Just One Question to Help You Decide What Pet is Best for You

 

How do you decide what animal is right for you?  There are many questions to consider and today I’ll talk about just one.

Do you have kids?  Many people want a dog that is going to be good with their children.  This sounds like common sense.  How do you choose?  There is no short answer. 

For the most part, really small dogs are not a good choice for really young kids.  Small dogs know that they have small bones and a young child can easily hurt a little dog.  I’ll never forget seeing my Pomeranian running and hiding under my bed whenever the neighbor kid came over to visit.  That kid was so active that the Tasmanian Devil would have had a hard time keeping up!  Bigger breeds have the bulk needed to withstand the poking and prodding that accompanies growing toddlers.  However, a larger breed with younger children is most recommended when the dog is not a puppy.  A hyper Labrador or Pit Bull Terrier puppy will knock kids over when they run past.  If you have young children then I suggest the following breeds as adults (not puppies): Retrievers, Shepherds, and Pit Bull Terriers.  When adult, these breeds are calmer and more obedient. 

If you have children who are a little older (9 years old or more) then there are many other kinds of dogs to consider.  Scent hounds are very popular with kids.  A scent hound is a hound which uses its nose to track game animals rather than using its eyes.  The most popular scent hound in America is the Beagle.  They, like Blood Hounds and Basset Hounds, use their long ears to corral and push smells toward their noses so they can find what they smell.  These hounds have the ability to smell things far better than we can.  Blood Hounds are the only animals on the planet whose scenting abilities are admissible as court evidence!  Scent hounds are also very gregarious in nature.  That means that they will sleep sprawled out in your bed.  They are very social dogs which are cute and fun. 

Do you have teenagers?  If so, you have my condolences.  They are harder to train than rattlesnakes (though rattlesnakes never forget to lock doors, pick up their laundry or fill up the gas tank).  The good thing is that once you have raised a teen, having a hyper puppy to train is child’s play.  Having teens in the house means that you are a family on the go so you may not be home as much as you need to be to entertain a pet.  Unless you have the time to do some training, don’t get a puppy when you have teens.  Some animals can entertain themselves while you are away at the baseball game, band concert, or swim meet.  Cats are a good choice.  Other good choices can be some of the smaller breeds like the Lhasa Apso, Doxi, or small terrier.  Jack Russell Terriers (now known as Parsons Russell Terriers) were made famous by recent movies and television shows.  They are extremely intelligent, active  and easily bored but kids want them.  If you are not home a lot and you want a Jack Russell, you might want two.  When you are away, 2 or more dogs will occupy their own free time while you are away.  When you get home with the tired teens at the end of the day, you can all collapse on the couch and watch a movie together!

Remember one thing:  Shop for a pet with your brain, not your eyes.  That cute dog might not be the best match for you.  Ask a shelter employee or volunteer which dog would be the best for you.

Volunteer at a shelter or adopt a pet!     Visit this link to see animals available for adoption right now:http://www.petfinder.com/pet-search?shelterid=FL367

For the month of May, all of our adoptions are just $25.  We have many animals to pick from and would enjoy helping you make the right decision for your newest family member.

Now my friends go and do GREAT things!