Comments for What Breed of Dog is Right for Me? at http://dogclassonline.com , comment 1 to 3 out of 3 comments http://dogclassonline.com Tue, 21 May 2013 15:29:59 +0100 FeedCreator 1.7.2 http://dogclassonline.com/choosing-a-puppy/what-breed-of-dog-is-right-for-me.html#comment-156 I want to share with readers that there is no breed or type of dog that does well left alone for long periods of time. Dogs are pack animals, meaning they have an instinct to live in a group. When humans bring a dog into their family, in the dog's eyes there has to be a pack leader. Humans need to be that leader, and it is that social structure that they long for. If you have your heart set on adopting a dog, but know the dog will be left alone for long periods of time on a regular basis, it is suggested you take the dog for a nice long walk before you leave for the day and again after you get back. Not a "go to the bathroom" walk, but a "pack walk" where the dog has to concentrate on following his human. Do not allow the dog to walk out in front as pack leader goes first and the humans need to be the leader. Leaders are allowed to leave the followers however followers are not allowed to leave the leaders. If you allow your dog to believe he is your leader, the dog will be very stressed watching his followers leave him. After a dog has exercised in the form of a migration walk he goes into a natural rest mode and will happily sleep while you are gone. In addition you can also consider adopting a second dog. While you are gone the two dogs will keep each other company. Keep in mind that will mean you will need to walk both dogs every morning before you leave. Both dogs will wait for you to return each day, but their days will be less stressful, as they will know they still have each other, their instinct will be satisfied. dog fence - dog fence Tue, 15 Mar 2011 08:54:05 +0100 http://dogclassonline.com/choosing-a-puppy/what-breed-of-dog-is-right-for-me.html#comment-96 Finding the right dog for you can be difficult, it's true. The best thing I can tell you is to choose the criteria that is most important to you and then rank the others in order of importance behind that. You may have to flex a little on your preferences if you are still having difficulty picking a dog and remember that some behavioral things (like socialization) can be done with [u]any[/u] breed dog if you work with them. Off the top of my head, one breed that seems to meet most of your requirements is the Boston Terrier. They are great with kids, sweet dogs with short hair and extremely social. I am a little concerned by the one requirement of "will not mind being left home often". Not knowing the length of time and frequency specifics, I can tell you with certainty that you will not find a breed of dog that doesn't mind being left home alone often. Dogs are extremely social, pack animals and need attention and interaction daily. Leaving a dog home alone for long periods of time every day will only cause your dog to become bored and destructive. It will also make your dog more hyper when you come home since every dog requires exercise every day. I've seen over and over owners who leave their dogs home alone or in the backyard and when they go to interact with their dogs, the dogs are jumping all over them and hard to control so the owner leaves them outside or crates them while they're home. It becomes a vicious cycle that often times leads to the dog being re-homed or sent to a shelter. You may want to consider waiting on getting a dog until you can be home enough to put the time and energy into training it to be the dog of your dreams. Good luck in deciding what dog to get, if you get one, and I'm happy to see you're doing your homework to get the right dog for your family. - Carrie-trainer Sat, 24 Apr 2010 13:29:06 +0100 http://dogclassonline.com/choosing-a-puppy/what-breed-of-dog-is-right-for-me.html#comment-95 I understand that I need to research a breed of dog that suites my lifestyle. I have been doing just that, for a month now, and I haven't gotten much results. Can anyone help me research, and find a dog with these aspects: * Will live in a condo with no backyard. * Will be living with other pets, cats, a snake, fish. * Will be living in a neighborhood full of other dogs, and stray cats live near by to. *Will be social to other animals and people. *Will not mind being left home often. * Is medium sized, short coated, easy to groom, doesn't normally slobber, sweet dog *Enjoys kids - McKenzie Fri, 23 Apr 2010 15:13:43 +0100