Written by Lisa Smithers Affordable Dog Training
Sit, Stay...Behave!
Frequently I encounter owners with dogs that are inappropriate for them and/or their situation. It is great for my dog training business, but I would rather owners avoid making an uninformed decision to prevent the dog from ending up at a shelter or stuck in the backyard and ignored. There are a variety of details to think about when choosing the right dog for you and your family. Your first consideration is your own situation and these are the questions you should ask yourself. Do you live in an apartment, townhouse or a standalone house? If it is an apartment, is it several floors up or on the ground floor? Do you have plenty of green space to walk the
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CHOOSING THE RIGHT DOG
dog or are you in a city? What regulations does your apartment or townhouse complex have regarding dogs i.e. size, breed and/or number of dogs. Many apartment complexes now ban Pit Bulls. How thin are your walls? Can you hear your neighbor’s music? How long will the dog be alone in the apartment every day? Some breeds tend to bark a lot more such as a Pomeranian or Dachshund. If it is a house, do you own or rent? If you rent, does the landlord allow dogs? Do you have a secure fenced in yard or will you have to walk the dog on a leash to “do his business” several times a day in rain or shine? I know from personal experience that Border Terriers are driven to get out lowcountry dog 6
