Miniature Schnauzer
How to choose a puppy (Part 2): the Right Breed For Your Lifestyle
View the previous posts in this series:
If you have your heart set on a purebred, do some research ---find out what the breed was created to do, and think about how that will fit in with the lifestyle you want to lead. Do you have or want other pets, or children? Are you active, or do you want a pet content to putter around the house with you? How much space do you have ---a studio apartment, or 100 acres of rural property? All these things are important variables that will profoundly influence what breed of dog is right for you ---and what breed is wrong wrong wrong!
Sometimes the answers to these sorts of questions will help you figure out which dogs to steer clear of. If you have a pet rabbit, you would do well to avoid dogs that were bred for hunting small game or 'vermin,' like most terriers. If you want a dog to go on 15 mile hikes with you, well, that cute dachshund is just not going to be able to keep up. On the other hand, those gorgeous huskies were bred to run all day long in a blizzard ---don't expect them to be happy sitting in the house or in a hot yard all day! That border collie is an amazingly intelligent working dog, capable of learning enormously complicated tasks and of working tirelessly herding livestock or doing obedience and agility trials ---just don't ask him to sit in your city apartment day after day, waiting for you to come home from work to take him on a half hour walk, because he'll go absolutely stir crazy and become horribly neurotic.
If you think you've found the breed that's right for you, talk to as many people who own that breed as you can ---and ask them what they don't like about their pet. Most responsible breed advocates try very hard to make sure people understand all the potential downsides to the breed, because they never want to see one of their beloved dogs go into an inappropriate home.
If you have your heart set on a purebred, do some research ---find out what the breed was created to do, and think about how that will fit in with the lifestyle you want to lead. Do you have or want other pets, or children? Are you active, or do you want a pet content to putter around the house with you? How much space do you have ---a studio apartment, or 100 acres of rural property? All these things are important variables that will profoundly influence what breed of dog is right for you ---and what breed is wrong wrong wrong!
Sometimes the answers to these sorts of questions will help you figure out which dogs to steer clear of. If you have a pet rabbit, you would do well to avoid dogs that were bred for hunting small game or 'vermin,' like most terriers. If you want a dog to go on 15 mile hikes with you, well, that cute dachshund is just not going to be able to keep up. On the other hand, those gorgeous huskies were bred to run all day long in a blizzard ---don't expect them to be happy sitting in the house or in a hot yard all day! That border collie is an amazingly intelligent working dog, capable of learning enormously complicated tasks and of working tirelessly herding livestock or doing obedience and agility trials ---just don't ask him to sit in your city apartment day after day, waiting for you to come home from work to take him on a half hour walk, because he'll go absolutely stir crazy and become horribly neurotic.
If you think you've found the breed that's right for you, talk to as many people who own that breed as you can ---and ask them what they don't like about their pet. Most responsible breed advocates try very hard to make sure people understand all the potential downsides to the breed, because they never want to see one of their beloved dogs go into an inappropriate home.
View the next posts in this series:
- How To Choose a Puppy (Part 3): Well, Maybe Not Quite A Puppy
- How to choose a puppy (Part 4): Shelter Dogs
Have a question for the Veterinarian? Use our Ask The Vet Form here.
This post was generously contributed by Dr. Stanley of Housecall Of The Wild.
Pet Spotlight: Bodhi
Name: Bodhi (like the tree)
Nickname: Bat Man
Age: Around a year.
How long have you been together?
We just adopted Bodhi a little less than a month ago.
How did you find eachother?
I had seen a very cute Schnoodle up for adoption on a rescue organization’s website. I went to go meet her, but she was being adopted out just as I arrived. The rescue group said they thought they had another Miniature Schnauzer/Poodle mix, but he was so scruffy it was hard to tell. I met him and he was wonderful.
What makes your pet so special?
Bodhi is such an easy dog to share a home with. He seems to have an on/off switch. When we are busy, sleeping, or if company comes over, he just goes over to his bed and chews on his toys. In his mellow moods he does wonderfully hanging out with our rabbits. They will sit together and the rabbits will chew on their cardboard while Bodhi chews on his bone. When we are active, he loves to play fetch, tear around the dog park and go for long walks.
Bodhi is also incredibly intelligent and always eager to please. We have been taking him to puppy school and he is getting straight A’s ;) He is learning to lift up his paws so that we can wipe them off when he comes inside.
Nickname: Bat Man
Age: Around a year.
How long have you been together?
We just adopted Bodhi a little less than a month ago.
How did you find eachother?
I had seen a very cute Schnoodle up for adoption on a rescue organization’s website. I went to go meet her, but she was being adopted out just as I arrived. The rescue group said they thought they had another Miniature Schnauzer/Poodle mix, but he was so scruffy it was hard to tell. I met him and he was wonderful.
What makes your pet so special?
Bodhi is such an easy dog to share a home with. He seems to have an on/off switch. When we are busy, sleeping, or if company comes over, he just goes over to his bed and chews on his toys. In his mellow moods he does wonderfully hanging out with our rabbits. They will sit together and the rabbits will chew on their cardboard while Bodhi chews on his bone. When we are active, he loves to play fetch, tear around the dog park and go for long walks.
Bodhi is also incredibly intelligent and always eager to please. We have been taking him to puppy school and he is getting straight A’s ;) He is learning to lift up his paws so that we can wipe them off when he comes inside.
Bodhi in his adoption website photo.
Bodhi after his new home and first bath.
Would you like us to spotlight your pet? Just fill out the Pet Spotlight Form to the left. If your pet is chosen they will receive a special gift from The Modern Pet.