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 Selecting the Right Dog- Part 2
Selecting The Right Breed Now that you accept the responsibilities of becoming a dog owner and have decided upon the age and gender of your pet, it is time to select the breed(s) most suitable to your lifestyle and preferences. The American Kennel Club (AKC) recognizes and registers over 150 distinct breeds of domestic dogs. Other organizations, such as the United Kennel Club (UKC), States Kennel Club (SKC), or Canadian Kennel Club (CKC), may register breeds not recognized by the AKC. Mixed breeds can complicate the matter further. Consequently, there are well in excess of 150 breeds and combinations of breeds from which you can choose. Before selecting the most appropriate individual dog, you should narrow your search by breed. In general, members within a breed will exhibit many common tendencies and characteristics. Many of these behavioral tendencies are advantageous when performing the work assignments for which the dog was originally bred. The AKC categorizes the 150 plus breeds into 7 major groups: Herding, Hounds, Non-Sporting, Sporting, Terriers, Toys, and Working Dogs. The breeds classified within each group will exhibit many common preferences, traits, and abilities. Below is a synopsis of the working traits manifested by each group. 1) Herding Dogs Perform herding and sometimes guarding functions for livestock and other animals, such as cattle, sheep, geese, goats, ducks, and reindeer. 2) Hounds Hunting dogs that can be further subclassified into Scent Hounds and Sight Hounds. Hounds often hunt in packs, independently from the hunter, with only an occasional bugle call (scent hounds only) as a directive command. Sight hounds generally work in small packs of three to five dogs. They visually locate prey, then with great speed chase, capture, and kill the prey. 3) Non-Sporting Dogs Most were bred initially for working purposes including killing vermin, baiting bulls, dog fighting, accompanying carts, property protection, and water retrieving. However, the importance of their working purpose diminished over time. 4) Sporting Dogs Hunting dogs that are further subclassified into Pointers, Retrievers, Setters, and Spaniels. 5) Terriers Hunting dogs that are bred and trained to detect, dig and/or follow prey underground or into a burrow or confined area, then either flush or kill the prey (usually rats). 6) Toy Dogs Some toy dogs were originally created for a working purpose, especially as rodent killers or watchdogs. However, the majority of toy dogs were bred to satisfy the demand for household lap dogs. 7) Working Dogs Perform various functions including guarding of property, person, or livestock or hauling/carting. Dogs will tend to exhibit temperament and behaviors that were advantageous to their original working purposes. However, traits advantageous during work may not be advantageous at your home. Knowledge of group tendencies aids in advancing breed selection and in understanding expected behavioral traits once a puppy or dog is brought home. For instance, herding dogs are likely to bark, chase and herd children, nip children in play, and nip your heels as you run upstairs. Sight hounds are likely to chase and kill fast moving, small animals. Scent hounds are likely to walk with their nose down, pay inordinate attention to a ground scent, and bay loudly. Sporting dogs are more likely to exhibit mouthy behavior, enjoy swimming, and express an interest in birds. Terriers are likely to bark, dig, kill rodents, and in some cases fight with dogs. Toy breeds are likely to bark excitedly from their watchdog days. Working breeds developed as flock guardians are likely to exhibit extreme guarding behavior. Moreover, dogs bred to work independently, such as scent hounds or flock guardians, are often less trainable in obedience than dogs bred to work at the direction of a hunter or handler, such as herding or sporting dogs. All these traits can be controlled to some degree by early socialization and training. Yet, in most cases, a Beagle is more likely to stubbornly ignore your commands while instead tracking a scent than a Labrador or Border Collie. Similarly, a Border Collie is more likely than a Beagle to inexorably demand play or nip children when they run in the backyard. After considering the traits of each group, ask yourself the following questions. The questions are designed to narrow your search to five breeds or less.
Once reducing the number of breed candidates, observe the breeds firsthand. Attend a dog show and/or make appointments to visit breeder facilities, friends or neighbors that own the breed(s). Then, narrow your choice to the single most suitable breed. Lastly, investigate options for purchasing or adopting a puppy or dog from a breeder, humane society, rescue organization, or prior owner. Please note that the above process is also relevant when deciding upon mixed breed dogs, as mixes will usually demonstrate the traits prevalent to their pertinent breeds. If the decision process appears overwhelming, consult with CPT. A CPT head trainer can assist you during all phases of the selection and evaluation process. Part 3 of this article will further assist your purchase or decision process by instructing you how to evaluate a breeder or shelter facility. © Copyright Mark Spivak and Comprehensive Pet Therapy, Inc., April 2007, All rights reserved. Dog Training Brochure | Agility Training | DayCare | Locations | Newsroom | Grooming | Retail | Dog Training Resources Copyright ©2002 (Rev April 2008) Comprehensive Pet Therapy, Inc. All rights reserved. |
