While dogs are a man’s best friend, we want to ensure that you make the best decision when adding a new furry member to your family. Picking the right puppy for your household can be a difficult choice and should be taken seriously. We hope to offer some helpful tips in this post to help guide you deciding on your new dog.

Temperament

Before going to look at puppies, we suggest that a family make a list of the types of personality traits they are looking for in a dog. Do they want a more energetic puppy to run and play with small children or are they wanting a lap dog that is happy to spend most of its day sleeping on the couch? For example, certain breeds such as Labrador Retrievers and Beagles are considered good family dogs because they get along well with other pets and are affectionate.

Other considerations that we think are important is the amount of time you will be spending with the new puppy. Are you gone for extended stretches of time where you will need to crate train your dog? Do you have the time to provide basic obedience training for the puppy? We know it is important to consider these questions since certain breeds require more attention than others when learning to adapt to a new home. These breeds include border collies and poodles.

Purpose

We also think it is important for individuals to decide what they hope to do with their new puppy. Will the dog be a family pet? Is someone in your family wanting to use the dog while hunting? Do you want to include the puppy in your active lifestyle such as having the dog run with you? These questions will have a major impact on the type of breed you choose for your family.

Breeds that are good for hunting include most retrievers, hounds, and pointers. While the best breeds for running include Greyhounds, Golden Retrievers and Border Collies.

We know that answering some of these simple questions will help you determine what is the best puppy for you. Besides considering these factors, we also find it important to spend time playing with the puppies before picking one out of a litter. The individual personalities of the dogs will show through helping you pick one that blends well with your family.