If, like me, you’ve been doing research into what kind of dog breed is best for you, then one of the biggest things to consider is how their personality will match up with yours. As pedigrees are bred for specific purposes or traits, this is fairly easy to work out if you know what to look for, so here are a list of the more common traits that you may want to consider.
It’s important to remember that while personality is a big thing, there are other factors that must be considered when choosing a dog, like exercise requirements, size and any health issues associated with a breed that may require you to buy pet medicine to look after your new best friend!
Sporty
If your life is taken up by running, sports, exercise and even more running, then a great choice for you is the Alaskan Husky. This is actually more like a category of dogs than a specific breed, but nevertheless, they need a lot of walking and running. They will thrive much better in cooler environments as they tend to overheat in warmer climates when doing extensive exercise.
Huskies
Lazy
If you’re retired, work from home or just consider yourself a bit of a coach potato, then a West Yorkshire Terrier is good for you. Although they can be exercised regularly, they are quite content to lounge around. The only note on that is they’ll probably get quite excitable if they’re bored.
West Yorkshire Terrier
Loyal
If you have that stoic Russell-Crowe-silent-but-loyal thing going on, a Cocker Spaniel is your perfect companion. They were traditionally bred as hunting dogs, but are generally quiet. The only thing worth noting is that they will occasionally run for miles if they smell a stray sandwich in the distance. They love food!
Cocker Spaniel … and speaking of sandwiches!
Fun-Loving
As you probably have already seen from the popular novel and film Marley and Me, Labrador Retrievers are active and fun-loving friends and are great family dogs! The thing to be aware of with these guys is that they occasionally get the canine equivalent of ADHD, which can make them pretty boisterous and hard to handle…just like Marley.
Chocolate Labrador Retriever
Excited
If you’re so excitable that you’ll jump for joy every time you see anything new, old, or just about anything at all, then the Shih Tzu would be a great match. Luckily, they are small enough to not cause any real damage when they do get excited.
Shih Tzu
Diva
If you’re a bit of a Diva or you’re obsessed with celebrity culture, then you’ll want a Chihuahua to accompany you. Small and happy enough to be placed in your handbag, this is a dog for the stars. The downside of the Chihuahua is they can be very yappy.
Chihuahua
Clumsy
If you’re limbs are too long to react in time and you knock into things on an hourly basis, then the English Mastiff will at least make you feel better about yourself. They are a surprisingly placid breed which means they’re really good candidates for living in flats, but be careful of all your breakables, as they’ll boulder into them if you don’t first.
English Mastiff
Photo Credits
Huskies – Wikimedia Creative Commons
West Yorkshire Terrier – Wikimedia Creative Commons
Cocker Spaniel – Wikimedia Creative Commons
Chocolate Labrador Retriever – By Gil Namur – All Rights Reserved
Shih Tzu – Wikimedia Public Domain
Chihuahua – Microsoft Office Clipart Collection
English Mastiff – Wikimedia Creative Commons
Guest Author Bio
Brett Janes
Brett Janes is an MA writing student at LJMU, UK, founder of the literary organization, King Yeti, and a member of The Wild Writers, a collective which runs events and exhibitions throughout the Northwest. He doesn’t have spare time, but he’s somehow writing a novel focusing on rural living, relationships and giant cannibal rats. A lot of his writing is speculative.
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