So many people don’t know how to match their life-style with the suitable breed of dog. Instead of looking at the practical facts—such as breeding background, character traits etc—some people find themselves gravitating towards dogs which they grew up with, or dogs which they have seen on TV and think look like ‘their kind of dog’.
Here is the thing: just because a dog is large doesn’t mean it needs walking a lot every day. Take the Greyhound for example; a sleek mass of muscle conditioned by years of racing to be super fit. What many people fail to realize about Greyhounds is that they do not require a great deal of walking. Their conditioning has made them fit, yes, but in fact they only need walking several times per day and are, unbelievably, one of the laziest dogs around: some Greyhounds will happily sleep for fifteen hours or more every day!
Like-wise, small dogs can be capable of things which a new dog owner would never have guessed; many small dogs require long walks and are extremely playful at nearly all times.
So how to find out what hound best suits your life-style? Well, don’t just take what your neighbour says for granted (unless you trust them a lot and their life-style matches your own). The best thing to do is visit kennels which specialize in varying breeds of dogs. Look on the internet to find them, and then ask as many questions as you can while you have the chance. Ask if the dog needs a lot of exercise and what that actually means? An older person may well have a totally different idea of what constitutes ‘a lot.’ Equally, a young owner may be happy to walk for several hours every day, whereas you can only manage half an hour before and after work, due to family commitments. By the way, if you need help with your current dog walking responsibilities then check out Locum vet jobs.