Choosing a dog

Yesterday, yet another person asked me why Pyrs end up in rescue.  The reasons are various:  they bark, they drool, they are too big, they shed, we're having a baby and on and on it goes.  So I thought I would post some common sense ideas to consider before choosing a dog.

The first and perhaps most important decision is to carefully select a breed or mix of dog that is most likely to fit into the family temperament and lifestyle. Fortunately, there are many breeds to choose from, and there is at least one to fit every situation. There are breeds that are predisposed to retrieve, to guard, to pull sleds or carts, to snuggle, and to lie by the hearth. There are active breeds and calm breeds. There are breeds to satisfy the desire to comb long strands of silky hair and breeds that require only an occasional rubdown to keep coats healthy. There are breeds that can withstand cold climates and breeds that can cope with hot, muggy temperatures. There are breeds that love children and can put up with a toddler's teasing, poking, and pulling and a 10-year-old's rough-housing.

Check out the breed origin, for knowing where and why a breed was developed helps to understand its character and physical attributes. For example, breeds developed to

• hunt and retrieve upland game birds are generally active, low-maintenance, friendly working companions that enjoy carrying objects in their mouths;
• hunt rabbits and other game by scent are usually independent and ruled by their noses;
• herd sheep or cattle are usually energetic, tough, versatile dogs that can be easily adapted to obedience work or agility;
• guard sheep, cattle, palaces, castles, and forest preserves tend to be courageous, independent, and aloof or aggressive with strangers;
• serve as companions to ladies of the court may be haughty, arrogant, and distrustful of children; and
• hunt vermin are generally scrappy, tough, and very active.