PetHealth

The Importance of Researching a Dog Breed, Cat Breed or Other Pet Before Adopting

“What sort of things should I know before I adopt a pet?”

“How do I select a dog breed?”

 ”What’s a good dog breed for apartments?”

“Do cats or dogs make better pets?”

“Do I have enough time for a dog?”

Rarely will you read about my personal gripes in this blog - it’s simply not my style. But an experience I had today prompted me to write this entry in the Pet Health Blog, as this experience brought to light a very real and common problem that occurs when a person adopts a new pet.

“Guess What? I’m Getting a Puppy!”

Today, an acquaintance made an announcement: she’s adopting a new purebred puppy. Now, I happen to own a dog of this particular breed, so I engaged her in conversation about her new pet.

“Have you picked up some Nature’s Miracle yet? This breed is notoriously difficult to housebreak and train. They’re a very stubborn breed,” I said, adding, “Out of the dozens of dogs that I’ve owned and trained, this breed is by far the most difficult when it comes to training and housebreaking.”

Her reply?

“Nooooo…..I don’t want to hear that. Are they really difficult to train and housebreak? They’re good for apartments, right?”

“Did You Do Any Research on This Dog Breed?”

It was then that I realized it: this woman has done virtually no research on the breed of dog she’s about to bring into her home for the next 12 to 15 years. I think it’s very likely she saw an attractive puppy and put down a deposit, without doing a bit of research. Had she done her homework, she would have known that this breed is known as being stubborn and difficult to train.

What’s more, this breed could not be worse for this woman’s lifestyle. She travels frequently. She works long hours. And she lives in a condo. This dog breed is extremely people oriented and without mental and physical exercise, this breed of dog  - like many other dogs - will have a meltdown.

Behavior problems like destructive chewing, disruptive barking and even anxiety disorders commonly arise in dogs who are left alone for hours on end, without any opportunity for exercise or mental stimulation. Furthermore, this dog breed is known as a vocal breed - a great dog for a watch dog, a terrible dog for a condo or apartment.

What Will Become of This Dog?

I seriously fear for this dog’s future. This woman even plans to leave this toy breed dog home alone for days at a time while she travels, with only once-a-day visit from a friend for a walk and feeding. Remember, toy breeds were bred for companionship. Their purpose in life is to enjoy a human’s company, just like it’s a working dog’s lot in life to work.

When I suggested a kennel facility (which more closely resembles a spa, with teak beds, televisions and floor-to-ceiling windows in each doggy suite), her response was: “Oh, kennels just break my heart. I can’t stand leaving a dog at a kennel.”

So let me make sure I have this right: You’d rather leave your energetic, people-oriented dog home alone for days at a time with virtually no human contact rather than leave him at a spa where he can go for day hikes, trips to the beach, with plenty of exercise and almost constant human contact?

How Bad Pet Adoption Decisions Affect the Animal

This, my friends, is how behavior problems develop. And this is why less than 20 percent of dogs stay in one home for their entire life. Each breed of dog has a unique temperament, different exercise needs, different social needs and unique tendencies.

This woman could not have made a worse choice in dog breed for her lifestyle. This means that this poor puppy is destined for a life of sadness, loneliness and suffering.  He’ll be likely to develop behavioral problems, which will someday land him in an animal shelter, or worse, on the vet’s table getting an injection of pink liquid that will stop his heartbeat and respiration for good - all because this one woman adopted a puppy that she thought was cute; all because this woman couldn’t be bothered to do a bit of research before she brought a dog home.

Had this woman done some research, she would have found that very few dogs are likely to thrive in her home, especially not a puppy and especially not a toy dog breed that requires human companionship and lots of it in order to thrive. I suspect that even the most independent of cats would find this woman’s home lonely and cold.

The Bottom Line

My take-home message is this: Do your homework before adopting a pet. Pet ownership is not just about keeping an animal warm, sheltered and fed. It’s about keeping an animal mentally healthy and happy. And to do that, you need to know your breed.

The only good news is this: In about six to twelve months, there will be a beautiful, young toy breed dog available for adoption in the Boston area. He’ll have some behavior problems and his mental health may be a bit off, but with the love and patience of a capable, educated owner, he’ll be just fine. Any takers?