If you are thinking of buying a puppy then the decision should not be made lightly as a buying a puppy is a big commitment. With a dogs’ average life expectancy being fifteen years you should make sure you are ready to take on this responsibility and are also ready for the huge impact that the dog will have on your households’ routine and life. And with the RSPCA releasing figures to show that a fifth of people who bought a puppy in the last two years no longer own that dog, you need to make sure you aren’t going to become one of these statistics.

However, if you have made your mind up that you want a puppy, you will need to make sure that you choose the right dog for you and your lifestyle. Fundamentally there are two main decisions to be made when choosing a puppy which are choosing the right breed and then choosing the actual puppy itself.

Firstly, you will need to decide what breed of dog you want. The most important thing to do is to look at your lifestyle. All puppies will have energy but this can change as they grow older depending on the type. Also, certain breeds will show specific temperaments and characteristics which may or may not suit a specific owner. It is very important therefore to look at which dog will fit easily into your lifestyle as well as matching you and your households personality and energy.

When looking at your lifestyle it will be important to consider factors such as exercise requirements and the dogs’ size. If you have an active lifestyle and enjoying walking or running then you should consider a sporting breed which has unlimited energy to match the activities you enjoy undertaking. Also, look at the dogs’ size. It shouldn’t be assumed that the size of the dog represents how active it is as often larger dogs can have lower levels of energy. However, size will have a bearing on your living situation and whether you have room for the dog. It is crucial that you look at your house and whether there is enough room both inside and outside to accommodate the type of dog that you want.

Secondly, once you have decided on the breed that you want you will need to know how to choose the actual puppy. You will initially need to find yourself a reputable breeder and register an interest in owning one of the puppies. When you go to see the litter of puppies you should select the puppy that you think is for you. It is then recommended that you take this puppy into another room and interact with the dog. It is important to ensure that the puppy is interested in you and if you move away from it and it becomes disinterested in where you have gone this means that the puppy possibly isn’t the one for you. However, if the puppy does show an interest then try to communicate further with them by crouching down to their level. The dog should show positive signs such as wagging their tails and show a friendly nature rather than nibbling or biting your hands which shows a sign of them wanting to be dominant. There are other tests that can be done such as playing with the puppy and stroking them and it will be easy to see from these activities whether the dog is positive and happy for you to do these things with them.

If the signs are positive then this is probably the right dog for you and you have already started the bonding process with your new puppy and best friend.

Article by Sarah Wain, 9th December 2011. Content correct at the date of publication.

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