So, one of the pluses of choosing an adult dog from a shelter is that you already know what you're going to get. If you choose a puppy, you will get him at 8 to 12 weeks of age - the time when he is ready to leave his mother - also the time when he is incredibly cute! He will need to be socialized.
This means letting him spend time with other dogs and pets and people. He will need some basic obedience training -learning such commands such as sit, stay, off, down and come. He will also need to be housebroken so he doesn't eliminate inside. If you choose an adult dog, on the other hand, you can choose one who has already been housebroken and had some obedience training.
Boy or Girl
Male dogs are more dominant and aggressive to other Male dogs. They will also urine-mark their territory. Other than that, male and female dogs are generally very similar in the way they behave.
Small, Medium, Large or X-Large
Small dogs are a lot cheaper to keep and maintain. The cost of feeding a large or giant dog can be double or triple the price of feeding a small dog. Large dogs also do larger poos and wees. Small dogs live a lot longer than larger dogs. The average lifespan of a small Yorkshire Terrier is around 14 years.
Whereas the average lifespan of a giant Bullmastiff dog is around 9 years. Small breeds also reach their full size a lot quicker than large breed dogs. A small breed will reach it's full size by about 5 months, whereas a giant breed will take about 18 months to reach his full size.
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