Guest Post: Choosing The Right Dog To Adopt

Four Tips On Choosing The Right Dog To Adopt 

by guest blogger Esra Svenson

Adopting a pet is a life changing moment, not only for the pet but also you and your family. Rewards and benefits of introducing a new member to your family is endless but it is a lifetime bond, so a lot of thinking process must be put into your decision making, to make the right choice. 

Here I will try to share with you, my experience and the common important factors I found, going through my adoption with my Aussie mix baby, Sage.

Size of the Dog
  

The size of the dog is one of the most important factors when it comes to picking a dog to welcome to your home. Obviously the bigger the dog is, the more space you will need around the house. Larger breeds needs a lot of play time to release energy. That comes with a need for a spacious house and possibly a backyard. I have a two story house with an open fence backyard, so I had no problem welcoming Sage. She was house broken with the previous owners, no potty training was needed. She can enjoy small walks in the backyard watching cars go by, and loves running up and down stairs to release energy when we can't go out for one reason or another. Apparently she would not be a good choice if I was living in a small apartment.

Energy Level
  

The energy level of the dog is highly important especially if you have a busy schedule and aren't able to devote much time to going out and playing fetch or taking walks/jogs with your dog. I am a very active person, so my ideal companion would be a dog who loves to hike, run and do outdoors stuff all the time. One important detail I experienced during adoption was, you can not judge a dogs personality when they are in the shelter. When I met Sage in her crate, she seemed so calm and showed very little motivation of wanting to play. That worried me a little bit. But wow, when we came back to the house, I saw a totally different dog, romping, rolling and running all the time. She will impatiently wait for me to wake up for our morning walk and waits in front of the gate for our night run before I come home from work. Obviously if I didn't like doing those, she would have a hard time feeling stuck inside the house all day. If you like to enjoy TV more than being active, a smaller breed, I call them cuddle dogs =), would be better for you.

Training Requirements 

Given the right training approach, dogs can utilize their smart paws to make your life easier and become your best friends. If the dog you are looking to adopt, has received no training so far, you must ask yourself if you have time to go through training starting from basics. Potty training, basic obedience are some of the crucially important ones. They want to learn, obey and play. If you don't have time to give them what they need, make sure to ask questions in shelters so you get a dog that already reached to some level with a previous owner. 

Grooming, Health Issues, Allergies, Other Pets
  

Needless to say, your health as well as the dogs health is vital in the adoption process. Does the dog shed a lot? Have you ever been exposed to pet hair before, are you going to be allergic, do you have other pets like cats that will become an issue, does the dog have any health condition and will you have the financial capability to look after them lifetime? You have to make sure to ask all these questions before choosing your friend. 

Adopting a pet is not buying a new toy. They will become a part of your family and bring amazing happiness and joy into your life. 

Adopting a dog is an amazing experience. They have so much joy and love to give to your family and create a phenomenal positive change in your life with their existence. To make sure it is a lifetime companionship, I think every person who wants to adopt a dog should be very careful in their selection process, and I hope some of these points I mentioned will help a few of you guys in your pursuit for the perfect furry friend!

Article by dog owner Esra Svenson of Pawtini.com