What Type of Dog do you think I should get? Oooh, that’s a good question. I love it when I see and hear people getting ready to bring a dog (companion) into their lives. Now its time for you to ask yourselves a few questions:
– What is my lifestyle like? (from couch potato to the adventurer)
– What do I want the dog to do? (be a protector, a companion, a Frisbee nut, a hunting partner, a therapy or service dog, etc.)
– What “Size range” do I have in mind? (Tiny to Jumbo)
– Is my living space in line with what I have in mind? (City Apt, House or a Ranch)
– Trainability of the dog, there is such a thing. (from Obedient to Headstrong)
– Exercise, to what level of interest? (likes it sort of, to Loves it)
– The dog has a Disposition, really. (from Sociable to Independent)
– Dogs need grooming, they will shed. (from Minimal to A Lot)?
– Do you have kids? (Likes them and will be babysitter or Prefers Adults)
– Is Protection in mind? (from Timid to Assertive)
Here are the groups as listed with the AKC. (link to them) http://www.akc.org/breeds/index.cfm?nav_area=breeds
Herding, Hound, Non-Sporting, Sporting, Terrier, Toy, Working, & Miscellaneous Class. And there are other groups such as, Designer Dog, Rare,
And then there is the favorite of all places, the area shelters.
Austin Rescue – Listing local Austin area rescue groups.
PetFinder – Searchable Criteria Features.
Start visiting them and look at the selection, as it will change through out the week. Also if you have time, visit the area dog parks, the hike & bike trails, attend one of the many dog events in the area. Talk to people, Pet Shops, Rescue Groups, Groomers and Vets. They can all share with you their perspective. Eventually you will narrow down your choices and hone in on your new companion.
Congratulations.
Below are the names of the types of dogs listed under the group name.
Herding: Australian Cattle Dog, Australian Shepherd, Bearded Collie, Belgian Malinois, Belgian Sheepdog, Belgian Tervuren, Border Collie, Bouvier de Flandres, Briard, Cardigan Welsh Corgi, Collie, German Shepherd Dog, Icelandic Sheepdog, Old English Sheepdog, Pembroke Welsh Corgi, Polish Lowland Sheepdog, Puli, Pyrenean Shepherd, Shetland Sheepdog,
Hound: Afghan Hound, American Foxhound, Basenji, Basset Hound, Beagle, Black and Tan Coonhound, Bloodhound, Borzoi, Dachshund, English Foxhound, Greyhound, Harrier, Ibizan Hound, Irish Wolfhound, Norwegian Elkhound, Otterhound, Petit Basset Griffon Vendeen, Pharaoh Hound, Portuguese Podengo (Pequeno, Medio & Grande), Redbone Coonhound, Rhodesian Ridgeback, Saluki, Scottish Deerhound, Whippet.
Non-Sporting: American Eskimo Dog, Bichon Frise, Boston Terrier, Chinese Shar-Pei, Chow Chow, Dalmation, English Bulldog, Finnish Spitz, French Bulldog, Keeshound, Lhasa Apso, Poodle (Miniature & Standard), Schipperke, Tibetan Spaniel, Tibetan Terrier, Xoloitzcuintle.
Sporting: American Water Spaniel, Boykin Spaniel, Brittany Spaniel, Chesapeake Bay Retriever, Clumber Spaniel, Cocker Spaniel, Curly-Coated Retriever, English Cocker Spaniel, English Setter, English Springer Spaniel, Field Spaniel, Flat-Coated Retriever, German Shorthaired Pointer, German Wirehaired Pointer, Golden Retriever, Gordon Setter, Irish Setter, Irish Water Spaniel, Labrador Retriever, Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever, Pointer, Sussex Spaniel, Vizsla, Weimaraner, Welsh Springer Spaniel, Wirehaired Pointing Griffon,
Terrier: Airedale Terrier, American Staffordshire Terrier, Australian Terrier, Bedlington, Border, Bull, Cairn, Dandie Dinmont, Glen of Imaal, Irish, Kerry Blue, Lakeland, Manchester, Miniature Bull, Miniature Schnauzer, Norfolk, Norwich, Scottish, Sealyham, Skye, Smooth Fox, Soft Coated Wheaten, Staffordshire Bull, Welsh, West Highland White, Wire Fox,
Toy: Affenpinscher, Brussels Griffon, Chihuahua, Chinese Crested, English Toy Spaniel, Italian Greyhound, Japanese Chin, Maltese, Miniature Pinscher, Papillon, Pekingese, Pomeranian, Poodle (Toy), Pug, Shiba Inu, Shih Tzu, Silky Terrier, Toy Fox Terrier, Yorkshire Terrier,
Working: Akita, Alaskan Malamute, Bernese Mountain Dog, Black Russian Terrier, Boerboel, Boxer, Bullmastiff, Doberman Pinscher, Giant Schnauzer, Great Dane, Great Pyrenees, Komondor, Kuvasz, Mastiff, Newfoundland, Portuguese Water Dog, Rottweiler, Saint Bernard, Samoyed, Siberian Husky, Standard Schnauzer
Miscellaneous Class: Azawakh, Belgian Laekenois, Bergamasco, Boerboel, Chinook, Cirneco dell’Etna, Dogo Argentino, Peruvian Inca Orchid, Portuguese Podengo Pequeno, Pumi, Rat Terrier, Russell Terrier, Sloughi, Wirehaired Vizsla
Designer Dog: Cockapoo, Goldendoodle, Labradoodle, Peekapoo, Puggle,
Rare: Akbash, Alapaha Blue Blooded Bulldog, American Bulldog, American Pitbull Terrier, Anatolian Shepherd, Argentine Dogo, Australian Kelpie, Azawakh, Basset Fauve de Bretagne, Beauceron, Bergamasco, Berger Blanc Suisse, Berger Picard, Blackmouth Cur, Bolognese, Bracco Italiano, Canaan Dog, Cane Corso, Carolina Dog, Caucasian Mountain Dog, Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, Cesky Terrier, Coton de Tulear, Dogue de Bordeaux, Dutch Partridge Dog, Dutch Shepherd, Dutch Smoushond, English Coonhound, Entlebucher Sennenhund, Eurasier, Fila Brasileiro, Finnish Lapphund, Frisian Pointing Dog, Frisian Water Dog, German Pinscher, Grande Bleu de Gascony, Greater Swiss Mountain Dog, Havanese, Hovawart, Irish Red & White Setter, Italian Spinone, Jack Russell Terrier, Japanese Spitz, Karelian Bear Dog, Karakachan, Klee Kai, Kooikerhondje, Korean Jindo, Kyi-Leo, Lagotto Romagnolo, Leonberger, Louisiana Catahoula, Lowchen, Maremma Sheepdog, Mi-Ki, Munsterlander, Neapolitan Mastiff, Norwegian Buhund, Norwegian Lundehund, Olde English Bulldogge, Parson Russell Terrier, Patterdale Terrier, Peruvian Inca Orchid, Plott Hound, Prague Ratter, Presa Canario, Rat Terrier, Russian Toy, Saarloos Wolfdog, Seppala Siberian Sleddog, Shiloh Shepherd, Silken Wind Hound, Spanish Water Dog, Thai Ridgeback, Tibetan KyiApso, Tibetan Mastiff, Tosa Inu, Vallhund, Volpino
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