Selecting The Right Pet For You

Page 4

Do I want a pet that will participate with me in outdoor activities?

If you want a dog to take hiking and camping, to play ball or swim in the lake with, or to train to catch flying discs, you should consider a teenage or young adult dog. For major outdoor activities a dog should be a certain size and have natural hardiness. Not all dogs (even retrievers) are naturally inclined toward catching things. This is an excellent example of finding the right combination of traits to fit your particular criteria.

In addition, dogs that are involved in these types of activities must have excellent manners, and you must be willing and able to build a strong relationship with your dog, including ongoing obedience training. Many pets, like many people, don't travel well. Some reasons for chronic carsickness can be remedied, but if you specifically want a pet to travel with you to local activities or on short vacations, don't expect miracles from a young animal. There is no way to tell which pet will have the stomach for it.

Do I want a "lap-pet" that will be physically affectionate and cuddly?

Most puppies and kittens will accept some physical affection, but they don't all grow up to be pets that like to be cuddled. This is another good example of a specific personality trait, which if it's important to you, will be easier to find in an adult animal.

Do I prefer a certain physical appearance, coloring or coat?

If you like big cats, shiny dogs or fluffy coats, you can do some "educated guessing" with a puppy or kitten, but you'll still be guessing. By the time a cat or dog is about six months old, these physical traits will be clear, plus you'll be able to see what kind of personality traits go along with the "package."

How large is "too large" for my lifestyle?

If you're renting your home, you'll want to check the pet policies in your rental contract or lease -- especially regarding size limitations. Puppies and kittens grow up, and believe it or not, thousands of puppies and kittens lose their homes each year because someone didn't think about what their adult size might be. If you have a specific size in mind for your ideal pet, it's not a good idea to guess. By the time cats and most dogs are six or seven months old, you can usually tell what size they'll be when they're fully grown. Many large dogs are surrendered to animal shelters because they were cute, little, fluffy puppies one week and big, clumsy, enthusiastic teenagers the next. It takes time to teach any dog basic manners, like not to pull on the leash, not to jump on people and not to play too roughly, and even more time and patience with a puppy.

You can benefit from someone else's poor planning if you adopt an adult or teenage dog, but only if you're willing to do what they did not - teach him the difference between acceptable and unacceptable behavior. This training may take weeks or months, but it can begin very simply with a dog over six months old that's ready and able to learn quickly, and has good muscular coordination and some knowledge of social skills.

Copyright Denver Dumb Friends League and Humane Society of the United States. All rights reserved. Used with permission.

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