Dear Looking: The best way to determine what breed of dog you should get is to review your lifestyle. By looking at your needs and resources you can select the best breed for you.

Home Life

Do your work for long hours away from home, say for more than 10 hours? Depending on how much time the new dog will be home alone, may determine if you get another puppy, who would need lots of training, housebreaking breaks, and feedings versus an older, adult dog that already has these simple tasks mastered.

Do you live in the city in a small apartment or in the country with a large fenced-in yard? Your location may also determine if you get a speedy little racing demon like a Boston Terrier or a smaller quieter dog for an apartment like the English Toy Spaniel, although this breed may have more hair than you’d like.

If you have the ability to care for the young pup then you can move on determine how active you are. Are you the athletic type that loves to jog and hike? Or are you a champion couch potato that takes pride in the number of television remotes on your coffee table? While all dogs require and benefit from regular exercise, each breed has a specific need as to the intensity. So research each breed’s needs before selecting one. Additionally, look at your family dynamic, do you have young children, teenagers, other pets besides your dachshund, like a cat or bird in the household? Take time to reflect on how the other family members both human and animal will react to the new addition.

Toys Are Tops

Since you are looking in the 12 to 15 pound range, let’s take a look at the American Kennel Club’s Toy Group to see what breeds might fit your lifestyle.

If you are a more sedate type person then perhaps something like an Italian Greyhound might be ideal. While they look like miniature Greyhounds, don’t let that sleek racing look fool you. These dogs love to hang out on the couch and cuddle and they require the minimum of exercise.

On the other hand, if you are looking for an active, playful, dog I’d go with the Pug. This is one of my personal favorites in the Toy group. He is like a big dog in a little body. According to the official AKC Standard for the Pug, his temperament is, “even-tempered, exhibiting stability, playfulness, great charm, dignity and an outgoing, loving disposition.” But be aware that although their coat is short, they do shed.

Dear Lisa: Suddenly our 4-year-old West Highland White Terrier is having what looks like a nervous breakdown. Currently, a 14-story building is being built just outside our 13th floor windows. The work has gotten increasingly noisier and the skies outside our windows are more cluttered with cranes and other apparatus. She is spooked all around the building. Mainly, she is preoccupied with what is going on outside our terraces. She has always been an easy-going dog but what can do to calm her? – Willy Nilly Westie

Dear Willy: Your Westie is doing her job by being agitated by someone or something new coming into her environment. Westies are known for being alert and courageous but friendly. It is obvious that she can see everything going on around her and may be over stimulated with all this new activity and is trying to react to everything at once.

I would try to distract her from what is going on outside if you can, such as closing the blinds during construction or keeping her in another room where she can’t see outside.

Away from the Action

You may want to try keeping her in a crate for a while so she can feel secure in her own safe den-like environment to relax away from the action. You may also want to cover the crate with a lightweight sheet to block her view but not circulating air.

If the noise seems to bother her, try playing some relaxing music in the apartment when the builders are at work to distract her or at least to mask the noises she’s come to react to.

 

Lisa Peterson, a long-time breeder of Norwegian Elkhounds, is the Director of Club Communications at the American Kennel Club. Contact her at ask@lisa-peterson.com or Dogma Publishing, P.O. Box 307, Newtown, CT 06470.