One of the most common questions I receive from families contemplating getting a second dog is “do these two breeds get along?” or “which breed would be best to get along with Fido?” While this question seems like an important one it really is not one that should be approached in this manner. Adding a second dog to your family is a personal decision and what dog you adopt should be based on your families desires and your current dog’s personality rather than your dog’s breed.

The consideration that many people bring up is that they may have a terrier, a breed which carries strong instincts for chasing small animals and they are looking at a smaller breed like a chihuaha and they are concerned that their dog will chase the second dog around the house. The fact to keep in mind in this situation is that not every terrier is going to have such a strong prey drive that they chase another animal around the house and likewise not every smaller dog is going to put up with being bullied.

A decision to bring another dog in to your house should be based on both dog’s temperements and what you are willing to put forward in terms of caring for your dog. Obviously if you have a dog currently who does not tolerate other male dogs in his territory, you are going to want to consider only female dogs. Also if you currently have a rat terrier and are not prepared to budget the money to feed a breed such as a St Bernard then you obviously want to look at smaller breeds for your second dog. Despite breed steriotypes each individual dog is exactly that, an individual and their likes and dislikes will vary widely depending on their personality.

Your best bet when considering a second dog is to find a few dogs that you are interested in, research the breed of dog and ask the dog owner/shelter as many questions about the dog as you can, finally you want to bring your dog to meet the new dog and make sure that they are compatible.

Now please note these rules when thinking about a second dog, while they are my personal suggestions, they should be common sense to most people but you wouldn’t believe the people who i’ve met who have committed one or more of these sins.

1. NEVER give up your first dog so that you can bring a “new dog” home, this is not only unfair but it is just plain evil and akin to giving up your first born because you’re expecting another baby or have found a child better than yours.

2. NEVER get a second dog just to keep your first dog company, your dog considers you his pack and the addition of another dog should be something that your human family wants not something that is based on your “dog’s wants”.

3. ALWAYS consider the additional cost of adding a second dog to your family, just because you already have one dog doesn’t mean the cost of adding a second is going to be much less than the first.

4. ALWAYS do your research on the INDIVIDUAL dog you are looking to bring in to your family, each dog is different, the extra time you take in researching your second dog will pay off when you finally bring him in to your home.

Many people open their hearts and homes to mixed breed dogs every year and they are one of the best types of dogs to have. Mixed breed dogs seem to have a knowledge that they are “special,” that they were picked by your family and most of all they always seem to carry the knowledge that they “owe you” something for picking them. It can, however, be frustrating for some families to know what breed their dog is and while it really is of no consequence it does become an obsession for some mixed breed dog owners.

There are a few websites that can help you determine your dog’s breed via a DNA test, one such website can be found at Vet-DNACenter.com. Using this service you purchase a DNA retrieval kit, using the cheek swab you swipe inside your dogs cheek, retrieving DNA following the enclosed instructions and then you ship off the sample to the laboratory! Results take about two weeks and by using genetic markers the lab can identify 60 different dog breeds and can help solve your mystery breed questions.

If you are not willing nor able to pay the fee for one of these DNA testing kits you can always use your dogs distinguishing features to determine some of his ancestry. Great features that can help you distinguish your dogs make up include (but are not limited to):

Blue tongue – Chow Chow’s are well known for their blue tongues
Tall lanky build with smooth fur – It is possible that your dog is mixed with a Great Dane
Small short haired or wire haired dog – Your dog is more than likely mixed with a terrier
Flat Faces – Indicates a bulldog/pug type of breed
Short squat stature – this also indicates a bulldog
A very large, solid, wedge shaped head - indicative of a pit-bull
Webbed toes – indicative of a water breed such as a Labrador, Chesapeake Bay retriever or an Otter hound
Blue eyes – blue eyes often indicate a malamute/husky or even wolf mix
Pointed muzzle - pointed long muzzles are often found on shepherd mixed
Perked ears – this is indicative of many breeds such as shepherds, dobermans and Pharaoh Hounds just to name a few!
A very large wiry haired dog - Large wiry haired dogs that have the build of a “giant” breed are most often Irish Wolfhounds.
Droopy eyes – droopy eyes are indicative of bloodhounds or basset hounds
Long slender body on a small breed – indicative of a dachshund mix
Hairlessness – (non medical related) there are only a few hairless breeds such as the American Hairless terrier and the Chinese crested.

There are so many distinguishing features in all breeds of dog that they cannot possibly all be named; however, if you look really hard you will be able to pick out the features of at least one dominating breed in all dogs!

You have, by now i’m sure, heard all about “dangerous breeds” and breed bannings that are taking place not only in apartment complexes all over the country but also in entire counties nationwide. The question that comes up time and time again is: is there really such a thing as a dangerous breed?

The thing to keep in mind when you’re talking about “dangerous breeds” is that by generalizing an entire breed of dog as dangerous, you are, in effect doing the same thing as you would be should you say that all Asian people are tech savvy – you are generalizing from the horror stories that you hear reported in the news that all dogs of that particular breed are dangerous. One dog that is picked on the most as being a “dangerous breed” is the pitt bull. While Pitt Bulls can, in fact, be extremely dangerous, there are many factors that influence a dog’s personality and there are just as many sweet loving family Pitt Bulls out there as there are “dangerous dogs.” The Pitt Bull is picked on primarily because when a Pitt Bull does bite, they bite hard and don’t release whereas other dog breeds are more likely to bite and release. Another factor that goes in to the “dangerous breed” equation is the pounds of pressure per square inch in a dog’s jaw- Pitt Bulls were initially bred for fighting and duties such as handling unruly bulls for butchers and as a result they have extremely powerful jaws. This pounds of pressure per square inch in a dog’s jaw is the reason why you hear so many more Pitt Bull attacks and bitings on the news, it is not because there are more attacks it is simply because when they do bite they inflict much more damage than say, a poodle would.

Another reason that certain dogs such as the Pitt Bull get such a bad rap is because of the people who tend towards these breeds. As a result of the powerful jaws of the dogs people who are inclined to participate in the disgusting arena of dog fighting are more drawn to the breed and as a result they encourage aggression and breed aggressive dogs with aggressive dogs which worsens the breed temperement. There are many Pitt Bulls and other “aggressive” breeds out there who are loved family pets who have no trace of aggression at all and so it is that there is really no such thing as an aggressive breed, there is only a poor genetic makeup and poor handling on the part of a dog owner. If you are looking at breeds that are labeled as “aggressive” make sure that you spend the time to research your dog’s bloodline and temperement as well as partake in rigorous training and socialization. Like they say, there are no bad dog’s only bad owners and unfortunately certain breeds are being witch hunted as a result of the bad owners and breeders out there.

The Labrador Retriever originates from Newfoundland, Canada they were bred to jump in to the icy waters and retrieve fisherman’s nets. Over time Labrador Retrievers were brought to England on English ships where they were trained to hunt, this is where the term “English” versus “American” labrador retrievers. The two terms really are not as relevant as the terms “field,” “show” and “pet” labradors.

Field labradors, also referred to as “American” labradors, are visibly “lankier” labs, they have longer thinner legs, smaller paws, and thinner heads. Show labradors, also referred to as “English” labradors, have blocky heads, huge paws  and appear generally stockier than field labs. “Pet” labs are a combination of the two types of labs as a result of breeding show and field labs. While “pet” labs make great pets and are great dogs they are not generally “sound” examples of the breed. Field labs are so named because they are bred to hunt in the field, their lankier look developed to assist in field hunting. Show labs are so named because they are bred to be shown as a prime example of the Labrador breed, they exhibit all of the characteristics outlined by the AKC as a “good, sound” dog.

The Labrador Retriever is a great family dog, they are one of the most intelligent breeds and are loyal and willing to please. Training a Labrador is not as challenging as training other breeds of dog as they have an extraordinary capacity for retaining information and picking it up which is one reason why Labrador’s are used in police work and search and rescue work.

Labrador Retrievers are wonderful and protective of their families and children; however, they do not make good watch dogs as they are generally friendly dogs and it is said that a Labrador never knows a stranger. Labrador’s must be socialized early as must all dogs to ensure that they live up to their temperament as sociable and friendly dogs – any dog who is not well socialized can result in aggression and fear problems which are hard to deter.

Labrador’s must have a strong leader and an active lifestyle, because they are naturally working dogs whose purpose was to be active and inactive dog results in a destructive dog. If you are looking for a couch potato dog then a Labrador is definitely not for you.

Labrador Retrievers are goofy dogs, they remain puppies and high energy dogs who are hard headed and, when untrained, uncooperative until around age 2 1/2 to 3yrs. At approximately age 2 1/2 to 3 yrs Labradors “grow up” and become adults, many people find it hard to get through the puppy hood phase but once they hit the adulthood phase they become amazingly obedient and willing to please. Harnessing your Labrador’s attention and energy is easily done with training and exercise.

Labrador Retriever dogs come in at approximately 22-24 inches high and weigh in at 60-75lbs. Labrador Retriever bitches come in at approximately 21-23 inches high and weigh in at 55-70lbs. On average Labradors live to 10-12 years. These are the average heights, weights and lifespans and some dogs do break the averages, this does not mean that they are abnormal, it simply means that they do not fit the averages outlined by the AKC for the breed standard.

Labrador’s tend to have shorter lifespans because they are a larger breed and as a larger breed their joints are prone to degeneration and wear from carrying so much more weight than smaller breeds. Labrador’s as a breed are prone to hip and elbow dysplasia, eye disorders and progressive retinal atrophy.

Labradors have thick double coats with an undercoat designed to protect their skin from cold and the icy waters of Canada. Grooming for Labradors is minimal; however, obesity is common for inactive Labradors. If Labradors are kept active they can thrive in apartment living as well as more expansive living situations.

Labrador’s are either chocolate, yellow or black, there are no certain characteristics assigned to any color of Labrador, a dog’s characteristics are determined by genes and environment NOT color.

In short Labrador’s make great family pets and as long as they are trained and exercised well they are content to live with any family as happy and healthy dogs.