What Size Dog is Right for You?

The dog is the most popular domesticated animal on earth. Human beings originally kept dogs to help them hunt. Domesticated from the gray wolf around fifteen thousand years ago, dogs played an important role in early human settlements. In addition to hunting, they helped pull heavy loads and were expert herders. But it wasn't until they became a companion animal that buying a pet dog became popular.

There are over 400 million dogs on earth, according to a recent estimate. "Man's best friend” even edged out the house cat as the most popular domesticated animal in the United States. There are over 75 million dog owners in America.

The popularity of the domesticated dog has encouraged cross breeding. Though the American Kennel Club only recognizes 157 distinct dog breeds, there are several thousand if we include mixed breeds. As you might expect, this can make selecting the right dog a chore.

Selecting a dog may depend, to a great extent, on who the owner of the dog is and their family composition. A person living alone may prefer a bigger and furious dog, while those with young family members may want a tamed and kid friendly dog that would not cause any harm to the kids.

Dogs such as Rottweiler, Pi Bulls and German Sheppard are not recommended for houses with kids as they are more aggressive and not very kid friendly. On the other hand, small sized dogs such as Cocker Spaniels, Beagles and Golden Retrievers are in the category of friendly dogs and are suitable for families with kids.

Some dogs require more maintenance than others. The Poodle, for example, requires almost daily grooming. Its coat must be brushed for at least twenty minutes each day, especially if the dog is allowed outdoors. Other dogs like the Siberian Husky are prone to nonstop shedding in the spring and summer months. So, if you can't handle daily grooming or big white clumps of fur, it's best to steer clear of these breeds.

Diet and feeding should also be considered. As you might suspect, the bigger the dog, the more it will eat. A St. Bernard or a Great Dane requires an enormous amount of food to keep their big bodies going. Feeding a larger dog can be extremely expensive and time consuming.

Like humans, the more intelligent the dog is, the less time it will take it to learn things and get friendly with people around the house. This feature may also be given consideration when selecting a dog as it may save you good amount of time in training the dog. Some intelligent breeds of dogs include Poodles and Border Collies, which are much preferred choices as household pets.

Most children love dogs but rarely enjoy walking them. For many children, walking the family pet is a chore and generally, the more energetic a dog is, the more needs to be walked. According to experts pugs, bulldogs and French bulldogs have noticeably lower activity levels than other breeds and are said to be great with children.

Pets are not just for now, they are for life, so take buying a pet very seriously. If you are looking for some great places to find Bulldogs For Sale or the ever popular Labradors For Sale then check out this great UK site now. Packed with free classified adverts, this is a must for anyone looking to buy a pet dog quickly and easily.