Happy Healthy Puppy | Happy Healthy Puppy

Should you get a Puppy or an Adult Dog?

There’s no denying that puppies are absolutely adorable. They nuzzle into your neck, give warm kisses, gaze at you with soft, trusting eyes, and have sweet puppy breath. For many people, these benefits are well worth all the trouble that a puppy can cause.

When deciding to get a puppy or adult dog, it’s wise to consider that puppies are trouble in a cute little package. Puppies are definitely great at trouble . They chew shoes, soil carpets, ruin furniture, cry all night, bite toes, pull down drapes, chase the cat, bark at nothing, refuse to go outside to pee until 3:00 am, and generally disrupt everyone and everything around them.

Many people want to get a puppy because they can train and socialize it exactly the way they want. This is actually a pretty good reason to get a puppy, as long as you’re willing and able to undertake the huge responsibility of training and socializing, and aware of the uncertainties that come with getting a puppy.

Hypoallergenic Dogs

Are you considering a non-shedding dog to help alleviate allergies or asthma?

Here’s something you might not have heard before: it’s not dog hair that triggers problems in humans. So, the best dogs for allergies aren’t necessarily non-shedding dogs.

Proteins in dog skin, saliva, dander, and even dog urine are what trigger allergies and allergic reactions. Dog fur can also collect allergens like dust, mold, and pollen. All of this means there are no real hypoallergenic dogs.

Getting a non-shedding dog will do little to reduce asthmatic or allergic reactions, since all dogs have the proteins that cause problems. Unfortunately, truly hypoallergenic dogs simply do not exist, despite what some unethical breeders may say.

Thinking about getting a Purebred Dog?

Purebred dog lovers swear by the reliability of their breeds temperament and looks. Getting a purebred from a reputable, caring breeder can be a wonderful choice for you and your family.

Physical characteristics One of the key advantages of purebreds is that their basic physical characteristics, such as size, weight, color, and coat are fairly fixed. For example, Golden Retrievers are known for their long, golden coat and size. If you want a purebred Golden Retriever puppy, you can be quite certain that she won’t be 20 pounds, with a short, spotted coat.

A purebred is a great choice if you want a dog that is a specific size, or has a specific type of coat (for example, a short or non-shedding coat).

Often tested for health or genetic defects Have predictable temperaments Have predictable physical characteristics Choosing a purebred is great if you’re looking for a dog for a specific function, for example, a guard dog, a hunting dog, a dog to herd sheep, pull a sled, or even dig for truffles

Finding the Best Dog Life Vest

Do dogs really need a life vest? Most people believe that dogs are naturals in the water. This is a common misconception; some dogs hate the water and will panic if they fall in unexpectedly. Some dogs like greyhounds have almost no body fat, and so don’t float well, and get cold in the water quickly. Breeds like labs love the water, but can run into trouble as they become older or overweight. Even fit water dogs can become tired when overexerting themselves in the water, and can drown from this fatigue.

Dogs are also just as vulnerable as people in a boating accident. A dog can be injured during a boat accident, making it difficult for the dog to swim. Dogs can also jump off boats when you’re not looking, and drown while waiting for you to rescue them.

Besides, a dog life vest is ridiculously cute. Your dog will be the hit of the party in snazzy new waterwear.

Giant Dog Crates

Giant dog breeds like Great Danes require special giant dog crates. A giant dog crate is much larger and heavier than a crate for any other dog. Crates for giant dogs can weigh 70 pounds, not including the dog!

The good news is that a giant dog crate can come in collapsible designs that store flat in a few minutes and can be tucked away out of sight. The bad news is that these crates can be pretty expensive. Expect to spend an easy $200 or more for a good quality, collapsible giant dog crate.

Giant Dog Breeds

I have to confess: I love giant dogs. There’s something so comforting about a big, goofy, gentle giant dog. And I’m talking huge: Giant dog breeds include dogs that weigh over 90 pounds, or more than 27 inches at the shoulder. If you want a giant dog breed, you’ll need plenty of room for the dog both inside and outside your home.

A giant dog crate, while expensive, my be especially helpful in keeping a 100-pound dog off your furniture while you’re away from home.

Giant breed dogs generally have a shorter life expectancy than smaller dogs. You can expect a giant dog to live approximately seven to ten years, depending on the breed of giant dog. However, many giant dog breeds only live seven or eight years.

Large and Medium Dog Breeds

Large Dog Breeds Large and giant dogs are among my favorites. Large dog breeds weigh approximately 60 to 90 pounds. You’ll need plenty of room for a large dog, both inside your house, and in your back yard. Many large dog breeds are prone to hip and elbow dysplasia, and osteoarthritis. Large dog breeds also don’t live as long as many smaller breeds, with an approximate life expectancy of around 12 years. Choosing a large dog breed can mean saying goodbye sooner than if you choose smaller or medium size dog breeds.

Their large size often makes large dog breeds susceptible to hip dysplasia and related conditions, like giant dogs. They can also be susceptible to heart conditions.

Active Dog Breeds and Couch Potatoes

Whether you want an active dog, a doggie couch potato, or a dog that fits somewhere in between really depends on you.

Are you the type of person or family that spends a lot of time walking and hiking? If so, an active dog might be a great choice, rather than a dog couch potato. Popular breeds like Border Collies, Dalmatians, Jack Russells, and many Retrievers are well known to be high energy.

Easy and Hard to Train Dog Breeds

Depending on the breed dog training can be easier or harder. That said, lists of breeds that are easy to train, and hard to train are just generalizations, although they can be a helpful guide.

Above all, dogs, like people, are individuals. You may find stubborn individual dogs in a breed that is supposedly includes easy to train dogs, and wonderful, easy to train dogs in a breed that is supposedly difficult to train. Training dog breeds is not an exact science, and easy to train dogs come from every breed.

For the most part, the list below describes a dog as easy to train based on the ability to learn basic obedience training with a minimum or stubbornness or aggressiveness. However, for all breeds, dog training can sometimes be a challenge – even breeds that are supposedly contain easy to train dogs. For every breed dog training can have challenges.

Should you get a Male or Female Dog?

Ahhh… the old controversy – which is better? A boy or a girl dog?

Many first-time dog owners want a female dog, because they think they’re less trouble. Others like a male dog because there’s no danger of being stuck with puppies.

An individual dog can always be much different than generalizations suggest. I’ve seen many male dogs that were completely docile sweethearts, and females that were aggressive and wanted to wander. Overall, deciding to get a female or male dog is just preference.

If you plan to spay or neuter your dog, then it probably won’t make a big difference if you get a male or female dog.