Thanks for reading our “no holds barred” reviews. My Border Collie, Kylie, and I recently had a chance to check out Mike Mathews Guide, “Choosing a Dog for your Lifestyle.
Review of “Choosing a Dog for your Lifestyle”
According to the author, these are the little-known secrets to choosing the best dog for your family and lifestyle. He says “Each and every breed of dog has certain traits, characteristics and tendencies that will determine how your new puppy or dog will act. Sure, every dog will have his own unique personality, but there are certain proven traits and tendencies in the genetic make-up of these dogs that they can’t escape.” Kylie and I could not agree more.
As a dog whisperer, I see families every day that are struggling with their dogs’ behaviors, like aggression toward other dogs, or people, destructive behaviors, etc., and sometimes these problems, or at least the potential, could have been foreseen at the very beginning of the relationship.
The best place to start the process of having a well-behaved dog is in selecting the right type of dog in the first place…one that fits into your lifestyle and your family. It’s easy to fall in love with almost any puppy, but it works out better in the long run to do your homework and learn about different dog breeds. For what purpose were they bred? What is their typical energy level? Are they good with children or other dogs? If it’s a mixed breed, consider all the breeds in the mix. The dog will probably have traits from each.
Mike Mathews has written an excellent guide to help you choose the right dog for your lifestyle. He has done a lot of the research for you and it’s all in one very well-written guide.
This guide includes information about:
- Designer dogs – first and second generations
- Purebred dogs
- Which dogs don’t shed
- Hypo-allergenic dogs
- Which dogs are best for young children
- Which dogs do well in apartments
- How to find a reputable breeder
- How to pick the best dog from the litter
- How to be sure you get a healthy puppy
- How to prepare for bringing your puppy home
- What to do in the first few weeks
- How to find a veterinarian
- What and how much to feed your puppy
The author also includes some nice bonuses, including guides on “How to Name your New Dog,” How to Train your New Dog,” and “Easy Home Dog Food Recipes.” If you are thinking about getting a dog any time in the near future, I recommend you get this and study it carefully!
Kylie’s Review of “Choosing a Dog for your Lifestyle”
As a Border Collie, Kylie is somewhat of an expert on why it’s so important to get the right type of dog for your lifestyle. Border Collies are very purpose-driven working dogs, and they’re definitely not for everyone. Here’s what Kylie has to say on the topic.
this stick is perfect!
“We Border Collies are the perfect example of a fabulous dog obtained for the wrong reasons and ending up in a boring and frustrating home situation. People get Border Collies because we’re beautiful, highly intelligent (some of us can actually type), and active dogs (yes, and we need a JOB). Without a job we become “Bored” Collies, and we can get really creative. Even though it’s great at my home… we walk or run at least twice a day, I know lots of tricks and a few dance moves, and I can compete with any dog in frisbee, but even with all that, I have still taken up several hobbies…like establishing a “no fly zone” over my yard (absolutely no birds allowed anywhere), the art of stick and leaf arranging– indoors and out, and my favorite…random high-pitched barking at basically nothing (a dog version of air guitar).
Some of my “Bored” Collie friends have taken up herding cats and small children, digging holes, pulling the stuffing out of pillows and dog beds, and even attacking other dogs, which is sooo bad for our reputations. Our greatest talents are being fricking wasted.
In my opinion, there are three types of people who should own Border Collies:
- People who own sheep
- People who love dog-related activities like agility, freestyle, search and rescue, etc. (not just for a while but for 10-12 years!)
- People who own sheep
Border Collies are just one example, but there are plenty of others, which is why it is so important to do your RESEARCH before you get a dog. Your family and your future dog will thank you. Mike Mathew’s Guide, “Choosing a Dog for your Lifestyle,” is a great place to start. Seriously, it’s only like $27, less than the cost of your puppy’s first rabies shot, and it comes with some cool bonuses. Just buy it.
I was just checking this book out on another site. It looks like a very informative, user-friendly guide. I’ll certainly send my dog training clients here to check out this guide before they choose their next dog. Taking the time to think through this decision is so important. It can mean the difference between choosing a dog that you love and enjoy or regrettably not being able to keep the dog you picked. Thanks for this info!