You want your relationship with your dog to be a happy and long-lasting adventure; in order for this to be a success, it is important that you understand and can meet the animal's needs and your own expectations.

With Children

When choosing a puppy, it is important to keep in mind that they will need the same amount of care and attention, if not more, than a young child does. You need to be ready for this type of time commitment on a daily basis. 

If your home is going to have both children and a puppy, continual supervision of both parties is needed; accidents and injuries can result on both sides if you aren't careful. Remember that any playfulness can quickly result in pulling and biting – close supervision is a must. 

It is often recommended by both trainers and breeders alike that families with toddlers in the house should consider a larger breed of animal; the toy breeds can easily be hurt, inadvertently, by the young child. If a smaller breed is a must, however, chose one not known for biting or being snappy – this will prevent potential injuries to the toddler in the house. 

Being Protective

It is an important piece of mind for homeowners to own a dog that is willing to bark when a person approaches the front door – it is an effective "alarm system," if you will, from both small and large dogs alike. Intruders – not knowing the animal – are often frightened by the idea of a dog in the house. Certain dogs, such as dachshunds and Golden Retrievers, while not guard dogs, are known for being very protective. 

If what you are wanting, however, is true protection – and a dog that has the cutting and intimidating profile to back it up – the ideal dog to go for would be a herding animal or a working dog; they are protective, intimidating, and can easily be trained to suit your needs. 

Quality Time

The main reason that dogs enjoy so much popularity as household pets is due to their generally social nature and ability to provide companionship. Knowing this, getting a dog just for the purpose of keeping them alone in the backyard and having occasional protection is a wrong motivation.

More so, puppies should never be kept alone in the backyard. They require not only supervision for safety, but proper learned socialization to mature in a healthy fashion. Most dogs spend as much time alone each day as their humans commuting and working – keep this in mind when you come home and your dog is happy to see you.

Michael Olson - Michael Olson of ohmydogsupplies.com, where you can find a fantastic assortment of dog sweatshirts online.

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