Learning the 7 Dog Groups to Make a Better Decision
When potential or current dog owners are looking to purchase/adopt a dog, they often base it on popularity, color, the breed’s overall appearance, or the fact that a friend owns the same breed. Now there is nothing wrong with considering these factors when looking to adopt/purchase a dog but are they really that important to the decision? To be honest, not really. Sure, you want to find your dog’s appearance appealing and you may want to consider the color for cleanliness, but appearance really should not be the focal point of your decision (and it is a big decision).
I often recommend family and friends to base their choice largely on their life style. Which dog breed is most compatible with your life style? You will find that not only you, but your dog will be much happier if the life you lead is the life your dog wishes to follow! To answer this question, it is a sound move to educate yourself on the various dog groups and what breeds fit into each group. Once you have found a dog group that fits your life style best, you can start researching specific breeds in that group. But don’t worry, each dog group has a variety of breeds, you will surely find a breed that you not only find appealing but also a compatible match for your life style.
Our American Kennel Club Recognizes Seven Main Groups Of Dogs article is a great place to start with your dog group research. Are you active and enjoy working out regularly? If so, you may consider a dog from the sporting group. Or maybe you enjoy the occasional work out but it is not a requirement for you. Maybe a breed from the working group is a better fit for you then. Not only exercise, but size, temperament, eating requirements, health, compatibility with children, climate requirements, grooming needs, ease of training, and much more should be considered. It is best to arm yourself with an overall understanding of what each dog group entails, then work from there. We have created a very simple illustration below that summarizes the main characteristics of each dog group:
We hear horror stories all too often: My house is torn to pieces when I get home from work – My dog tore a chunk of the carpet out today – My dog had another accident – My dog barks constantly and keeps me up all night – My dog has too much energy for me – I am having a hard time training my dog. These are all extremely common problems. Unfortunately, there is no guarantee that you won’t have any of these issues even after researching and choosing the breed that is best for you, as every dog is unique. But if you hone in on the right breed for you, your likelihood of happiness is much greater. We strongly recommend all potential dog owners to familiarize themselves with all seven dog groups. Once you find the best dog group for you, research the appealing breeds within that group to find your match!
DogLoverStore
Written June 28th, 2018
Kim is the co-owner of DogLoverStore with her husband, John. She earned her BS in operations management at the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth. She enjoys walking in nature, gardening in the sun, eating sour candy, going on drives, yoga, and reading.