How to find the best small breed dog
The Breeds:
The American Kennel Association lists 157 official dog breeds. These breeds are divided into 8 categories: Sporting, Hound, Working, Terrier, Toy, Herding, Miscellaneous Class and Non-sporting. Small dog breeds tend to be found in most of the categories. For example; although most hounds tend to be large, the whippet, which looks like a smaller version of the greyhound, is a small breed dog in the hound class.
The Owner:
The first thing to consider when selecting the best small breed dog is the person who the animal is for. Is this animal going to be a working dog on a farm? Or is it going to be a companion animal needed for an elderly person living alone? Is the dog needed to make the family feel complete while teaching the kids a sense of responsibility and a feeling of protection? Or is any type suitable as long as it gives love unconditionally as most dogs do? Does the owner live in a small apartment with no time to go for walks? Or is the owner a farmer or rancher with acres of land to be roamed?
Grooming and Exercise:
There are other points to consider when attempting making a perfect match for the best small breed dog to its owner. For example, is this particular breed a shedding or a non-shedding breed? Most dogs have fur which grows to a certain length then occasionally sheds. Some dogs shed more than others. The shorter hairs tend to shed more. It would not be a good idea to match a high shedding dog with a meticulous house-keeper who loves showy expensive furniture but who hates vacuuming. On the other hand, the non-shedders need a lot of grooming. The poodle is one example. Their hair tends not to resemble fur. It will grow forever and not shed. Therefore if it is not cut regularly it will matt terribly. This requires frequent expensive trips to the dog-groomer. One could safely say that a poodle would not be the best small breed dog for someone who has no time or money for grooming. On the other hand the poodle would be the best small breed dog for a professional groomer who loves to groom dogs even in their spare time.
There are also other points to consider when choosing the best small breed dog for you. How active are you and how active is this dog? Some dogs love nothing more than to lie around, sleep and cuddle. Others are incredibly energetic needing to run for hours or else they will become hyper and develop bad behaviors when kept inside.
All things taken into consideration:
After all the different facts have been taken into account; such as who you are, where you live and what activities you are hoping to do with this dog, you will be able to make the wisest choice to get the most appropriate and the best small breed dog for you.
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