Pick A Pet Dog

Have your kids been begging you for a dog, but you’re not certain if a dog would be a good fit for your family?

Did your neighbor’s dog just have puppies and they are encouraging you to take one of the beautiful pups?

Here at howtopickapet.com you’ll find many tips, plus only the highest rated:

• books to answer your questions about what it’s like to live with, train, and care for a dog.
• storybooks about dogs that were read to us as children or that we can read with our children and grandchildren.
• stuffed animals that will be companions for your child as you read the books together or for them to cuddle with at night.
• gifts for the dog lover in your life, which might be you.

Dogs have a huge following. Thirty-seven percent of households that have a pet, pick a pet dog. Young puppies require a lot of care and patience. If they are left alone and are bored they will chew everything from your favorite shoes to the door that separates them from you.

Dogs need lots of attention and training, so that they don’t jump on people, howl when left alone, or go to the bathroom on your carpets. If you are busy and not around much, a dog is probably not the best pet for you. Getting a dog with the intent to keep it chained outside all the time is not fair to the dog. They need to be walked, brushed, and fed, and give so much love in return.

Dogs make great companions for children and adults alike. A dog can be a perfect exercise companion and can serve as an alarm to alert the family when someone comes to the home. When you pick a pet dog, be aware that the breeds differ greatly in size, energy level, and temperament.

Owning a dog is a big responsibility and you really need to do homework to pick the right breed for your family. Read some of the books contained in the stores below. Visit animal shelters and rescue events to observe the dogs. Talk to breeders and owners to find out what they can tell you about the breeds you are considering. Picking a dog simply because it is cute, could turn out to be a nightmare.

Your insurance company will ask if you have a dog and if so, which breed. Certain breeds are considered ‘vicious’ or ‘aggressive’ and will probably raise your insurance rates. The breeds most often on this list include Pit Bull, Doberman, Rottweiler, German Shepherd, Chow Chow, Huskies, Great Dane, Akita, Boxer, and Wolf-hybrid dogs. These breeds are often not allowed in apartments.

Some breeds are not great with young children. Other breeds have genetic traits that may result in high vet bills. The American Kennel Club recognizes over 150 dog breeds, so there are many options to choose from. On the AKC website their is a breed selector tool which asks a series of questions and then gives you some suggestions.

Families that have a dog, especially a puppy, need to keep them away from toxins that they can get into. This would include, but not limited to cleaners, insecticides, mouse bait, antifreeze, toiletries, pharmaceuticals, chocolate, grapes, and even some plants.

Consider Adopting A Dog

If you are thinking of adopting a dog, you need to decide what size dog and the age of the dog that is ideal for your lifestyle. While puppies are cute, they require a lot of care and training during their first year. An older dog is more settled and can adapt to your family more quickly.

Many dog breeds have short hair and shed. Other breeds have shaggier coats and require regular clipping such as Cocker Spaniels, Sheepdogs, Poodles, Collies, Pekingese, and Shih Tzus. All dogs require routine brushing, teeth cleaning, and nail clipping.

You can adopt a dog from an animal shelter or a rescue group. Animal rescue groups usually don’t have facilities, rather they rely on volunteers to serve as pet foster parents. Many rescue groups specialize in certain breeds. Often the rescue groups have special adoption days where the foster parents bring the pets that can be adopted.

It’s important to research these groups before visiting. There are about 13,600 independent community animal shelters around the U.S.  Here are some statistics which may convince you that animal shelters could be the place to find your perfect pet.

Each year about 3.9 million dogs and 3.4 million cats enter shelters. Almost two-thirds of these are strays and one-third are owner surrendered. Of dogs which enter shelters, 26% that came in as strays are returned to their owners, 35% are adopted (1.4 million), and 31% are euthanized (1.2 million).

Why not give one of these dogs a chance? Visit ‘where to get a pet’ to find an incredible collection of books about the amazing stories of dogs who have been rescued and how they impacted the families and communities they joined. Maybe your rescued dog will have a similar story to tell.

Pick A Pet Dog Stores

Scroll down the page until you reach the dog stores. On the top right bar select which store you want to visit next.

How To Books

Check out these great books. You can read these books about dogs with your children which will give you some ideas on whether a dog would be the perfect pet for your family. For those who already have a dog, these books will reinforce your love for your pet.

Some of the books provide an overview of dog breeds and which one might fit best into your family. Other books give tips on how to learn about and live with behaviors exhibited by dogs.

May reading these books help you decide if a dog would be a fit for your family. You and your children will love reading these books together.

Story Books

The touching stories shared in the books from our store below will let you know if a dog would be the perfect pet for you. If you decide to get a dog and are looking for your new best friend, check out the books in the section ‘where to get‘. The stories about pets rescued from animal shelters may convince you to at least go look at potential pets there. That special dog that is meant for you may be waiting at the animal shelter.

There are books for young children and adults with touching and comical stories where dogs are the heroes. It’s great to have books to read aloud to children or have them read to you.

Stuffed Animals

Here you’ll find cuddly stuffed animals that can be held by a child while you read them books about dogs. Customers rate these highly as great companions for children to play with during the day and to sleep with at night. These are great gifts for parents and grandparents to give to go with a book.

Dog Fun Things And Gifts

This dog store has a fun things for you, whether you are a new or veteran dog parent. You’ll find games, puzzles, calendars, puppets, books, and so much more. So browse around and find the perfect gift for someone you know who loves dogs, which may be you!

Feel free to go to our ‘About’ page and let us know which books, stuffed animals, or gifts are your favorites. Did we leave any out of the stores which you think we should add?