The advantages of owning a dog are many. Dogs are an unequivocal source of companionship, they can significantly reduce your stress levels, benefit your blood pressure, provide unconditional love, improve your mood, and provide an excellent incentive to exercise more. If you want to meet more people, nothing beats a dog for a conversation opener when you’re at the park, particularly fellow dog lovers. And if you’ve got kids, dogs can provide someone to play with and nurture.
But, should you get a large dog or a small dog?
Obviously, if you don’t have a big yard or live in an apartment where they regulate the size dog you can keep, you may not have a lot of choice. But even if you are blessed with a large backyard, there are a number of advantages to getting a small dog that bear weight on other issues than the size of your home.
Smaller dogs won’t feel as threatening to young children or cats. Also, if you’d like your children to learn to do things like walk the dog, then a small dog will be a lot easier for them to handle. Having said that, some large dogs make better family pets than some small dog breeds. Breeds like the Tibetan Spaniel dog breed, chihuahuas, miniature poodles, and maltese, and similar lap dogs, are not really suited to families with children who are too young to know how to moderate their behaviour around dogs.
For older people, a small dog is a more realistic choice. This is also true for those people who are sick or frail, or just not very strong. Large dogs will be more difficult to physically handle. For example, walking an excited, large dog on a leash might be near impossible if your dog becomes intent on chasing a car, or another dog. And of course, there are going to be times when you may need to pick up your canine friend. If someone isn’t nearby to assist you, this could be a issue, especially when your dog gets old. Will you be able to check your dog’s teeth regularly, and be able to provide a strong pack structure by being the top dog.
Additionally, large dogs need more exercise as a rule, although some smaller breeds also require a lot of exercise as well. This is very true for working dogs, irrespective of the size they come in, such as the border collie dog breed. Border collies are very high energy, active and smart dogs. They were bred to herd cattle and sheep, and as a result they have particularly high endurance and stamina. As pets, they need physical and mental exercise. Two hours per day as a rough guide, although if you mentally stimulate them during that time, that will wear them out faster. So, if you’re a particularly busy person, and therefore unable to devote the time to your dog, a border collie or similar would be an inappropriate pet.
Small dog breeds that are recommended for families with children include {Kerry Blue Terriers, boston terriers, border terriers, English Cocker Spaniels, Miniature Australian Bulldogs, Miniature English Bulldogs, Miniature Australian Shepherds, and bichon frise}. And small breeds like the French bulldog, whose temperament is easygoing and happy, and who love spending a lot of time with their owners, and do not require much exercise, are best for the elderly.