The Importance of Breed
Smart/beautiful…highly energetic/sheds everywhere
Let’s face it, falling madly in love with a hundred different puppies a day is totally feasible. Big ones, small ones, fat ones, fluffy ones…it doesn’t matter. They are all adorable. Despite that, it’s important to know that puppies come with personalities that are as varied as those of people--and a huge part of their personality has to do with breed.
Of course, everyone has breeds they are drawn to because of the dog’s appearance. However, just like with people, temperament is way more important than looks. For example, a Husky may be beautiful and may even be your favorite dog breed, but if you are a couch potato who lives in an apartment building, raising a Husky would be a nightmare.
People may shrug at this line of thought, believing that they have experience or knowledge to train their dog to behave however they want him to behave. They may decide that, even if they don’t personally have the training knowledge, they can just hire a professional trainer and everything will be fine. The thing is, there is no such thing as enough training to rid a dog of inherent traits that have been bred into their DNA.
Let’s use Huskies as our example again. They were bred to run long distances as part of a team while pulling sleds in below freezing temperatures. Because of this they have developed double-fur coats that are quite thick and they have incredible stamina and almost unlimited energy. They are also loyal dogs who are smart and great with kids and families, so they do make lovely pets--as long as those inherent breed qualities are always taken into consideration. In a nutshell, this means a Husky must be given a ton of exercise, space to run freely, rarely be left alone and get groomed on a daily basis (even with this, you will have fur everywhere.) If you are not able to do all of those things, a Husky is not the breed for you—no matter how much training you give them.
The point to all of this, is that you must ask yourself some questions before choosing a puppy! Things like, “Do I want a puppy that will grow up to go on five mile runs with me every day or one who loves nothing more than a cozy nap? Do I need a dog that is compatible with small children? Is anyone in my house allergic to dogs? (Rest assured, there are hypoallergenic breeds) Even if nobody is allergic, how much dog hair am I okay with?”
The good news is, there are a ton of great breeds out there, both purebred and designer, that have been bred specifically for the qualities you are looking for! There are also lots of fun and easy quizzes you can take to start narrowing down your options. Here are some great ones to get you started.
https://www.akc.org/dog-breed-selector/
https://www.pedigree.com/getting-a-new-dog/breed-match
https://www.purina.com/dogs/dog-breed-selector
Remember, it’s easy to fall in love, but every puppy deserves to go home with an owner who understands their specific needs and is able to ensure that they will always live their best doggy life!