How to choose a dog to adopt?
There is no good or bad race, there is a race compatible with every human being.
Before adopting a dog, it is necessary to draw the profile of the future owner and the dog choice corresponding to the result. In this article, we give you some criteria to take into account.
Selection criteria when adopting a dog
Which is the ideal dog for each of us? This remains to be determined according to some basic criteria:
The size of the dog
- Tiny
- Small
- Medium
- Big
- Very big
- Huge
Hair type (allergic or not)
- None
- Flat
- Short
- Medium-long
- Long
Where will he live?
- Apartment
- Apartment with outings
- House without garden (backyard)
- House with garden
- Country house
What is your family situation?
- Single
- Couple without children
- Couple with children
- Older person alone
- Elderly couple
Will you be available for your dog?
- Available athlete
- Busy athlete
- Available sedentary with outings
- Sedentary without outings
Why are you adopting him?
- Companion dog
- Guard dog
- Watchdog
- Hound (hunting)
- Game dog
- Game retriever dog
- Pointing dog (hunting)
- Herding dog
Here are a few examples of breeds related to the pre-established criteria before choosing or adopting the dog:
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| Race | Size | Poil | Habitation | Marital status | Availability | Utility |
| Airedale Terrier | Big | Medium-long | Apartment or house with outings | With children | Available athlete | Companion dog |
| German Shepherd | Big | Short | Apartment or house with outings | No children but future possibility | Available athlete | Guard dog |
| Pug | Small | Short | Apartment | Elderly single | Available | Companion dog |
| Rottweiler | Big | Short | House with fenced garden | With children | Neither sedentary nor athletic but available with exercise | Guard dog |
Crossbreed or purebred?
Both have advantages and disadvantages, we just need to find what best suits the future owner.
Whatever the choice, a canine specimen always remains unique and endowed with his own temperament. Standards help to define an average, but the dog can obviously differ from his standard.
Puppy or dog?
Should you adopt a puppy or an adult dog to make the household happy? According to established criteria and each family's needs, it is necessary to think about it and to make the decision not on the looks of the dog but on the owner's capabilities to manage the situation.
Adopt a puppy
Generally, people choose puppies for a variety of reasons.
Most people prefer puppies so they can follow their dog's entire development and education. Raising a puppy is an extraordinary experience.
The puppies are, moreover, very cute and lovely. And puppies are just so adorable!
It is important to know that this little ball of energy is usually ready to do anything foolish to attract attention. So be prepared for all eventualities. You'll need time, energy and patience, and this for several weeks before he becomes a calmer and more mature dog.
Adopt an adult dog
On the other hand, if time is short and the idea of poop on the carpet scares you, then it's best to adopt a slightly older dog, already clean in order to limit damage to the carpet or floor.
It can take from a few weeks to a few months before the dog is completely clean.
The experience is different than adopting a puppy but it is just as wonderful and rewarding. However, you must be prepared to get to know and tame the adult dog who was already trained at an earlier age.
So it is not a task of education but of adaptation which also requires time and patience, but in a different way.
However, don't assume that an adult dog will be less affectionate than a puppy. Dogs generally adapt very easily.
If the adopted dog is well treated and respected, he will quickly become devoted and all the more inclined to follow the rules of his new home.
Adopt a male or female dog?
Depending on the needs, tastes and the function assigned to the dog in the house, a choice must be made between male or female. The sex of the dog is to be determined whether the dog is purchased for further breeding or simply to be part of the family as a companion.
The male dog
| Unneutered | If he is a male for reproduction, he must not be castrated. For others, the unneutered male is generally more independent, especially during the mating season. When females enter the heat period, the unneutered male is generally more active and may try to escape more often to follow the female's scent. Sometimes the unneutered male may also be more dominant. He is generally a little more reluctant to obey and his education must be adequate, early and firm. |
| Neutered | If the dog is not intended for breeding, it is generally advisable to have him neutered. Around the age of 6 to 7 months, after a check with the veterinarian, the male dog is usually ready for castration. Even if he is, the male remains always more dominant and more apt to become the leader of the pack, it is in his temperament. A good education is therefore necessary, but it is usually easier with a neutered male. |
The female
More gentle and obedient, the female is generally less stubborn and easier to train. Calmer and less dominant than most males, the female has a balanced temperament whether she is spayed or not. She rarely tries to run away and is very affectionate, some even being very “clingy” with their master.
| Unspayed | For potential breeders, the female will obviously not have to be spayed or neutered. For others, if the female is not spayed or neutered, it will be necessary to ensure hygiene and special attention during periods of heat. The periods vary according to each breed and female but they occur, on average, every 6 months. Not spaying your dog causes blood loss during heat and at the same time may attract unwanted unneutered males when walking your dog or around the house. It can also lead to nervous pregnancies or mammary and uterine pathologies. |
Canine professionals strongly advise spaying females that are not intended for reproduction.
The female can be an excellent companion dog in most breeds, but also an excellent guard dog, depending on the breed.
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