Perfect Match: The Best Dog Breed for Your Personality

Hello to our furry friends and family! Last month we covered 5 tips to consider when choosing a dog breed that will work for you and your family. Amongst those five tips was #3 – consider your personality, as just like us humans, each dog breed has its own unique characteristics and personality traits. No two canines are exactly the same; however, most breeds can be grouped by common temperament and behaviours.

Just as you’d carefully choose a prospective housemate or even friends based on their compatibility and shared interests, this diligence is equally important when choosing a dog breed - to ensure everyone gets on well under the one roof!

That’s why this month The Pets Hotel team have delved a little deeper into the different types of dog breeds and crucially, how they relate to human personalities. Whilst our recommendations aren’t scientific by any means, we draw upon decades of experience in caring for our four-legged friends’ day after day! Of course, this is all just a little bit of fun : )

Your personality could best be described as...

INTROVERTED

An oddball: Creative & individualistic

Considered eccentric by others, you’re one who really “marches to the beat of your own drum” and isn’t worried too much by what others think, if you even stop to consider that in the first place! You enjoy creative pursuits and surrounding yourself with pretty and eclectic things.

• Your ideal dog breed: Your ideal dog breed is one with a laid-back, peaceful personality with a hint of independence but is also alert and intelligent. Consider:
  • British Bulldog
  • Chihuahua
  • French Bulldog
  • Shiba Inu

An intellectual

You prefer books to parties and enjoy immersing yourself in knowledge and new topics. Whilst a natural introvert, you can also talk at length about your favourite topics, in the right company of course.

• Your ideal dog breed: Your ideal canine pal is one with qualities similar to a cat… smart but quiet. A breed that is self-sufficient but also enjoys companionship. Consider:
  • Chow Chow
  • Dachshund
  • Greyhound
  • Pug

Hardworking and orderly

Diligence is your middle name. You’re a hard worker with a tidy mind and believe everything has its proper place. You respect traditional values and enjoy recharging your batteries with a good book or quiet crossword.

• Your ideal dog breed: A polite, reliable and confident breed will be your best friend. Consider:
  • Boston Terrier
  • Bull Terrier
  • Pekingese
  • Shih Tzu

Loyal & Trusting

Similar to your hardworking and orderly cousins, you’re a faithful friend who values loyalty, stability and believes in the good of others. An introvert yet also a team player, you’re happy to contribute to group efforts but don’t mind who takes the credit.

• Your ideal dog breed: Just like you, your best dog breed is one which displays the traits of being good-natured, reliable and most of all loyal. Consider:
  • Australian Cattle Dog
  • Collie
  • Rottweiler
  • Siberian Husky

EXTROVERTED

Adventurous

Energetic, outgoing and excited by life, you enjoy meeting new people and trying new things. People describe you as fun and interesting, and you would agree!

• Your ideal dog breed: Like you, your ideal canine pal will be playful, energetic and happy to spend time around others. Consider:
  • Border Collie
  • Boxer
  • Jack Russell Terrier
  • Pomeranian

Caring & empathetic

A deeply caring person who strives to understand how others are feeling and offer comfort in times of need, you love giving back to the community and volunteering where you can.

• Your ideal dog breed: To complement your caring nature, your ideal four-legged friend will be equally caring, friendly, intelligent, loyal and enjoy spending time around others. Consider:
  • German Shepard
  • Labrador Retriever
  • Maltese Shitzu
  • St Bernard

Peaceful & easygoing

Friendly and down-to-earth, you enjoy “going with the flow” and avoid conflict where possible. You cherish relationships and often wonder why everyone can’t just all get along with each other as you do!

• Your ideal dog breed: Given your own easygoing nature, your furry friend will also ideally be friendly, social and well attuned to people’s emotions. Consider:
  • Basset Hound
  • Cavalier King Charles Spaniel
  • Cocker Spaniel
  • Corgi

Social butterfly

You’re the life of a party! You enjoy attention, certainly aren’t shy and easily attract others who want to be your friend. You’re optimistic in your outlook to life and love nothing more than having a bit of fun! : )

• Your ideal dog breed: Like you, your ideal dog breed is equally playful, outgoing and energetic. They crave activity and social interaction. Consider:
  • Australian Shepherd
  • Beagle
  • Dalmatian
  • English Staffordshire Bull Terrier

Of course, this is all just a bit of fun. We highly recommend you visit your local shelter or reputable rehoming service when looking for a new fur-baby, as sometimes the very best breed is ‘Rescued’ : )

After further advice? Here’s a few handy websites with interactive quizzes and resources to help you in your quest for choosing a dog breed that’s best for you.

• Dogs NSW – Find the right dog breed for you
• Pedigree - Breed Match
• PetBarn – Dog Breed Selector
• Royal Canin – Best Family-Friendly Dog Breeds

Keen to find out more about The Pets Hotel and our friendly team of professional cat and dog carers? Contact us at The Pets Hotel (Port Melbourne) on (03) 9646 3696 or The Pets Hotel Country Club (Lara) on (03) 5282 1286.

5 Tips for Choosing a Dog Breed That’s Best for You

Aussies are amongst the most animal loving people in the world, with our pet ownership rates sitting at 62% - that is nearly two in three households have a least one pet they call their own. If you look at dogs alone, almost half of all Australians (48% to be precise) have a four-legged fur baby, more than any other type of pet, proving that they truly are man (and women’s) very best friend : )

Whilst the benefits of having a canine pal are well known – from providing the companionship which we’ve all needed these past 18 months, to the laughter they bring and their uncanny knack for helping us humans make friends at the local park; raising a dog is a long-term commitment much like raising a child!

With close to 200 recognised dog breeds across the world, choosing the right one for you and your unique circumstances can be a tricky decision. That’s why The Pets Hotel team have put together a few simple tips to consider before making this important choice, to ensure a happy, healthy home for all.

• Tip #1. Consider your lifestyle: Do you have a busy social life that sees you dining out every second night or a job (in normal non-COVID times) that means you need to travel regularly for work? Are you an avid exerciser or prefer the comforts of the couch? All these factors paint a picture of your lifestyle and are a key consideration when choosing a dog breed that’s the best fit for your unique circumstances. It’s a well-known fact dogs are highly social creatures. But some breeds, for example Bull Terriers are much better at handling alone time than more active types – such as Aussie Shepherds, Labradors and Golden Retrievers who crave regular walks and attention.

• Tip #2. Consider your housing situation: Do you live in a detached house with a big backyard in the suburbs or a small studio apartment in the middle of Melbourne CBD? Considering your housing arrangements is an obvious step most prospective dog owners take and one that has a direct bearing on the breed you should choose. Naturally, smaller breeds like cute Poodles and Shitzu’s are ideal for smaller living spaces, whilst larger bodied dogs and those with a high mental drive like Dalmatians, Border Collies and Jack Russell’s will thrive if given a bigger house and best of all, a backyard to roam free!

• Tip #3. Consider your personality! Dogs like humans have their own unique personalities, with no two canines exactly the same. Just as we would take care in choosing a housemate, gauging for compatibility and shared interests, the same should apply when selecting your furry friend… A bright and bubbly personality is generally well served by a highly energetic, loud breed such as an adorable French Bulldog or Chihuahua who’ll be the centre of everyone’s attention. Meanwhile more reserved types who’d like nothing more than to curl up on the couch with their best friend and a good book may find a Hound or Bernese Mountain Dog to be their perfect match : )

• Tip #4. Consider your budget: Dog ownership doesn’t come cheap, with pet registration through your local council, microchipping, insurance, pet food and of course, those often hefty vet bills all adding up over time! Once again, it’s a lot like raising a human child, which means a careful consideration of your finances is a prudent move before taking on a parenting role. It’s no secret that some breeds like Poodles are far higher maintenance than others, requiring regular grooming to live their best lives : )  Whilst more innately guarding breeds such as Rottweilers will need extensive socilalising and dog obedience training to become well-adjusted members of the family.

• Tip #5. Consider your purpose for owning a dog: The final and arguably most important consideration when choosing a dog breed is to work out why you’d like to own a dog in the first place. Is it for quiet company? Protection? Someone you can go jogging with in the mornings? Or a cute and cuddly furry friend for your young children? Whatever the reasons, keeping your why firmly in mind will help lead you to your ideal companion : )

Still in need of further guidance? We’d also like to give a shout out to these websites below, all which have handy, interactive quizzes and informative resources to help you in your quest for the ideal pet:

• Dogs NSW – Find the right dog breed for you
• PetBarn – Dog Breed Selector
• Royal Canin – Best Family-Friendly Dog Breeds

Keen to find out more about The Pets Hotel and our friendly team of professional animal lovers? Contact us at The Pets Hotel (Port Melbourne) on (03) 9646 3696 or The Pets Hotel Country Club (Lara) on (03) 5282 1286.