Selecting Your Dog

The right dog can be a source of fun and companionship for many years. But the wrong dog may well turn out to be a nuisance and cause of family dissension. So, give some serious thought to the matter of picking your dog. Avoid a spur-of-the-moment choice. And don't dash out to buy a certain breed just because it's in fashion or you've been impressed by a dog in a television show. Remember, with reasonable care your dog will be a part of your life for ten to twelve years. That's a long time to live with a mistake.

PUREBRED, CROSSBREED OR MONGREL

To paraphrase Gertrude Stein: "A dog is a dog is a dog." No one breed or mixture is better than another. It all de­pends on why you want a dog and what kind of a dog your particular situation will maintain. There's only one species of dog, Canis familiaris, with 116 breeds registered in the American Kennel Club. As to the crossbreeds and mongrels, their numbers and combinations are best left to the mathe­maticians. You may be sure, though, the crossbreeds and mongrels far outnumber the purebreds.

The purebreds, crossbreeds and mongrels are much alike in their general behavior and instincts. Any one of them will offer friendship, loyalty and companionship. And with reasonable care, a dog from any of these groups will turn into a fine pet.

Purebred dogs

A purebred dog is one whose parents and ancestors are of a single breed. It is a dog with a traceable pedigree. In America, purebred dogs are registered with the American Kennel Club. Foreign purebred dogs are registered in the official kennel club of the specific country. The American Kennel Club now registers 116 breeds, divided into six groups.

THE SIX GROUPS OF DOGS

The Sporting Dogs(24 breeds)

The Sporting Dogs are hunters, specifically bird dogs. They hunt, point and retrieve, depending on the breed. Rangy, rugged, with a love of the outdoors, the bird dogs have great stamina in the field. The retrievers are expert swimmers and will leap into icy water to retrieve a duck.

In size, the Sporting Dogs range from 14 inches for the Cocker Spaniel to 28 inches for the Pointer. Weights go from 26 pounds for the Cocker to 75 pounds for the Golden and Labrador Retrievers. The popular breeds among the Sporting Dogs are the American Cocker Spaniel, Springer Spaniel, Brittany Spaniel, Pointer, English Setter, Irish Setter, Lab­rador Retriever, Chesapeake Bay Retriever and the Weimaraner. Two dogs in this group were developed in America: the Chesapeake Bay Retriever and the American Water Spaniel.

While basically hunting dogs, the Sporting group make good pets. But they are not for the apartment house or hotel suite. An exception here is the Cocker Spaniel. But the rest of the Sporting Dogs are very energetic, requiring plenty of exercise, not just a walk to the curb or down the street.

The Hound Dogs(19 breeds)

The dogs in this group are also hunters, but specialize in animals rather than birds. They are subdivided into sight hunters (or gaze hounds) and scent hunters. Afghans, Salukis and Greyhounds are examples of the sight hunters. These sight hunters are tall, rangy and speedy dogs that chase their quarry by sight. Bloodhounds and Beagles are examples of the scent hunters. They are short, stocky dogs with pendu­lous ears and keen noses. The scent hunters trail their quarry with noses to the ground, while their long ears flap and stir up the spoor.

Hound dogs have good dispositions, lots of stamina and make good pets. They range in size from the Dachshund at 5 to 9 inches to the big Irish Wolfhound standing at 34 inches. In weight, the hounds vary from 5 to 20 pounds for the Dachshund to 105 to 140 for the Irish Wolfhound. The Dachs­hund is bred with three coat varieties: short-haired or smooth, wirehaired and long-haired. There is also a miniature Dachs­hund bred for work in small burrows. The Dachshund was developed primarily to hunt the badger.

Among the popular breeds in the hound group are the Beagle (two sizes: 13 and 15 inches), Basset, Dachshund (three varieties), American Foxhound, Black-and-Tan Coonhound, Bloodhound, Greyhound and Afghan. The hound dogs need space and a chance to hunt. City life is a bore for most of them. The smaller hounds, such as the Dachshund and Beagle, manage to get along in the city.

The Working Dogs(28 breeds)

The Working Dog group contains some of the most useful dogs in the world. Sled dogs, guide dogs for the blind, cattle and sheep dogs, police and war dogs, rescue dogs—all of them render faithful service. We've all read or heard stories about the heroic exploits of these wonderful dogs.

Intelligent, strong, with just enough aggressiveness to make them good watchdogs, the Working Dogs are very popular as house pets. The Cardigan and Pembroke Welsh Corgis are the smallest, standing 12 inches, while the Great Dane is the giant of the group at 34 inches. Weights range from 15 to 22 pounds for the Cardigan Welsh Corgi to 170 pounds for the Saint Bernard.

All of the 28 breeds in the Working Dog group are found in the United States. The most popular breeds are the Ger­man Shepherd Dog, Collie (rough), Doberman Pinscher, Boxer, Great Dane, Saint Bernard, Old English Sheepdog, Cardigan and Pembroke Welsh Corgis, and the Belgian Sheepdog. These are big dogs and they need plenty of exer­cise. You'll find them in the cities, often showing the strain of their confined life. They do better in the suburbs and country.

The Terrier Dogs(20 breeds)

The Terriers are small to medium-sized dogs with plenty of pep and courage. They are also hunters, bred to track down and root out rodents and other burrowing animals. Terriers are very alert and make excellent watchdogs.

The smallest of the Terriers is the Dandie Dinmont at 8 to 11 inches, and the tallest is the Airedale at 23 inches. Heavyweights are the Airedale and Staffordshire Terrier at 50 pounds; the lightweight is the Norwich Terrier at 11 pounds.

Terriers make good house pets and manage to adapt well to city life. The favorite breeds are the Scottish, Welsh, Kerry Blue, Irish, Airedale, Bedlington, Smooth and Wirehaired Fox, Cairn, Skye, Bull, Miniature and Manchester Terriers. The Bull Terrier was developed in the United States.

The Toy Dogs(16 breeds)

The Toys are the world's midget dogs. Tiny, alert, with very keen hearing, these little dogs have the courage and audacity of dogs ten times their size. Some o£ them tend to­ward nervousness, but respond to affection.

Toy Dogs are all under 12 inches. The smallest are the Chihuahua and Pekingese at 5 inches; the tallest is the Mini­ature Pinscher at 10 to 12 inches. The Toys are all light­weights, with the Chihuahua weighing 4 pounds and the Pug averaging 15 pounds.

These little dogs make ideal house dogs. Their alertness and keen hearing, plus their small size, qualify them as apart­ment house or hotel pets and watchdogs. Since they are small and on the delicate side, they can't stand rough handling. Especially the kind o£ play and fondling to be expected from young children.

The most popular of the Toys are the Chihuahua, Maltese, Pug, English Toy Spaniel, Italian Greyhound, Miniature Pinscher, Pekingese, Pomeranian, Toy Poodle, Manchester Terrier, Yorkshire Terrier and Papillon.

The Non-Sporting Dogs(9 breeds)

The Non-Sporting Dogs are the miscellaneous purebred breeds, the odd fellows. Just why this is so, is not clear. Some of the so-called Non-Sporting Dogs have excellent qualifica­tions as hunters and workers. The Dalmatian, for example, is a working dog of ancient lineage. He was used as a draft, war and shepherd dog. He also has hunting prowess and will catch rats and other vermin.

Since this is a catch-all group, there is a wide variation among the 9 breeds. Consequently, no generalization as to characteristics can be made. The Bulldog weighs 40 to 50 pounds and is the heaviest. At the other end of the weight scale is the Miniature Poodle at 12 pounds. The shortest dog in this group is the Schipperke at 12 inches and the tallest is the Dalmatian at 21 inches. One dog in this group, the Boston Terrier, was developed in the United States. The breed is a result of crossing an English Bulldog and a white English Terrier. Most popular among the Non-Sporting-Dogs are the Boston Terrier, Buldog, Chow Chow, Dalmatian, French Bulldog, Poodle (Miniature and Standard) and the Keeshond.

Breeds not registered with the A.K.C.

Some breeds, while popular, are not registered with the American Kennel Club. The Club recognizes them (ipso facto, they exist and can't be ignored!), but doesn't open its registry to them. However, these breeds are thriving and have many fanciers, so they do not appear to be held back by their exclusion from the Club.

Three of these breeds are American-bred hunting dogs; scent hounds. These are the Bluetick, Redbone and Plott hounds. They are all of Foxhound blood crossed with Blood­hound or other hound stock. Highly prized in the South and Southwest, these three hounds are used to hunt coon.

Included in this group is one of the best shepherd dogs in the world, the Border Collie. Developed on the Scottish bor­der, the Border Collie is used to guard and herd sheep, cattle, pigs and poultry. Border Collie breeders have their own reg­istry. Others in the group are the Drathaar, a German dog; the Spitz and American Toy Fox Terrier.

THE ADVANTAGES OF A PUREBRED DOG

There are some decided advantages in owning a purebred dog. First of all, the purebred breeders have spent a lot of time, money and effort in developing their breeds. You, as the buyer, profit by all of these. Most of the purebred kennel operators have high standards in the selection of breeding stock, sanitation, dog care and business transactions. They are not "fly-by-night" enterprises.

Another important advantage in buying a purebred dog is that you can be sure what the dog will look like when mature. This is not so with the crossbreed or mongrel. Finally, a pure­bred dog can be entered in dog shows or field trials. All of these advantages justify the higher price you will pay for a purebred dog.

Once you've decided on a purebred dog and a specific breed, your next step is to shop around. And now it is time for a warning or caveat, as the lawyers say. Many pet shops offer purebred dogs at bargain prices. And in most instances, you will get registration papers. But that is not where the caveat comes in; it's the quality of these bargain purebreds that you must consider.

Very few pet shop operators are dog breeders; they get their dogs from kennels, middlemen and private owners. Most of the stock in the pet shops are runts, poor dog show prospects and possibly in ill health. Furthermore, pet shop dogs don't always get the best care or attention. They are usually kept in individual cages, and you will recall from Chapter 1, what can happen to puppies raised in cages or isolation. Puppies in the pet shops don't get much handling, other than when fed or the cage is cleaned. The pet shop proprietor has too many other charges to look after, from tropical fish to mon­keys. But the kennel operator specializes in dogs and gives them his full attention.

Locating a kennel

Try to find a kennel for the breed of your choice that is nearby. Look in the classified ads in your local newspaper or the yellow pages of the telephone book. A handy directory, Where To Buy, Board or Train a Dog, is available from the Gaines Dog Research Center, 250 Park Avenue, New York 17, N. Y. Three magazines catering to the dog world also list kennels. These are Popular Dogs, 2008 Ranstead Street, Phila­delphia 3, Pennsylvania; Dog World, Chicago, Illinois; and All-Pets Magazine, Fond du Lac, Wisconsin. Dog World is available at some newstands. The American Kennel Club will also help you to locate a kennel near your home.

There are some dog "trade" magazines, such as Mountain Music, the American Foxhound and the American Coonhound. These magazines have listings for coonhounds and other dogs. You can also order a dog by mail through one of these magazine ads. But this is not for the tyro. You can get yourself into quite a predicament, what with being disap­pointed in the dog, writing a lot of letters, paying shipping costs and feeling sour about the whole deal. Buy your dog from a kennel within commuting distance.

CROSSBREEDS AND MONGRELS

You may have decided that you just want a dog, nothing fancy—animal or price. If so, you have a wide range of choice from among the many combinations of crossbreeds and mon­grels. They have little monetary value, but they'll give every bit as much loyalty and companionship as the purebreds. Don't think that because crossbreeds and mongrels are pur­chased cheaply or obtained gratis, they are not highly prized by their owners. Of the 26 million dogs in the United States, more than two-thirds are crossbreeds and mongrels. And, along with the purebreds, these "cheap" dogs are the best-fed and best-cared for dogs in the world.

The crossbreed dog is the result of cross-mating two dif­ferent purebred dogs. Thus, the puppies born from a mating between a German Shepherd dog and a Boxer are crossbreeds. The mongrel is a mixture of many breeds. You'll have an idea of how complex the background of a mongrel can be when you consider the following possible lineage: a purebred Collie bitch is accidentally mated with a purebred Doberman Pinscher. She has six crossbred puppies, four of them females. These four females are given away, raised to sexual maturity and mated to mongrels. The female puppies from this mating, when mature, are bred to mongrels, and so on.

There are some disadvantages in getting a crossbreed or mongrel dog. To be sure, the crossbreed will grow up to look somewhat like his sire or dam. But not the mongrel; what he will look like is anybody's guess. Neither the crossbreed nor the mongrel can be entered in dog shows or field trials. So take this fact into consideration if you want to take part in the competitive areas of the dog world.

You will not experience much difficulty in finding a cross­breed or mongrel. And often they are yours for the asking. Consult the classified ads in your newspaper, visit a humane society, or reputable pet shop, and check with any neighbors who have puppies they cannot keep.

MALE VS. FEMALE

The choice between a male or female should be based on facts, not prejudice. There are pros and cons for both sexes. The usual objection to the female is her estrus cycle or heat periods. She has a discharge during her periods, wants to go out and roam, and attracts a horde of canine Romeos. Add to this the excellent chance of unwanted puppies and you have the case against the female.

It's really not a very strong case. Let's consider some of the pros for the female. You'll find she is cleaner around the house, with better control of her bladder than the male. This is an important factor if you live in an apartment. You will recall that the male dog has an instinct for lifting his leg and urinating against trees, poles and fireplugs. He won't hesitate to use table and chair legs, doorjambs or floor lamps as sub­stitutes.

The female has a strong maternal and protective instinct. She will guard children (especially if raised with them) as closely as she will guard her puppies. Some dog trainers con­sider the female to be more tractable, more willing to learn and with a longer attention span than the male.

A female dog in the home with children can be a valuable aid in educating, the children to the "facts of life." What better way is there to show the children the miracle of repro­duction than to let them see how puppies are born? And the bridge between animal and human reproduction is more easily spanned when the children can see for themselves.

Owning a female can be less of a problem than you think. Granted, you'll have to watch her when she comes into heat twice a year. But this is not an impossible task. Once you've learned to recognize the onset of heat, you can take some pre­cautions to see she is not bred. (See Chapter 19 under the female) If you think this is too much bother but still want a female, you can have her spayed.

The male presents no major problems in care or handling. He makes just as good a pet as the female. There are a few situations involving the male dog that will require special handling, such as mounting. These are covered in Chapter 9.

LARGE AND SMALL DOGS

Choosing between a large and small dog should be more than a matter of personal preference. More to the point: it's a matter of space, time and cost. The large dog needs plenty of space; medium-sized and small dogs can get along with less. A large dog will suffer, mentally and physically, from being penned up all day; therefore you will have to take time to exercise him. The smaller dog can get enough exercise running around the yard or house. To complete the space-time-cost trilogy; large dogs cost more to feed. The Saint Ber­nard, for instance, will eat over 5 pounds of food a day.

LONG-HAIRED AND SHORT-HAIRED DOGS

The type of coat is an important factor in the selection of a dog. Unless you send the dog to a canine beauty salon, you'll have to spend time grooming a long-haired dog. There's also the problem of shedding hair. All dogs shed hair, usually twice a year. (The Bedlington Terrier breeders claim their breed doesn't shed.) Shedding takes place in the spring and fall; more often if the dog is kept indoors or fed a faulty diet.
Short-haired and smooth-haired dogs require no trimming, and a vigorous brushing will keep them looking their best. Long, thick-coated dogs, such as the Collies, Saint Bernards and Samoyeds, need more frequent brushings and possibly combing out of burs and other foreign matter. The fancy-trim dogs—Poodle, Afghan and Bedlington Terrier—need to be trimmed and groomed according to their breed standards. You'll have to learn how to do this special trimming and plucking, or else pay a professional dog groomer for the job. Trimming instructions can be secured from the specific breed clubs. Wirehaired dogs need to be trimmed and plucked about twice a year. If neglected, their coats become soft, fuzzy and matted. Needless to say, if you don't want to be bothered with trimming and elaborate grooming, your choice is nar­rowed down to the short-haired or smooth-haired varieties.

PUPPY OR OLDERL DOG

There should be no question about this. Get a puppy in the 7- to 10-week-old group. There's certainly more work involved in raising a puppy, but when he grows up, he'll be the product of your care and training. And this care and training starts with the day you bring him home. It may be possible to teach an old dog new tricks, but you're going to have a lot of headaches doing it.

SOME POINTERS ON PICKING THE INDIVIDUAL DOG

Avoid basing your selection of the puppy solely on his looks or appealing expression. Pick a dog that you like, but make sure he meets all of the requirements. Examine him carefully for a happy, perky and alert nature. He should be plump, but not potbellied. Stay away from the potbellied or shy puppy; it may mean trouble.
Here are some further suggestions:

Examine the puppy's eyes for any redness or discharge. A thick discharge from the eyes or nose may be a symptom of distemper or other serious illness.

The nose should be moist. A hot, dry nose is not necessarily an indication the pup is ill. Overheated rooms will cause a dog's nose to become cracked and dry. But beware of a dis­charge from the nose.

Examine the skin and hair. A healthy puppy's hair should be soft and glossy. The skin should be free from sores, rashes and parasites.

Hold the puppy up and examine his rectal area. Look for signs of diarrhea (damp or dried feces clinging to the rear end or legs). Diarrhea may mean internal parasites or intes­tinal disorder.

Look the puppy over for fleas, lice and ticks. (See Chap­ter 15.)
Be on the alert for any deformities in the feet or legs, espe­cially enlarged bone joints that may indicate rickets.

Check the puppy's teeth. At three to four months of age, the pup still has his baby or temporary teeth. He begins to get his permanent teeth at about five months. Discolored or stained teeth may mean the puppy has been exposed to a virus disease.

Find out about the puppy's inoculations: what kind and when. Also inquire as to whether the pup was wormed and for what kind of worms.

Arrange to buy the puppy on a trial basis, say for two or three weeks. He may possibly be incubating a disease when you purchase him.

Be sure to obtain the necessary registration papers and sig­nature of the breeder, if you buy a purebred dog.

Finally, inquire as to what the puppy has been eating, so that you can continue this diet for a week or so.

The decision to get a dog is a big step and one that may involve the entire family. Since children quickly fall in love with any puppy, it's wise to hold a family conference to de­cide what kind of puppy is best. And this conference should be held before going to the kennel, pet shop or humane shel­ter. This way, you will avoid having disappointed children and puppies.

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