Food for thought when selecting a new family member--your lifestyle must be considered!
Adult Dogs--Are you an active person who likes walking or jogging? Dogs are like people, some are energetic and need lots of exercise, like jogging or very long walks. Others do fine with minimal exercise and some should not be made to do strenuous exercise. Virtually every dog can enjoy a trip to the dog park, which can be fun for the whole family. Take a look at our Houston Dog Parks list and see if there is a park that is right for you.
Puppies--How much time will you set aside for your new family member? This can be affected by your work or if you have very young children in the household. Puppies and young dogs, require a lot more time because they need lots of guidance, patience and training. Young dogs have a strong desire to chew and dig and must be housetrained. Puppies have smaller bladders and cannot hold in their need to urinate as long as adult dogs. Having a puppy in your home is like having a human baby since it needs lots of your time. Puppies need a responsible ADULT to love, teach and care for them. More mature dogs, over a year, tend to be calmer and you also can see what they look like and act like. Most are past the chewing stage and many are already housetrained. See our puppy care guide for information on training and other puppy issues.
Animals who continually feel lonely and have nothing to do may find something to do, like chewing! Dogs dig for many reasons including boredom or trying to get to cool ground in hot months or they may think they smell a scent and just feel the need to dig. Please remember that humans are NOT perfect, so do NOT expect an animal to be perfect either!!! See our dog care guide for more information.
NOTE regarding SIZE of Dogs: Persons often are looking for a dog that is small, less than twelve pounds. Because of their small size, many feel threatened and so tend to be a bit snappy. Unless you live in an apartment with a weight limit, the larger dogs tend to be well-rounded and are usually good-natured thus making a larger dog an excellent indoor companion. Of course young dogs, under 1 year, are energetic but will calm down given time, love and guidance. Medium and large dogs make excellent best friends and companions!