feel comfortable handing your dog's training, sign up for training classes! They teach you how to train your dog. And they can be a great social experience for your dog, in interacting with other dogs and people.

Another great resource for learning how to train dogs, are these shows on TV. The Dog Whisperer is good, but It's Me or the Dog is my favorite. That show is full of wonderful information. That show is also a great example of why you need to get the right dog for you! It also provides great tips to work through smaller problems. I have gotten lots of help for fine-tuning things with my two dogs. You can find out more info about It's Me or the Dog here.

Hypo-Allergenic Breeds
I may not know all hypo-allergenic breeds. If you know of one not here (and can prove it, also!), please let me know! Hypo-allergenic dogs are this way because their fur is more or less, at a genetic level, human hair. This is what prevents allergy problems around these breeds. One note, there are dogs at this end of the spectrum, but there are also breeds of dog that will aggravate a person's allergies, so be careful.

- Basenji
- Bichon Frise
- Italian Greyhounds (these are the mini greyhounds; not the big ones!)
- Maltese
- Poodles; Standard, Miniature, Toy, and Teacup
- Portuguese Water Dog
- Schnauzers; Standard and Miniature
- Wheaton Terrior

There are a variety of low-allergen dogs as well. These are not hypo-allergenic, even though most people may not be bothered by them. If you are uncertain whether or not you will be affected, spend at least a half hour with the breed, then do not wash your hands for several hours. If you feel any symptoms, you know that this is not the breed for you. Most mixed breed dogs with one hypo-allergenic parent are usually very good too.

Follow-Up
I love dogs, and I loved helping people determine the best one for them. Have any questions? Feel free to note or email me! I would be happy to help. If you live in the Salt Lake area, I even have places to recommend to you. I do not profess to be any type of expert, in any of my words here. I just figured I might as well pass along some of what I have learned to help others.