Before you know what you want, you have to know what you need. This goes even double or triple for dogs.
This isn’t an end table we’re talking about. We’re talking about a living, breathing creature with feelings and needs. And if you have or are thinking about having a family, you’ll need to consider everyone else involved in this decision as well.
So let’s discuss what to look for when you’re planning on adding a four-legged friend to the family.
What breed and personality are you & your family looking for in a dog?
There are so many factors that could affect the decision on which breed you’ll want to invite into your home. You may wonder why we have so many questions on our thorough puppy adoption application.
We want the most complete picture of who you and your family are so that we can help fill out that family portrait with your newest furry friend. Some typical puppy adoption questions are:
Do you have kids? You’ll either need a dog that is patient and ready to socialize with the cutest baby, or ready to rumble and romp outback with a rambunctious teen.
Are you out of the house for most of the day due to work? You’ll need a dog that doesn’t have terrible anxiety when you’re gone.
Do you have an active lifestyle? A dog that doesn’t have the length of legs to keep up or one that’s built for difficult terrain might not be the best choice.
Are you more of a couch potato? You’ll want to consider a furry friend that could only require the outings to use the restroom and be happy to curl up next to you while you watch TV.
Space is an issue. If you live in a huge yard out in the country, then most any breed would suit your needs. But… if you’re in a studio apartment in the middle of the city? Don’t fret. There’s still a perfect pooch for you too. You might need to be a little more discerning. We wouldn’t recommend a greyhound or a mastiff for your specific living space at this moment in your life.
No matter what your situation, check your personality, schedule and spacing issues before moving forward with a decision.
Why doodle breeds are a great choice for most families
We love Doodles. If we didn’t, we wouldn’t have built so much of our lives around these wonderful dogs. What can you expect if you decide a doodle’s right for you? Let’s review the basics of each of these breeds.
Bernedoodles are the joker of the doodle set. Playful to a near-fault, they love, love, love exercise. They’ll leap up in your lap no matter what size they are (unless trained otherwise, of course) showing how affectionate they are at any and every opportunity.
One of the most important traits in Goldendoodles is their ability to be trained. The same goes for Golden Moutaindoodles. Goldendoodles are loving and obedient dogs that truly enjoy children and get along great with other pets that might already cohabitate your home.
While energetic, they do get bored easily and can be mischievous. They fit best in an interactive family setting. Golden Mountaindoodles are playful and patient, and also get along with families of all sizes.
Are all these doodles great with kids? Absolutely they are. Sheepadoodles are as well! Due to the English Sheepdog heritage, they are patient and easy-going. They are sweet but are energetic and ready to run and play outside.
While not as easy to train as, say, a Goldendoodle, they still are ready to employ their intelligence to help you and yours.
While this is just an amazing truncated overview, these puppies are sure to win over your heart as well as the love of your family.
How much personality would you like your dog breed to have?
Some dogs will simply sit there and stare and drool while you stare back in confusion. Other dogs will bring the leash to you whenever they feel like they’re ready to jog around the neighborhood.
There are even dogs that don’t care what you think or feel. (But let’s be honest. Those dogs are actually cats)
Personality is very important. This goes for the owner as well as the dog. With the latter, however, this might be hard-wired into their DNA.
In a study published by the "Proceedings of the Royal Society B." in October of 2019, they concluded that there are several traits over different breeds that are inherent to those same breeds.
Trainability, aggression toward strangers, chasing as well as attachment and the seeking of attention were the most prominent traits found throughout this study of over 14,000 dogs from 101 different breeds.
These have been sought by dog breeders and other, possibly undesirable, traits have been bred out of these different types of dogs.
Another study presented in "Genetics" backs up the above and sheds light on how lifestyle choices also influence these personality traits. Lack of or overindulgence in exercise? That could affect how excitable your dog gets. The same goes for how trainable your pup might be. How sensitive your dog is to touch could be affected by housing.
In short, if you want a dog that does certain things or isn’t prone to others, make sure you do your research as to what their most prominent attitudes and personality strengths are.
Besides considering dog breed, are male or female dogs better for your family?
We’ve spent so much time on different dog breeds, that we haven’t approached the subject of gender. Is a male or female dog right for you and your family? The truth of the matter is there are too many layers in this onion to peel back right here.
We believe that either gender works equally as the perfect pup. First, we recommend that whether you get a male or a female dog, you have them spayed or neutered when it’s time. If you don’t, then the male could run away from home to find a mate as well as have a tendency to hump. Females go into heat twice a year on average.
Both genders are just as easy to train, and while many assume females are more affectionate and males are more aggressive, this is false.
Those personality traits simply depend on the individual dog and its genetics. They don’t have much to do with gender.
We have heard many stories of owners who ended up with a doodle of a different gender/color/size than they were originally intending, and the conclusion is always the same, “We would not trade him/her for the world!”
How can we help you find your next dog?
Let us assist in finding your furrrever friend through JLDD’s Exclusive Puppy Matchmaking Service! To us, finding your next dog is a personal affair.
Makenzie from our team explains why it’s important to have someone who’s experienced in dog matchmaking help you with your decision:
“A lot of families would pick the puppy that slept the whole time because they figured she/he seemed more laid-back (despite our input) because she/he was less outgoing or didn't play the whole time, or the story I get a lot is ‘he fell asleep in my lap’ so it was meant to be...They would take that puppy home the next week and realize it was not sleeping all the time, and actually a little more energetic than they had hoped.”
So how do we find the perfect personality match for each dog & family? Mackenzie says that:
“Each puppy has its own likes and dislikes, and its own personality! There are puppies who have a love for adventure who test more confident, curious and outgoing. There are also puppies who test more on the laid-back or timid side which is not a negative, it just means they are more attached to their humans, less inclined to do a ton of travel, outings, etc. and like to be home.
We ask families to tell us all they can about their lifestyle so we can find each unique family their own unique puppy so that instead of forcing or teaching a dog to like what they like, and be comfortable with their lifestyle over time, that puppy is already inclined to fit right in because it shares the same sort of inclinations.”
We’ve said it before, but we’ll say it again: Employ our emotional science. JLDD takes the time to personalize our relationship with you so that you’re not only excited about getting a new dog, but you’re forming familial bonds from day one. We’re not in the puppy business. We’re in the business of building families.
Let us take the guesswork out of the next steps and reach out to JLDD to find the right dog for your family.
Jenna and the JLDD Team