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Re: Is it a bad idea for me to adopt a dog? » DarkStarEtc

Posted by MollieQ on April 23, 2009, at 2:47:42

In reply to Re: Is it a bad idea for me to adopt a dog? » TherapyGirl, posted by DarkStarEtc on April 22, 2009, at 19:09:54

In addition to DarkStar's advice, I'd like to emphasize the importance of considering the breed. If you won't be excercising him/her a lot, then you don't want something very high energy, like border collies or some of the smaller breeds. They can bark a lot or even get destructive in the house if their social and exercise needs are unmet. Greyhounds, which need homes after their racing careers are over, are actually sweet couch potatoes as long as they can run around, say in a secure yard at least once a day. Same thing with some of the really sweet, steady, calm dogs like golden retrievers and labs of various colors; otherwise they can get fat and unhealthy if they cannot be at least somewhat active. I have heard that bulldogs are also low-key, very sweet, and easy pets. You can develop a very intense, one-on-one relationship with a husky although they need to be kept active and often tend to be one-person dogs. So there is a tremendous amount of variabiity. Mutts usually reflect many of the traits of their parents.

There are several websites who help you select a good match for you. One of the best I've found is Animal Planets Dog Breed Selector site. They have a fun and very informative online quiz ""http://animal.discovery.com/breedselector/dogselector.do"" where you put in your circumstances, expectations, and desired qualities in a pet and they come up with a bunch of breeds that fit those criteria. Then you can look up those or other breeds, also on their site, and there are detailed descriptions, including comments about temperament, energy levels, intelligence and trainability, who they're best for, etc. It's an excellent site, and a good, useful counterpart to petfinder. I think it is well worth taking the time and thought to consider the breed (or primary component(s) in a mixed breed) and get a good match. This legwork will allow you to make the match in heaven that you may be longing for.

It's like marriage, TG. It's a lifelong commitment but potentially one of the most profoundly rewarding relationships you can be in. And although falling in love is important, the better matched the two of you are, the better the marriage is likely to be.

Good luck! IMO dogs (and other pets) are the best anti-depressants ever in the long run. They can improve your health. They are also good for creating and maintaining social connections for their owners.

Mollie


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