What's in a name? Understanding dog breeds

Despite owning dogs all my life and working at a shelter for more than six years, I must admit that there are only two dog breeds I can identify: dachshund and not dachshund. Like some pet owners, I'm more interested in a dog's personality than its breed. For other people, though, breed is the first thing they look at when choosing a new dog. So which is more important - breed or personality? Or are the two related?

Pure bred vs. Mixed breed

Here's a fun fact that most people don't know: you can, in fact, find pure bred dogs at animal shelters. To qualify as a pure bred, a dog must come with paperwork and, since a lot of shelter dogs arrive as strays, there is no way for shelter staff members to prove a dog's breed. As a result, you'll see a lot of shelter animals that clearly look like specific breeds listed as "mix". Perhaps they are mixed with nothing but, without paperwork or DNA testing, there's no way to know. Some shelters have done away with listing breeds all together and instead list all animals as "shelter mix".

Why is breed so important?

Is "shelter mix" the way to go? Is it important at all to know your dog's breed? Having some idea of a dog's breed, even a best guess, is better than nothing. Some breeds, like bulldogs, are prone to specific health concerns that many pet owners are not prepared to handle. Other breeds have reputations for their high energy levels and some dogs, like beagles, are known to be more vocal than others. Having some sort of understanding of a dog's breed will help you make a better match for your lifestyle.

While the idea of looking past a dog's breed and accepting them as simply a "shelter mix" is enticing, it's also not practical. People can recognize a Rottweiler when they see one, and if you live somewhere that has a restriction on the type of dog breeds that are allowed your home, adoption paperwork showing your new pet listed as "shelter mix" is not going to make one ounce of difference to your landlord.

Why is breed so unimportant?

The downside of labeling shelter dogs as one breed or another is that adopters have a lot of preconceived notions about specific breeds. Pit bulls, which truly deserve an article unto themselves, are the classic example of dogs that are misunderstood because of their breed's bad reputation. Sadly, many of us are not quite the "breed experts" we think we are. I myself am guilty of this and delight in telling our volunteers about the day I learned greyhounds are quite possibly some of the laziest dogs on the planet (who knew?).

This is where personality plays a more important role than breed. Each individual dog is different and it's impossible to make the right match for your home based on breed alone - especially if what we think we know about those breeds is wrong. While you may find yourself draw to a certain breed over and over again, don't shut out other breeds altogether. The dog with the best personality to match yours may be a breed you never expected.

What's an adopter to do?

While breed and personality are both important factors to consider when adopting a dog, it is equally important to not let either of them completely dominate your decision. While it seems ideal to ignore breed in favor of personality, it's important for pet owners to have a realistic understanding of things such as how active their dog will be and how large he or she will grow. Similarly, every dog has a unique personality and all dogs of the same breed do not act the same way.

Adopting a dog can be overwhelming for anyone. To help make the process easier, and to help make the best match possible, take some time to make a list of what is important to you when it comes to a canine friend. Do you live in a studio apartment? Not only do you need to consider possible landlord restrictions, you'll need to factor in the dog's size and noise level. Do you have young children? You'll need to find a dog that is comfortable around noisy and unpredictable children and has no issues with resource guarding. And don't forget size and activity level - a large, active dog can be far too overwhelming for a young child.

Having a "wish list", so to speak, will help open up your options instead of narrowing them to one specific type of dog. Your list will also be useful in reminding you of why seemingly "perfect" dogs may not be right for you - something many adopters have a difficult time accepting. I've seen mothers forget they have young children at the sight of an adorable Chihuahua that is not kid friendly and apartment dwellers forget the size of their homes when meeting a sweet and gentle Great Dane.

Still not sure what's best for you? Don't forget to ask for help! Staff members at shelters are more than happy to help your find your new best friend!

Alaina Goodnough is the Promotions Coordinator at Cocheco Valley Humane Society in Dover, NH. She lives in Sanford, ME with two parrots, two cats, and two dachshunds. She can be reached at CVHS at devassist@cvhsonline.org. To learn more about Cocheco Valley Humane Society, go to www.cvhsonline.org or call 603-749-5322.