Are You Choosing the Dog that Match Your Lifestyle?

Are you good for your dog? Do your fitness levels, lifestyle, and abilities match your dog’s needs?

Many would-be owners select dog companions purely on the basis of what they find “cute,” or how they think that dog will reflect on their own image. These motivations can lead to irresponsible choices and ownership.

Far more important than the appearance of a prospective dog is how well you can care of the dog. You can insist on being a “dog person” all you like, but if you don’t have the skills, patience, and family support to provide training and hours of meaning interaction with a dog every day, you must accept that at this point in your life, you perhaps have the means to be a “fish person” or a “hamster person,” but not a “dog person.”

When selecting a dog, you must take care to choose a breed with physical, mental, emotional, and social needs that match your own physical, mental, emotional, and social capacities.

A dog that needs plenty of outdoor workouts, interaction with lots of friendly people and animals, a great deal of demonstrated affection and daily training and playtime must go to a home where his owners are fully ready to give him all the outdoor workouts, socializing, pampering, and training he requires.

Even the most fuss free dog i.e. Chinese Crested, needs only minimum exercise workouts, must be properly fed and groomed, have regular interaction with you, and get medical attention when needed. If you can barely care for yourself, can you look after a dog?

Never underestimate dogs’ need for attention and interaction with you and other humans unless, of course, you are keeping pet cockroaches, in which case I have nothing further to say to you.

The Complete Series of Owner-Dog Match

1. Do Your Look Like Your Dog?
2. Does Your Personality Really Match Up With the Dog You Choose?
3. Are You Choosing the Dog That Match Your Lifestyle?