Thursday, August 12, 2010

How To Pick a Good Companion Dog

If you are thinking of a dog as a good companion, you may be tempted to first look at some of the more popular breeds, pick out some puppies and then select the character that you want. And there are hundreds of breeds to choose from - just think of the Artois Hound and the Francais Tricolore. But, try looking for a dog that fits your personality. Seek a pet that is the picture of what you planned and can bond with you. Whether the dog is a puppy or an adult is not really a consideration most of the time. Breeds may have a certain reputation, but there are no hard, fast rules. These tips, though, can help you find a good companion dog.

Search for a puppy or adult that has a personality that fits your own needs and your experience. If you have handled dogs before and have experience, then a more dominant, independent dog may work for you. However, if you are not aggressive yourself or are not used to working with dogs, a submissive animal may be a better choice for you. When you are looking at puppies or small dogs, try to turn it over on its back. A dominant dog will oppose you, trying to turn it over. If it fights to turn over, try to comfort it. If it settles down shortly, it is more submissive. If it does not struggle at all, but just relaxes, you have a very submissive dog.

A dog that is fairly quiet and requires little care is better for you if you are more laid back yourself. If you have an active lifestyle, you may discover a more active, hyper dog to be more your style. If you spend much of the day away from home and your dog would be alone during that time, you want to find a dog that is a little independent and is less likely to suffer from separation anxiety.

You also want a dog that will be your companion dog to be smart and eager to please. This will make it easy to teach it what you want it to know and it will be eager to learn the skills and perform them. When you take your dog out in public, you don't want a fear biter or a dog that is aggressive to strangers. Of course, avoiding this will come from socializing the dog frequently.  The quick-learning dog will pick up cues from you when determining who is friend and who is foe.

Dogs can be superb companions, when they have the right characteristics for your needs. Also, while many folks feel that only puppies can be trained, this is patently false. Many adult dogs are rescued from shelters daily and they are trained quite easily. The key to training a dog is bonding with it. When you have bonded with your dog, it will do anything that you ask. They will learn to anticipate what your needs and will even try to find new ways to communicate with you. If you are attentive, you and your dog can establish your own special form of communication and this can give you a companion dog that is invaluable.

Article is available at  http://endlessfreeplr.com