What breed is right for you?
Whether you have had dogs all your life or you are looking for your first dog, knowing a thing or two about breeds will help you choose the best fit for your family. Choosing a dog or puppy solely on how cute they are can prove to be a bad decision for a lot of people.
Because I work with rescue dogs a lot, helping someone choose a rescue dog that will fit into their home and lifestyle is something I have some experience with! Often the dogs that come through rescues are mixed breeds and we usually have no good idea what breeds they may be. Because of this, I will always try to prepare people that if they get a 10 week old puppy that seems to be a medium energy level, that can change as the dog grows and matures.
The first dog I rescued as a puppy was about 15 weeks old and seemed to look like a Pyrenees/Labrador cross. The best we could do was look at her and make a wild guess based on her looks.
As Dana grew up, I realized she looked and acted much more like a German Shepherd / Border Collie mix.
I had to adjust my lifestyle in order to fulfill her exercise and mental stimulation needs. This dog became much more work than I realized and I had to learn a LOT in order to properly fulfill her needs. In order to give myself an even better idea of how to work Dana in a way that would tire out her body and mind, I did an Embark DNA test on her.
These were her results :
I used Embark because it is the highest rated DNA test I have come across.
These results helped me understand Dana’s mannerisms and behaviors a bit better!
If you are looking to add a dog to your family, be sure to do some research on the breed (or potential breeds) you are interested in! If you are not sure, someone who works in the adoption/training area of a rescue should be able to help you pick a good fit! If you live somewhere that has breed or size restrictions, maybe look for an adult dog to adopt in local animal shelters to ensure that you don’t break those rules and end up having to re-home that dog. And, as always, feel free to reach out and I can help!
Check out the adoptable dogs at Paws and Claws Animal Rescue here!
