What Shelter Dog Is Right For You

What Shelter Dog Is Right For You
Guest Post by Rob Toledo

So you have done it. You have made the decision to add a member to your family by adopting a shelter dog. Not only will you gain ‘man’s best friend’, you will also be saving a dog by giving them a loving and caring family. Almost all puppies are as cute as they can be making it tempting to take one home on impulse. It is important to consider the various personalities that dogs are likely to take on and how those personalities will fit in your home.

Dog shelters have a somewhat random selection of breeds making it difficult to find a specific breed on any given day. It is important to consider the variety of aspects of each individual breed. We highly recommend reading up on specific breeds you are interested in, considering dog insurance for to ensure quality veterinary care, and doing several visits to get a good feel for each individual dog’s personality. But with that in mind, here are some tips on selecting the perfect lovable breed to fit your personality.

The Fun Stuff
There are many things to consider when picking the right dog. Here are some fun personality traits and breeds that have them to help you pick your ideal pet from the shelter.

Playfulness - You can have a lot of fun with pets, but some are more playful than others. Here are 3 top playful breeds.
• Labradors
• Golden Retrievers
• Boxer

Fast Learner - Having an intelligent dog can take out a lot of the stress of training a dog. Not to mention, you can teach them all kinds of cool tricks!
• German Shepherd
• Collie
• Toy Poodle

Affection - If you love the cute cuddly dogs, then consider a breed that is known for being friendly and affectionate. Some breeds just typically won’t work as lap dogs.
• Brittany
• Beagle
• Cocker Spaniel


Type of Home
Where you live and what type of home you own or rent will have a big impact on your new best friend. If you are living in an apartment, the types of breeds that will flourish and be happy are very different from those that have access to a back yard. Here are a few tips on picking the right dog for your house.

Apartment - If you live in an apartment, consider adopting a smaller breed of dog that doesn’t typically require as much exercise.
• Basset Hound
• Chihuahua
• English Bulldog

House - Houses with backyards are great for larger dogs and those that need a large open area to run around and explore.
• Bloodhound
• Greyhound
• Pointer

Other pets or family
Some dogs play well with others, some are more reclusive. If you have children, roommates, other pets, or other family living with you, consider what types of breeds will fit best living with all of those people. It might be your puppy, but it will still interact with everyone in the house.

Good with children - If you have children, picking a dog that is child-friendly is important to ensure that you don’t run into any problems. Here are some breeds that play well with children.
• Miniature Schnauzer
• Irish Setter
• Pointer

Friendly with other animals - If you have other pets of any kind, or neighbors and family members with pets, consider breeds that are good at socializing. Here are a few good ones that you can find at a shelter.
• American Foxhound
• Basset Hound
• Cockapoo

Finding the right dog for you can be a challenging process, but adopting from a shelter is one of the best decisions you can make. Don’t get discouraged, there are plenty of lovable dogs that all have a unique personality just waiting for an owner like you.

Rob Toledo is a shelter advocate, urges dog owners consider pet insurance and hopes to one day have at least ten dogs in his family. Marty, the dog in the picture, was one of the shelter dogs who has been placed in an amazing home with three kids who have plenty of time to play with him out in their big yard. =)