Edie MacKenzie

Edie MacKenzie is a published author, traveler, dog lover, and tortoise enthusiast. Passionate about what she does, her books provide peopel a firm grounding in the dog breed and their unique characteristics with a nice touch of humor.

Selecting The Best Breed for Your Life Situation

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Choosing a dog breed is, quite literally, a life changing decision. Make the wrong choice now and you could be setting yourself up for a world of trouble later on.

It is imperative that you choose a dog that is a good match for your lifestyle. You can start by answering the questions set out below.

1. How much space do you have?

Not all dogs need acres of space. in fact, provided they get regular exercise, most are quite happy with a small garden. Having said that, it should be obvious that some dogs need more room than others. Keeping a highly energetic dog, like an Airedale, or a Weimaraner, confined to a small apartment is just asking for trouble. You’ll very soon end up with a dog that is highly strung, destructive, and a real handful.

If you have limited space choose a more laid back breed instead. But remember, all dogs need at least some outdoor time, and regular exercise.

2. How much free time do you have?

Your number one responsibility as a dog owner is the well-being of your dog. Among other things, this includes daily walks and exercise. How long should they be exercised for? Well for most dogs, an hour per day will be sufficient. However, some breeds, particularly those from the herding, sporting and working groups, need even more than that. You’re looking at 2-3 hours per day to keep them satisfied.

Do you have what it takes to keep up with such an energetic dog? If not you may be better matched with a more relaxed companion, a Bulldog perhaps.Another consideration regarding time, is training. All dogs will benefit from at least some training. Some, like Poodles, Labs, and Golden Retrievers are relatively easy to train. Others, including most of the hound group, can be a real challenge.

3. What’s Your Activity Level?

If you love the active outdoor lifestyle, or if you have the kind of job where you can involve your dog, you’d probably do well with a dog that is a good match for your level of energy. You’ll probably want to choose a herding dog, or a working dog, like a Husky. These breeds love to work and really come into their own when given a job of work to do.

You may also want to consider a dog from the gun dog group, a Lab or Golden Retriever, perhaps. These dogs have bags of energy, and love to work, but they’re less demanding than other high energy breeds.

4. Do you have kids? How old are they?

It should be obvious that if you have children, you’ll want a dog that is good with children. Labradors and Golden Retrievers are renowned for their sweet natures, which explains the enduring popularity of these breeds.

Others that fit the bill are Beagles and Boxers who, despite their size, are known for their gentleness with children.Some breeds though, are not ideal around small children. Many toy breeds have a tendency to snap if provoked, while a large boisterous dog can easily knock a child over.

{Choosing a dog is an important decision and one that will impact on your life for the next 10-15 years. It is therefore advisable to make an informed decision. The questions above will get you started.|Choosing a dog is a big decision. What you do now will affect your life for the next 10 years and more, so choose wisely. Answer the questions above and you’ll be off to a good start.|Picking a dog is and important decision, and one you’ll want

If you want to discover more about dog breeds a-z, dog care, types of dogs and other interesting dog advice check out http://www.dogsanddogtraining.com

The Airedale

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Airedale History and origin:

Developed by crossing old English black and tan terrier with Otterhound bloodlines, the Airedale was first used in 19th century England for big game hunting, vermin killing, and police and military work. The breed is named after the valley of Aire in Yorkshire.

Description:

The tallest of the terriers, the Airedale stands 22 to 23 inches at the shoulder and weighing between 50 and 60 pounds. He has a strong, muscular, sturdy body and a wiry, non-shedding coat that requires daily grooming with a stiff brush and periodic clipping. Show dogs, however, need hand-stripping, a process that involves pulling dead hair out by hand to preserve the luster and hard texture of the coat. Color is normally black-and-tan, with some red and, less often, white markings.

About the Airedale:

This beautiful, strong, athletic breed exhibits all the tenacity and determination of a terrier, only in a larger package. The Airedale is stubborn and is often difficult to train. He learns slowly, so do not expect one to pick up on things as quickly as a German Shepherd or a Border Collie. The Airedale is active, sometimes flighty, and often sensitive to the demands of training. If an Airedale resists learning a certain command, the last thing you should do is get firmer with the dog. His resistance will only increase and could accelerate into panic. He should not be spoiled, either; a concise, incremental training technique needs to be implemented from puppy hood. Though affectionate with his owners, the Airedale tends to be suspicious of strangers and can show aggression toward people and dogs. He makes a great watchdog because of his territorial instinct. The Airedale cannot always discriminate between a friend and a stranger, however, and he may give your friends and your children’s friends a hard time. This breed is not recommended for families with young children. Early obedience training and lots of socialization with people and other dogs from an early age is mandatory.

Feeding Your Airedale

Recommended feeding for the Airedale is at least 1-1 ½ cans (13.3oz) of high-quality dog food or the fresh meat equivalent everyday with biscuit added.

Ideal home:

A house with a fenced yard is essential for this breed. The owner of an Airedale should be a strong, confident leader who combines firm discipline with patience and precision. Persons considering this breed should desire a dog that has an active, tenacious temperament and is reserved with strangers. Nervous persons will create a pushy, obnoxious dog that lacks confidence. Overbearing types may bring out fear-aggressive behavior. The Airedale needs daily exercise and makes a good jogging partner because of his athletic physique. If left alone for long periods, he might become destructive and noisy. This breed has a high prey drive, so be careful around small animals. He may not tolerate the hectic, unpredictable behavior of young children. Older children are okay, provided they can gain the animal’s respect by working him in obedience. The elderly and the disabled may have trouble controlling this energetic, driven Airedale.

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