A dog for a teenager: what breed to choose and how to prepare?

Many children ask their parents to get a dog and often get a refusal. First of all, adults refer to the fact that the child will quickly play enough, and the responsibility for the animal will fall on their shoulders. However, this does not always happen. With proper education, children are able to independently take care of the pet. But when choosing a dog for a teenager or school children, you need to consider some nuances.

What parents, whose child wants to have a dog, should take care of

The first step is to understand why the child wants to have a dog. If he is serious, wants to train, wants to participate in cynological sports, then he can be allowed to buy a dog. But if the student only wants to brag to his friends that he has a pet, then this is not worth it.

If your child can already take responsibility for his actions and does not refuse to help, for example, in household chores. And besides, I’m ready to walk the four-legged friend several times a day, comb it out, brush my ears, eyes and teeth, then you can safely go to a nursery or a shelter for homeless animals.

However, be prepared for the fact that you will need to help take care of the pet. This primarily relates to financial expenses.

How to prepare a teenager for a dog

It is necessary to explain to the teenager that a dog is a living creature, which first of all needs sleep, food and walks. Therefore, with the appearance of a pet in the house, the regime may change. Tell your child that you can’t stay late with friends now, because at home a hungry and bored four-legged friend is waiting for him.

In addition, it is better to start reading books on dog training in advance, especially if this is the first dog. Unwanted behavior is always easier to prevent than to correct, so the child must know how to properly train your pet and what mistakes to avoid. Indeed, as practice shows, destructive behavior appears precisely because of improper actions of the owner.

Best dog breeds for teens

Of course, the mongrel will also be a great companion for a child. To make the pet easier to raise, choose a not very nimble (preferably even a little phlegmatic) and person-oriented dog. If you want to take with the documents, then pay attention to the following dog breeds for girls and teenage boys:

Golden retriever. He is not only beautiful, but also smart, quick-witted and flexible. Retrievers do not show aggression to either people or relatives, lend themselves well to training and love to play with children. However, these dogs are quite heavy and strong, so they are suitable only for an older child.

Welsh Corgi. This cute and cheerful pet is friendly and very smart. Its weight is up to 12 kg, so if necessary, the teenager will be able to take the Corgi in his arms.

Mittelschnauzer and zwergschnauzer. Dwarf and middle schnauzers are excellent companions who today successfully perform in cynological sports. They are distinguished by their friendliness, complaisant nature, but require special care for the coat.

Poodle - dwarf and small. Poodles willingly work with a person, they learn tricks with excitement, so they often perform in a circus. Today, the breed is better known as decorative, although earlier poodles were used for hunting game, as well as in search and rescue and customs services. A teenager will surely find something to do with such a versatile pet.

Cavalier king charles spaniel. This small dog from the group of spaniels is characterized by a cheerful and good-natured disposition, a bright appearance and grace. It is ideal for families with children and other animals, because its friendliness helps to find a common language with everyone.

Bolognese. Currently, the most popular are Maltese (Maltese) and French (Bichon Frize). These small doggies with snow-white wool in the past were the Pied Piper, and are now better known as decorative pets. They are quite quick-witted and, due to their miniature size, are suitable even for children aged 11-14.

Shi tzu. Long and flowing hair makes these pets incredibly attractive. This breed will surely appeal to girls who in childhood loved to braid dolls with braids. And by their character, Shih Tzu is usually friendly, calm and loyal.

But hunting, sledding and service breeds will not be the best option for a teenager. It is more difficult to cope with them, not only because of the large size, but also because of the often “waking up” instincts. These pets are prone to vagrancy, so on walks they can often break off the leash and run away from the owner. This will cause a lot of inconvenience and may even lead to conflicts with neighbors, who will begin to complain that a large dog is wandering around the courtyard where small children are walking.

Of course, in each breed there are exceptions. Therefore, when choosing a true friend, first of all pay attention to his temperament, ability to learn commands and a desire to interact with a person on a walk, and not, for example, chasing cats.