Many families love the idea of choosing a new dog for their family. After all, dogs are man’s best friend! What many families don’t ask themselves is, does the puppy match our needs? Do we have the time needed to care for this specific breed? These are all important questions to ask yourself when considering adding a new companion to your family dynamic.
Dogs require a lot of attention from walks several times a week to vet visits to training and more. On top of that most dogs have a life span of 10-15 years dependent on the breed. That means you need to be able to commit to a dog for a decade or more. Believe me, my shih tzu is 11 years old and has plenty of life in her yet. She has moved with me from North Carolina to Hawaii and now Arizona. Was it cheap? Definitely not. Was it worth it? Absolutely, she is a part of our family.
You might be thinking she’s 11 years, there’s no way she’s still spunky however you would be surprised. Many people believe that dogs lose all of their spunk as they get older. Yes, they do lose some of it but not all of it. Have you ever had an Australian Shepherd? Ours had more energy than you could imagine, seriously. I’m pretty sure he could have out run our kiddos in energy all day, every day for the rest of his life.
Your Perfect Puppy Match
Now that you have an idea of the commitment you need to add to your family, here is a fun little infographic for you. Its almost like a quiz that asks you different questions about your home life. Once you reach the bottom you will be given suggestions on your perfect puppy match. Once you have some ideas, thoroughly research each breed and interact with them before making a final decision.
My result suggested a shih tzu so I think it did a great job at choosing a breed that fits our family!
Our dog passed away in August and I am not ready for another one yet, but someday I would like a new dog.
I really want to get a pet in the next few years so I’m definitely going to have to keep this infographic in mind! I want to make sure that I get the right kind of dog for my lifestyle so that he or she will be as happy as possible.
What a cutie you have there! I was lucky enough to stumble upon my preferred breed when I adopted a pug from a shelter. I’m on my second pug now, this time we got as a puppy, and I’m all-in on the pug life!
I love pugs and their snorts!
I really hope that a lot of other people read this! There are so many that think that just because they like a breed, it’s meant for them, only for them to not want to keep it because they don’t like the pups personality. Or should I say dogality.
When you get a new puppy, it is important to take your time and find the right breed for your family.
I didn’t know so much went into picking out a puppy. Well def. use these tips when we decide to add to our family.
We have 2 dogs that we got when they were puppies. They are just like our kids! My youngest son wants to add a dalmatian to the mix but told him he is going to have to wait a few more years so he is old enough to take care of it, or at least help out.
What an adorable dog in the first photo! I don’t have any dogs, but I do have three cats. I would love to get a dog at some point too.