In an earlier post, we covered 3 different breed groups - hounds, terriers, and sporting dogs. Without further ado, let's take a look at the next breed...
Non-sporting dogs
This is a rather broad category that includes many different types of dogs. Dalmatians, Chow Chow, Bichon Frise, Keeshonden, Finnish Spitz, Poodle, all fall into this category.
Of these, the dalmatian and the chow chow are the most commonly seen. The dalmatian is popularized by popular media (think movies), and the Chow Chow is popular because of its adorable outward appearance.
Unfortunately, both breeds have active personalities, and they are not as calm as most people think. There are often bought by pet owners who don't really understand them, so they are often under appreciated.
Working dogs
These are dogs that you want to stay clear of. They are called working dogs for good reason. Mostly, they are used to guard homes, properties, etc. To function well in this job, the dog is usually mid to large size. These breeds include the Samoyed (Sammy), the Newfoundland, the rottweiler, and Akitas. Other breeds include the Siberian Husky, Saint Bernard, Doberman, Boxer, Komondor, and the Schnauzers.
It is important to socialize working dogs while it is still young. Let it be around children so that it can grow comfortable in the presence of human beings. A working dog that is not well socialized tend to be aloof, independent, and may jump at children or adults who appear less confident.
Toy dogs
Toy dogs are what you would expect them to be: They are smaller in sizes. But being small doesn't mean that they don't have a temper. Some toy dogs can be as fierce as the larger dogs.
But because toy dogs are generally smaller in size, they are most ideal for smaller apartments. It's also easier to carry them around. Some examples of toy dogs include Shih-Tzu, Pomeranian, Yorkshire Terrier, Maltese and Toy Poodle.
Taking care of a toy dog is similar to taking care of any other dog. Some will come with thick coats of hair, which means that you have to comb the hair regularly to get rid of dead hair. Others don't have this need.
Choosing between purebred and the mutt
Regardless of the group, you will eventually have to decide between buying a purebred dog, or a mutt (mix breed). There are many arguments for (and against) both choices. Ultimately, it's up to you to make a decision.
On one side of the fence, pet owners who prefer to keep purebred dogs argue that behavior is much more predictable. The problem with mutts is that you never know what its temperament is going to be like. On top of that, there may be physical attributes that you may not be aware of. How big is the dog going to be in 12 weeks time? Will anything unexpected happen?
While this sound like a logical argument, pet owners who don't mind having a mutt as a pet argue that you can't really predict the behavior of any dog. It all comes down to training and conditioning.
Then, there is the issue of price. A purebred dog can cost you anywhere from $300 to $1,000. Sometimes more. You only have to pay a small fraction of that price for a mutt.
So how to make a wise choice?
Trust your own observations. There are purebreds that make very good pets, and purebreds that come across as undesirable pets. Similarly, there are mutts who may be well behaved, and there are mutts that simply can't fit in. It leads one to think that perhaps purebred and mutt don't really come into the picture while choosing a dog.
Both types of dogs are capable of loving you back. A better question would be, "Why would you want to own a dog?"
We'll explore that issue in another post.
