Which dog breeds are the best?

This is a question I get from many prospective dog owners, and my answer is always the same.  It depends.  It depends on several factors, but more than anything it depends on your lifestyle.  It's exactly the same as finding the right job, the right car or even the right relationship.  If it isn't the right fit, it won't do anyone any good.

So the questions you have to ask yourself are pretty easy to answer, but often we're not honest with ourselves, or at least we don't know which dogs are best suited for what we want to do.

• What activities do you see yourself doing with your dog?
• Are there children in your family?
• Does anyone in the family suffer from allergies?
• Do you want a dog that specializes in:
• Retrieving (Golden Retriver, Labrador Retriever, Spaniel)
• Herding, Patrolling (Boarder Collie, Australian Sheppard, Cattle Dog, Rottweiler)
• Scent Hounds (Blood Hound, Elk Hound, Rhodesian Ridgeback)
• What sort of living conditions will the pet be placed into (backyard, home, farm)?  
• How much time do you realistically believe you will spend with your pet?
• Temperament - make sure the pet fits into your family, not the other way around.

Each of these factors will help identify the right dog for you.  Often, we humans pick a pet because it's cute.  Although this can work, too often it doesn't.  It's not really fair to you or your pet, and you should use the same due diligence in finding your pet as you would in identifying solutions at your office.

Here are a few sites that can help you locate the right breed for you. 

Animal Planet Breed Selector

AKC Breed Selector

We hope this helps.  If you need help with your pet, we have a team of professionals ready to go!
Fetch! Pet Care of SF
phone:  415.692.4986

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