A dog can be a wonderful additional source of love, companionship, and entertainment when you’re in your retirement, but it’s doubly important to choose the right dog for your lifestyle, to avoid unnecessary challenges.

We know how easy it can be to fall in love with a dog who needs a home

You may love the look of a particular dog breed, or perhaps you’ve fallen for a shelter pup who’s waiting for a family. Maybe you’ve always had a certain breed of dog in your life until now. However, before making a lifetime committment to a new pup, it’s important to take the emotion out of your decision making and really consider the following things.

What size of dog is manageable today vs. what size will be manageable in ten years?

A puppy is cute and easy enough to transport; however, puppies grow up, and some little puppies grow into enormous adult dogs who can be difficult to handle physically. You may absolutely love an Alaskan Malamute or Saint Bernard, but maybe not if you’re on the other end of the leash when they bolt, or if they get injured while you’re out on a long walk.

While it may be a difficult question to ask yourself, do your best to make an honest evaluation of how big will be too big ten years into the future.

Regardless of the answer, smaller breeds and miniature versions of standard breeds can often make for more manageable pets, when you are making a match for life.

How busy is your lifestyle?

Active dogs like border collies would love to go for those long walks, but they’ll also want a couple of additional hours of play time each day! Their exercise needs are extremely high, and will remain so, which has the potential to become too much down the road, if not already. There are plenty of dogs with fewer exercise requirements who would love to join you on the occasional long walk, if that aligns better with your own fitness goals.

If your lifestyle is less active in general, or has the potential to slow down considerably, you would do best to choose a more sedentary breed. This is especially true if you have any mobility concerns.

Some breeds really are better suited for a quiet home, so if you have regular visits from the children in your life, you might want to consider a breed with the temperament for their style of energy.

How about adopting a senior pet?

Puppies take a LOT of work, between potty training, basic obedience, and teaching them how to keep their teeth to themselves. While the time and effort ultimately pay off, you may not be interested in their demanding schedule, or in being challenged by a teenaged dog.

Older pets usually come with all of those skills well established, plus they tend to have a calmer demeanor. Their personalities are also fully developed, which means that shelter staff can answer many more questions about whether or not they’ll be a good fit.

Senior pets are also typically left longer in the shelters, yet have SO much more love to give, and make wonderful pets.

Putting it all together

Once you really research a breed’s needs and characteristics, or spend time speaking to shelter staff about their resident dogs, the perfect matches will begin to appear.

Looking for a breed who is small and friendly, and who will shed very little? Take a look at the Maltese dog. Want a pup who is content to lounge around for most of the day? Maybe a Yorkshire terrier. Need an even-tempered pup who will be good with grandchildren? Schnauzers are a good choice.

There are hundreds of breeds and mixes out there—it’s important to learn as much about a dog as you can before you bring them home. Whatever breed you choose, you need to consider your own physical abilities, temperament, and personality traits. There is a perfect dog out there for you!

The staff at Bark Busters knows all about the best breeds for every personality. To speak with a Bark Busters trainer, call 1-866-418-4584 or type in your postal code on the main page to find the trainer nearest you.