Ok so you have decided a big dog is for you, so tell me, what breed are you considering? Have you even thought about it?

Giant breeds vary hugely not only in looks but in temperament, lifestyle requirements and much much more, so where do you start? Well I can tell you a little about things that you need to think about and how to go about chosing the right breed for you:

Lifestyle:  Do you live in the country or the city? big house? do you have a family with small children? Are you at home a lot or away a lot? Do you want an active dog or a laid back breed? What are the health issues of this breed? Can I afford it, the initial purchase and the cost of feeding and vet bills?

ok so how do I choose? :

  Start with books, or looking at breed specific websites, if you have a family look at the various breeds together. Be very clear what you want from your new dog; my priorities for example, were an easy going dog, which was good with children. Obviously you will be attracted to certain breeds because of the look of them, for instance my wife loves sled dogs. Choosing on this basis alone is a mistake, make sure it also has the temperament you need and will fit in with your lifestyle. By the time you have done this you will probably be left with 2 or 3 possibilities, for us it was the Irish wolfhound, Charpla, anatolian sheepdog and Newfoundland. Now look into those breeds in depth, look for information in general, 1 important point here Breeders and owners of specific breeds ARE BIASED, they obviously love the breed and tend to have rose tinted glasses, look for information from experienced owners of multiple breeds to find out what they are really like.You could start by looking at the linksin our links section here , the forums are probablythe best starting point.

OK so you have looked into it and maybe come to a conclusion about which breed you THINK is right for you. Have you ever seen one of those dogs in real life? Have you met one and interacted with it? This is the point I would suggest you want to find some local dog shows, it will give you an opportunity to meet some breeders and some dogs. Go to the shows,introduce yourself as a potential owner researching the breed. This approach will generally be welcomed by responsible breeders, they want good owners for their dogs and doing your homework thoroughly is a good indicator that you are one. It also gives you chance to get to know some breeders, it is very important that you find one you can work with. A good breeder will stay in contact with you after you take your puppy home and probably want a guarantee that you will return the dog if you find you can no longer keep it.

All that done? now you know what breed you want and you will be excited about it..... CALM DOWN, the journey is just begun. Your next challenge is findiong a reputable breeder. Be sure on this and do not go to a puppy mill. The dogs will be likely to suffer ill health later in life (Expensive in a big dog), and you will get no support, much needed if you are new to a breed.  I will be publishing some thoughts on this subject in the near future, in the meantime you couldstart by reading this article

So it only remains to say GOOD LUCK

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