Here's the info that most people need!
A. Many people choose dogs based on looks and not on personality. Before buying or adopting any dog please research that breeds characteristics. You will have a much better bond with a dog that is suited to your lifestyle. Things to keep in mind are: energy level, food consumption, grooming requirements and temperament to name a few. Also keep in mind that even a specific breed and litter will have a variety of pups with different temperaments. You should see what the mother and father are like and what type of environment the dog lives in.
A. Almost all dogs will have some behaviours that certain people don’t like. A knowledgeable dog trainer will be able to help you get your dog to fit in with your lifestyle. MyDogSpots.com also has many tools to help you learn how to train your dog. There is always a way to train your dog no matter how young or old.
A. Write down what your life is like (how busy, what you enjoy doing, where you like going) to determine what type of dog will best suit your lifestyle. Then research breed types that will fit in with your lifestyle best. You can take a breed that isn’t suited to your lifestyle and teach them to be accustomed to your lifestyle but it takes a tremendous amount of work and inevitably you can still have problems when that dog’s needs are not met (if you are a couch potato do not get a Border Collie or if you are an avid outdoor enthusiast and want a dog to go on long mountain hikes a tea cup poodle might not be the best choice). Once you know certain breeds that will suit your lifestyle you should then contact Shelters / Breeders / Private listings with those breeds and learn more about the temperament of those dogs and how they are treated and raised. You will also need to dog / puppy proof your house. Do your best to make sure your new four legged friend fits well into your home. Enforce rules from the very beginning and stay black and white with the rules.
A. Have an area for your dog to stay in the house where they cannot get into trouble. You can use a kennel, exercise pen or special room. Remove any items you do not want your dog to get into. Use a taste deterrent to have on hand to spray any stationary items in case your dog decides to chew on them. From Day 1 you need to get your dog into the habit of performing good behaviours and make it impossible or next to impossible to perform any unwanted behaviours. As your dog gets better you can give them more supervised freedom. If your dog isn’t making any mistakes you can give your dog short periods of time alone and spy on them to make sure they behave when alone. Set your dog up for success and make it very easy to get it right and next to impossible to make a mistake.
A. You can make your search as general or specific as we allow. You can search by breed, location, shelter, breeder, private listing, price and age.
A. Shelters, breeders and individuals with puppy litters can list on Find Great Dogs. We do not permit Puppy Mills to list on our site but it can happen. If you suspect there is a puppy mill listed please let us know. We will introduce a verification process to help identify trusted breeders and individuals who are not in association with Puppy Mills.
A. We welcome all suggestions and comments. You can e-mail us at info@findgreatdogs.com.
A. Find Great Dogs is a free service. It does not cost you anything to list or look for a dog on Find Great Dogs.
A. We do accept donations and 100% of any donations will go towards safety programs and benefits for dogs.
Many dogs provided on this website are already housebroken. Although puppies have their cuteness, they are a massive commitment of time and training.
