Finding a Pet Dog

Finding a Pet Dog

Acquiring a pet dog should be done with as much thought and research as adopting a child. The effects of getting the wrong dog can be devastating to both the dog and the owner. For example, a Malamute left in a small duplex all day quickly disemboweled the sofa, chairs, and cushions in the living room. This did not endear him to his owners. He was dumped at a shelter and ultimately euthanized.

Start with your lifestyle. Do you live in a tiny apartment in the city? Chose a small dog or one that is low energy. If you live in the country, a small dog is likely to become a snack for a passing hawk, owl, or coyote. Someone who likes to jog should choose a medium breed that is athletic and can keep up the pace. Dogs bred to herd tend to nip at the heels of children playing, trying to keep them in a tight bunch in the center of the room. The American Kennel Club has information on choosing a breed that fits your lifestyle. They are, naturally, biased toward pure bred dogs, but the information still gives you a place to start.

Do not purchase a dog from a pet store. No reputable breeder will sell a dog through a pet store, no matter what the salespeople tell you. Dogs in pet stores come from puppy mills, places that breed dogs like cattle. The puppies are poorly socialized, rarely have the proper shots and worming, and are usually full of health problems. Even if the dog survives to adulthood, it usually has genetically caused health problems that will shorten its lifespan and are very costly to treat.

Reputable breeders breed only to improve the breed, not for profit. The only reason to breed a dog is if the genes and temperament are so spectacular that they will improve the breed if reproduced. The dogs in such a litter are carefully placed in good homes. Often, reputable breeders have waiting lists. Expect to be interrogated before being placed on the list for such a dog. Breeders can be found through the American Kennel Club website or your veterinarian.

Shelters take in dogs that are found loose in the streets or are surrendered by their owners. Shelters do the best they can to temperament test the dogs and treat health problems, then adopt the dogs out to good homes. Shelters are not usually as rigorous in their screening of prospective homes as breeders, but do expect to be screened. Do not go to a shelter without a good idea of the size and type of dog you want, or you will end up bringing home the one that looks the most lost. The SPCA of Texas and Dallas Animal Services are the biggest shelters in the area.

Rescue groups take dogs out of shelters, see to their medical needs, do some basic house manners training, then find the dogs a good home. Most rescue groups are breed specific, although some people rescue mixed breeds. The American Kennel Club website gives the names of the national contacts for each breed rescue group. The national contact can then direct you to the local contact person. Expect to be rigorously screened and to pay a fee for the dog, which helps pay for the veterinary care such as shots, worming, and spay or neuter.