Everyone should try to choose their own breed of dog.
We often hear the question, “What is the best dog breed? What breed would you advise me to get?”. When you answer that there is not and cannot be any breed better than any other, the interviewer is surprised and even indignant. There are a few consistent but fundamentally incompatible beliefs among dog lovers:
(1) the best breed is the most expensive
(2) the best breed is the one that is the most common
(3) the best breed is the ‘universal’
Of course, most dog lovers praise “their” breed. However, let us remind you that the most expensive breed is simply very rare in this time and place, or is rare in general, due to the complexity of caring for and raising a dog. In addition, the price may depend on the vagaries of fashion. Therefore, the price of a puppy cannot be used to decide whether the breed is suitable for a particular person.
The prevalence of the breed is linked to fashion, again meaning that the dog is easy to breed and raise (Mittel Schnauzer). Common dog breeds usually correspond to a certain standard of belief about what a dog should be, but this does not mean that mass and usually low standards are the same as the opinion of a particular person. Finally, “universality” is the most prevalent legend about dogs. Of course – a “versatile” dog does everything, is suitable for any person and any purpose.
In fact, such breeds are not very specialized (the Golden Retriever), seemingly meet a wide range of requirements, but in specific applications they are inferior to the “narrow specialist”.
Therefore, none of these methods can help novice dog breeders to choose a companion.
For some reason, the “best breed” seekers do not consider why there are more than 500 dog breeds. If some of them were much better than others, the “worst” ones would have ceased to exist long ago. The answer is that each person is unique in character, habits, physical abilities, living conditions, etc. a dog must be the best possible match for its owner’s requirements, so each person needs a dog breed that is “their own”!
So what to consider, at least in the initial selection of a dog breed?
Size
Large dogs, by their appearance alone, command the respect of others, and it is nice for the owner to feel the strength of an obedient pet. Such dogs make good protection and long walks companions, but they need space, enough food and good exercise.
Small dogs, on the other hand, do not require much space and are easier to walk and travel with on transport. They also live longer than large dogs.
Temperament
Agile, energetic dogs are easier to keep in good physical shape, but require longer walks and take up more space at home. During training, these dogs behave like schoolchildren: they listen with half an ear, they look at their work through their fingers, they do not stand still. Poorly trained dogs with an explosive temperament (Collie, Doberman, Schnauzer) create a lot of inconvenience and conflict for their owner.
A calm, phlegmatic dog has the advantage of being “less” at home than an agile dog of the same or even smaller size. It is not distracting or intrusive. Such a dog (Saint Bernard, Newfoundland) is harder to get to be active during walks, but easier to train.
Coat
The dog’s coat is primarily seen as a decorative element, but not only that. A long coat protects against the cold, but the longer and softer it is, the more dirt is left behind, making it harder to maintain. A medium-length double coat is practical enough.
A smooth shorter coat is low in grease but poor in weather protection. In addition, during the feeding period, hard hair is just as problematic as long hair as it sticks very strongly to the tissues.
Coarse-haired dogs (terriers, schnauzers) are very practical in terms of keeping the house clean: they do not shed and hardly get dirty. However, removing a “dead” coat requires some skill and patience on the part of the owner.
Some dog breeds require special coat care and it is almost impossible to do without a professional groomer. Cutting a poodle for a show, for example, is elegant, but completely impractical for everyday life.
Exotic-looking dogs are often surprising (Basset Hound, Dachshund), but in bad weather they get more matted than taller dogs, and they have difficulty moving in deep snow. Short-nosed dogs are very showy (bulldog, pug) and attractive. However, they are prone to panting, snoring, heatstroke and cardiovascular disease. The long ears of spaniels are easily injured in dog fights and often get caught in the food bowl. “Long-eared Spaniels are more likely to suffer from ear infections.
Purpose
Apart from the temperament and appearance of the dog, the modern or former “occupation” of the breed is very important, as the majority of breeds are “working dogs”, specifically designed for a particular service.
Of course, a professional trainer can train almost any dog for any service, but it is very difficult and in some cases simply unnatural. Hunting dogs cannot help but hunt, and chasing cats in urban environments often leads to accidents and not infrequently to the death of the animal. A companion dog is also a profession: it must be good-natured, harmonious, easy to get along with and the smallest ornamental breeds should also be cute. An angry little puppy is nonsense. It is highly unlikely that the Chinese emperors would have tolerated a Pekingese dog biting their legs in their own palace! If a person needs a bodyguard dog, choose from breeds specifically designed for this purpose, rather than trying to substitute a rescue dog for a Saint Bernard.
Once you have decided what qualities are important in your future pet, limit your choice to a few breeds rather than going through them all in order.
A man and his dog are only happy when they are really right for each other.