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So, you want another companion and you're looking at specific breeds. Having helped trained numerous different breeds I always look for the chance to start on the ground floor. The question of which breed is really not the issue. The first questions should be about your lifestyle. Do you do a lot of outdoor activities, camp a lot, work too long during the week. What do I have for living space for the new addition? Do I have enough space to allow a large breed to exercise when I don't have enough time for him? Can I keep him physically fit? This may seem like a stupid question but some breeds, like rotties, need constant exercise or they become bratwurst with legs. Can I take the new guy with me on most excursions/vacations? Then there are always the question of which breed. Can I look after their nutritional needs correctly? What is their level of activity? What are their instincts? Am I going to buy a pure breed or save a “heinz 57” from the pound? Do I want a puppy and the trials that come with them or an older dog and try to intigrate him to my lifestyle? What really ticks me off is when people look at my dogs and want a lab just like them. They have no idea of the training and patience it took to get them here nor do they want to do it. But I digress... Every breed has it's quirks. Sporting dogs will always be hunting, working class will always protect, herding dogs will always try to round something up for you, etc, etc, etc. The main point is to look at what breed will best fit your lifestyle for the next 12 to 15 years not which breed is better.
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