09/08/2025
Did You Do Your Due Diligence Before Getting Your Dog?
Let’s be brutally honest for a moment. Did you really do your homework before getting your current dog? Or a dog you’ve had in the past?
When I ask this, most people shuffle their feet, smile nervously, and mutter something along the lines of: “Well, we did read a bit about them online…” Translation: they liked the look of the dog, fell in love with an Instagram photo, and brought it home without a second thought.
But here’s the problem: dogs aren’t blank slates. They come with instincts, drives, and traits hardwired through generations of selective breeding. That’s the whole point of breeding, humans created dogs for very specific jobs, whether that’s herding, guarding, retrieving, or scenting. And even if your dog is many generations removed from the sheep farm, guard post, or duck pond, those instincts don’t just disappear. They sit there like a dormant volcano, sometimes simmering away quietly, sometimes erupting all over your living room.
“But My Dog’s Just Playing!”
Take the classic Collie example. You bring home a fluffy, wide-eyed puppy, thinking you’ve landed yourself a cuddly family pet. Then, a few months later, you find the dog running circles round your kids, crouching low, eye locked in, and giving the occasional nip. You panic, thinking you’ve got an aggressive dog. In reality, that’s a Collie doing exactly what it was bred to do, rounding up livestock. Only in this case, the “sheep” happen to be wearing school uniforms.
Or consider the German Shepherd. Loyal, imposing, brilliant, but also vocal. They bark at the postman, the neighbours, the wind, and sometimes their own shadow. It’s not a fault; it’s a breed trait. Shepherds were designed to be watchful guardians, and if you don’t channel that trait, you’ll soon be drowning in decibels.
And then there’s the Labradoodle. People think, “Perfect, low shedding coat and a friendly temperament.” What they often forget is that a Labrador is a working retriever, built for stamina and drive, and a Poodle is a highly intelligent working gundog in its own right. Put the two together and what do you get? A dog with the brainpower of Einstein, the energy of a caffeine-fuelled toddler, and the coat of a sheep. Lovely dogs, but hardly the low-maintenance teddy bear people imagine.
The Wrong Dog, The Wrong Home
Almost on a daily basis, I see dogs mismatched to their owners’ lifestyles. High-drive working lines stuck in small flats with people who work full-time. Big guarding breeds in homes where visitors are constantly coming and going. Crossbreeds purchased for looks alone, with no consideration of the cocktail of traits bubbling away beneath the surface.
It’s not that these people are bad owners, they often care deeply. But they didn’t do their due diligence. They didn’t ask the right questions, check the breed traits, or consider whether they had the time, energy, and skill to meet that dog’s needs. The result? Frustration on both sides, training battles, and in too many cases, dogs being rehomed.
What You Should Be Asking
Before you bring a dog into your home, you should be asking yourself:
• What was this breed originally developed for?
• Do I have the lifestyle to meet those needs?
• If it’s a crossbreed, what traits am I potentially doubling up on?
• Am I willing to put in the time, structure, and training this dog will need?
• Have I asked the breeder or rescue the right questions or have I just gone with my heart?
These aren’t abstract questions. They’re the difference between a well-matched partnership and years of stress.
Why I Wrote the Book
This issue is so common and so important, that I decided to put pen to paper and write The Right Dog for You – A Guide to Responsible Dog Ownership.
The book isn’t a guilt trip, nor is it a fluffy “dogs are angels” read. It’s practical, honest advice based on years of seeing what happens when the wrong dog ends up in the wrong home. Inside, you’ll find guidance on choosing the right breed or mix, spotting red flags with breeders, asking the right questions at rescues, and preparing your home and family for success.
It’s not about scaring people off dog ownership, it’s about raising the standard. Because dogs deserve homes where their instincts are understood, their needs are met, and their humans are prepared.
Final Thoughts
Getting a dog should never be an impulse decision based on looks, convenience, or social media trends. Dogs aren’t accessories. They’re living, breathing creatures shaped by centuries of selective breeding for very specific jobs. If you don’t understand what your dog was bred for, you’re setting yourself and the dog, up for a rough ride.
So, before you rush into puppy fever or fall in love with the next rescue profile you see online, pause. Do your homework. Ask the right questions. Think about your lifestyle, your home, and your experience.
Because when you match the right dog to the right owner, you don’t just get a pet. You get a partner, a companion, and a lifelong friend.
And if you’d like a straightforward, no-nonsense guide to help you through that process, you know where to look.
By Simon, Author of The Right Dog for You – A Guide to Responsible Dog Ownership
www.k9manhuntscotland.co.uk
