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Table of Contents Introduction........................................................................................3 Mistake #1: Not researching the breed ...............................................5 Mistake #2: Not choosing the correct dog for your environment.......15 Mistake #3: Not choosing the correct dog for your lifestyle...............18 Mistake #4: Not being seen as the “Alpha Dog”.................................20 Mistake #5: Not maintaining your dog's health.................................25 Mistake #6: Not considering Vet's Bills And Ongoing Costs...............37 Mistake #7: Buying the dog as a gift for someone............................. 4 3 In Closing:........................................................................................ 4 6 List Of Dog Breeds In Their Groups...................................................47 1 Second Edition: Revised And Extended No part of this book may be copied or duplicated without permission by the author. All images are property of Hazel Melville and www.dog-breeds- expert.com and may not be copied or duplicated. ©Copyright Hazel Melville 2013 2 Introduction Thank you for purchasing my ebook on the Top 7 Mistakes People Make When Choosing A Dog :) My name is Hazel and I run the website www.dog-breeds-expert.com. This is a website where I write about as many breeds as possible to try to give people a more informed view of specific breeds so that they can choose the breed that best fits in with them and their family. 3 Like you, I am a massive dog lover and it really upsets me to see so many dogs put into shelters through no fault of their own. Often they are just not the perfect match for the family who chose them. A heart-breaking estimated 6-8 million dogs spent their lives in shelters in the US in 2012! :( Choosing to share your home and life with a dog is a big decision which affects the entire family – including the dog who you're going to be adopting! I hope you find this little book useful in helping you make the correct decision. 4 Mistake #1: Not researching the breed So you've decided to welcome a furry friend into your home – Congratulations! Although this is a hugely exciting time, it also has a serious side. Choosing the right type of dog will bring you many years of enjoyment and happiness. But choosing the wrong type of dog can turn Man's Best Friend into Man's Worst Nightmare! All dogs are not born equal. And whilst it's true that the way you train your dog and how much socialisation you give him will have a massive impact on how he behaves, it is also true that certain dog breeds have been bred to carry out certain tasks. And sometimes it's difficult to break a few hundred years of evolution! There are eight main groups of dog breeds: Sporting/Gun-dog Hound Working/Utility 5 Terrier Toy Non-Sporting Herding/Pastoral Miscellaneous It is essential that you know what type of group your dog belongs to as this will give you an insight into that breed's general behaviour. For example, a dog belonging to the sight-hound group will often be slightly more challenging when it comes to recall as they have a strong prey drive and will bolt after prey in the distance (which you often cannot see as it's so far away!). Terriers have been bred to catch vermin so they are not recommended in homes with hamsters, gerbils, rabbits etc. And working/herding dogs have been bred to do a job and so they often become destructive if left home alone all day as they need to keep busy to stay happy. Once you know your dog's breed group and can try to think like him, it's easier to understand why he acts the way he does! 6 Characteristics of Groups Gundogs Gundogs were bred to help humans with hunting and shooting. They can be narrowed down further into 3 groups – dogs used to flush out the game (usually Spaniels), dogs used to locate where the game were (Pointers) and dogs used to retrieve the game once shot (Retrievers). Generally Gundogs are lively with lots of energy. This makes them need a lot of exercise and they can become bored and a bit rowdy if not exercised enough. They work closely with people so they are very sociable and eager to please. They are also highly trainable and usually get on well with children if raised with them. Retrievers can be prolific chewers as puppies as they learn to use their mouth but generally have a gentler bite once they’ve learned how to use it properly. They adore playing with toys and chews! Hounds The hound group can be split down into two – Sighthounds and Scenthounds. Sighthounds include breeds such as Greyhounds and 7 Afghan Hounds who are elegant and graceful whereas Scenthounds tend to be more robust and stocky. Generally this group have been bred to be intelligent thinkers so training can be challenging at times. Sighthounds can be unreliable off leash as they have a strong chase drive will naturally bolt after anything they consider prey. Scenthounds can also be hard to recall if they get hung up on a scent and will show extreme stubbornness in leaving it against their will. Scenthounds tend to have a deep voice but they don’t bark unless they have a reason to. They may also have a stronger doggy smell than other breeds. Scenthounds need a lot of exercise to burn up their energy whereas Sighthounds need the opportunity to run – albeilt for not very long as they don’t have a huge amount of stamina. However, both groups can often come across as lazy as they tend to just mooch around not doing much if they don’t need to. The Hound group in general are friendly and get on well with humans, however they have been bred to think for themselves so they can be happy with an owner who prefer to be less emotionally involved with their pets. Usually not considered the best dog group to bring into a home with smaller animals such as rodents or cats due to their strong hunting 8 and chasing drive. They also don’t tend to be too interested in playing with toys either although Sighthounds can be great backyard escape artists! Pastoral This group can also be split down roughly into two groups – Herders and Livestock Protectors/Guardians. The Herder group have been bred to herd flocks or sheep, cattle or other livestock and the Livestock Guardians were bred to actually live out in the field with the flock to protect them from wolves and other predators. Both groups of Pastoral dogs are intelligent, easily trainable and hardworking and they form close bonds with their owner. However, as expected, they also possess a high degree of independent thinking. For this reason, they need a lot of mental as well as physical stimulation otherwise they can become bored which can result in destructive behaviour. Herders especially adore playing with toys but care may be needed when they are a puppy to make sure they are socialised properly. An inadequately socialised puppy can become jumpy at loud noises and can become quite nervous. 9 Livestock Guardians tend to have a more protective nature and can be a bit larger and stronger. They have to be socialised properly too otherwise their protective nature can verge on aggressive. They tend to have thicker coats than their herding cousins. The Pastoral Group can have a strong chase drive. Terriers Feisty and full of character, Terriers were bred to catch vermin and for hunting. Many were bred to “Go to ground” which involved digging out prey or following them down holes to flush them out. For this reason they are usually (but not always) smaller in size than the other dog groups bar the Toy group. They are bossy, strong willed and many are excellent diggers…which can also mean excellent escape artists! They like to keep busy and can be rather rough and boisterous with some being a bit snappy with children if they get wound up. Terriers have a strong hunting and prey drive and will go after small animals including cats and even cars so they are not recommended for homes with non-dog pets. Care is needed if they are to share their 10 home with another dog too though as they can show aggression to other dogs. Terriers make excellent watchdogs as they are very alert, however they can also be pretty vocal which can be a bit annoying if you’re not used to a very “barky” dog. But whatever shortfalls they may have, they certainly make up for in personality! Toys The toy breed is the smallest of the dog groups and has been bred as companion dogs. They adore being made a fuss of and getting cuddles and enjoy having a close relationship with their owner. Most of their working traits have been bred out of them which makes them excellent pets although it does also mean that they can be a bit slower to train and learn new commands. Their small size makes them ideal for first time owners although they tend to have a few health issues due to so much selective breeding. Although their size makes them suitable for apartment living, they do still need to be exercised and some breeds have a surprising amount of stamina and energy which needs to be burned off. 11 Generally friendly and eager to please, small toy breeds can become a bit clingy and possessive of their owners if not socialised properly. Utility Dogs This group is a kind of miscellaneous group which covers all the dogs who aren’t traditionally fitted into the other groups although they may show signs of other groups such as herding abilities or guarding abilities.

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