Dog training is one of the fastest growing trends in the America. Nowadays there is a great assortment of varying dog-training venues. It is common for a dog trainer to specialize in a specific field. Dog trainers can specialize in working with pet dogs, military dogs, shelter dogs, guide dogs, hearing hear dogs and more. There is also a growing number of specialty training for pet dogs. There are agility trainers, puppy trainers, working dog trainers’ etc. There are even trainers who specialize in working with aggressive dogs or dogs with behavior problems. It is hard to believe that not too long ago people rarely “trained” their dogs and professional pet dog trainers were almost unheard of.
When you say the word dog, what’s the first thing that pops into your head? Maybe a commercial you saw of a shelter dog that needs a home, maybe your neighbors beagle next door that barks all day. Perhaps your pet dog lying on the couch in the living room. Possibly a dog you’ve seen on television like a heroic police dog or a regal looking dog you saw in a show ring. The possibilities are almost endless.
Dogs come in a variety of shapes, sizes, and colors. Each dog is unique and special in his or her own way. However, along with each dog can come a great number of different challenges. These challenges can relate to medical bills, feeding costs, training costs, and more. Having all these varieties of dogs and different messages and ideas out there about dogs can make just selecting the correct dog for you and your family seem like an extremely daunting task. Should you buy a dog from a breeder, purchase a dog from a nearby pet store or adopt a dog from your local shelter?
With all of the options comes a great number of “experts” in each field. A breeder will tell you that you should buy a purebred dog because it is the best way to know the dog’s temperament and will be able to check the parents out. However, shelter staff will often tell you that you are doing a disservice to the animal community if you don’t adopt a dog because there are already “too many animals and not enough homes”. Pet stores have flashy add campaigns and catchy sales pitches to market their services to the nearest client.
So, with all these challenging and troubling problems to overcome how do you select the right dog? I believe it comes down to one word…research! There are a number of good animal shelters, breeders, and pet stores. But the only way to make sure you select the correct dog for you is to do the research. If needed find somebody you know and trust to help you with the selection process or even hire a professional dog trainer or somebody who specializes in the selection process.
