How to Choose a Dog Breed
Photo: Oliver Clarke

As the popularity of dog ownership continues to increase, more people are becoming particular about the type of canines they want to bring into their home. Naturally, the first question that pops into anybody's mind is what's the best dog for them, and how to choose a dog breed. That's a very good question indeed.

There are 178 officially recognized breeds according to AKC, and over 400 dog breeds that are still undocumented. Types of dogs vary tremendously in appearance, temperament, needs, and a ton of other traits, which is why many don't even know how to choose a dog breed in the first place. Think of the physical difference between a Great Dane and a Chihuahua – how do you know which one's for you?


Purebred vs. crossbred vs. mixed breed

How to Choose a Dog Breed
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How to Choose a Dog Breed
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However, the above isn't true for the offspring of Golden Doodles. A dog whose parents are both Golden Doodles is not a Golden Doodle. Unless both parents are purebred, a puppy is a mixed breed. That's just how genetics works.


How to Choose a Dog Breed
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Mixed breed dogs, often referred to as “mutts”, are simply dogs whose parents were not purebred. These dogs are frequently overlooked by aspiring dog owners. Mutts have a lot more genetic variation than purebreds or crossbreds, which means you can't really know ahead of time what kind of personality your puppy is going to have when he grows up.

However, mixed breeds tend to be a lot more “balanced” than pure breeds. The intense traits that were carefully bred into pure dog breeds get “watered down,” which can be a good thing. Mutts probably won't be as fast as Greyhounds, nor as smart as a Border Collie, nor as strong as a Mastiff, but you probably don't need any of those traits in a family dog. Mutts also won't be as sensitive as Greyhounds, nor as demanding as a Border Collie, and will probably live longer than the very large pure breeds like Mastiffs.

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That said, since you can't predict how a mixed breed dog will turn out, you can't really do much research before choosing your puppy unless you happen to know its parents.

How to choose a dog breed by traits?


Dog's size

How to Choose a Dog Breed
Photo: Wei-Hang Chua




Grooming needs

Some breeds require minimal grooming, and shed only a little or don't shed at all. Other dogs have long, luxurious coats, and need regular brushing and grooming. Getting a dog that sheds a lot will also mean vacuuming very frequently, and you would also probably want to consider how difficult it will be to bathe your dog.

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Some dogs, like poodles, have coats that require major maintenance several times a year. Failure to commit to this can lead to serious fur malfunctions, sometimes leading to painful clumps of matted hair. It's clever to ask yourself how to choose a dog breed based on your own lifestyle, so make sure you know what you're getting into ahead of time, and that you're up to the task of keeping your dog's coat healthy and happy.

Exercise needs

How to Choose a Dog Breed
Photo: Álex Franco

A dog needs to be well-exercised or it will not be trainable. It's that simple. Yet a failure to meet a dog's exercise needs is still one of the most common causes of dog behavioural problems.


When you're considering how to choose a dog breed, remember that not only do you need to think how much exercise your dog will need, but also whether they can live your lifestyle, too. For example, if you're an athletic person with a very active life, some dogs may not be able to keep up with you.

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There are canines that have minimal exercise requirements, and are perfectly content with only a couple walks around the block a day. In fact, certain breeds such as English Bulldog are pretty lazy and prefer to lie down most of the time, whether it's indoors or outdoors. This probably won't be a problem for anybody that isn't exceptionally athletic, however, and is looking for a coach potato breed.

Temperament and trainability

How to Choose a Dog Breed
Photo: Aris Sánchez


Every canine breed has its own specific traits, and if you're trying to figure out precisely how to choose a dog breed based on all the variables, it will take a while but will be so worth it.

Begin by asking yourself some of the following questions:

  • Do you have other dogs? Is this breed compatible with those dogs' personalities?



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