We’ve all done it, falling in love with a cute puppy in an ad, in a photo, or in a magazine article. I know I did, I always wanted a Border Collie. They looked so beautiful and that was my only criteria for making a decision. Cuteness.
When we finally decided it was the right time to buy a puppy, it was a Border Collie to me and a Border Collie only. That was until a close friend sat me down and asked me a vital question. “Have you really thought about the practicalities?” He then pointed out to me the many pitfalls of my choice of pup. Things that hadn’t even occurred to me, then he said that the reason there were so many abandoned puppies was because people just hadn’t thought things through.
I went and made a list of pros and cons of buying a border collie and soon realized that I was absolutely right. A Border Collie just wouldn’t be right for me, my family, or our lifestyle, no matter how cute. I then used my list to find which pup would be the right one. It didn’t take me long to find a Border Terrier. The breed ticked all the professional boxes for us and none of the drawbacks. It was the best decision because our Border Terrier is the center of our world.
If you are making the same decision about which breed of puppy to buy, the following points helped me make my decision.
oh You – Is the puppy bought as a family or companion pet or for security? It’s important to choose the right breed for how you see the puppy fitting into your lifestyle.
oh Carer – Who is going to be the main caretaker of the puppy, that is, who is going to feed the “little one”. If he is going to be a boy or a woman, he will not want a massive Great Dane or an aggressive breed. He will need a breed of dog that is not considered higher in the old “pecking order” than the keeper, otherwise there will be no control.
oh Walking – Who will be the main person walking the dog. If he is going to be a man, then a strong dog will not be a problem to control.
oh Weather – How much time will be spent walking and playing, i.e. every day, every other day, a long walk once a week, and shorter walks in between? If you choose a breed like a Border Collie or a Red Setter that needs a lot of exercise and you can only take him out for a walk once a week then you are definitely going to run into trouble.
oh Space – How big is your house? If you live in a small two-for-two in the city, then neither you nor the pup will be comfortable choosing an Old English Sheepdog or an Irish Wolfhound.
oh Training – If you choose a breed that needs a lot of intense training and you are out at work all day and exhausted when you get home, then you may find that your house is no longer your home but resembles a demolition site.
oh Noise – If you live in an apartment or flat you will not want a dog that constantly barks and makes the neighbors complain. Much of this is due to training, of course, but some breeds are more “barking” than others and this is worth considering in your choice.
Please answer the following questions honestly, and then search through the breeds until you find a breed that best fits your lifestyle. Some changes and compromises will always be necessary, but if you keep them to a minimum, you’ll all be happier together.