Online Class: How to Choose the Right Dog for You

no certificate
with CEU Certificate*
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11Lessons
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18Exams &
Assignments -
689Students
have taken this course -
3Hours
average time -
0.3CEUs
Course Description
Throughout this course, you will learn how to properly evaluate your goals in getting a dog, the characteristics you want your dog to have, what you will offer your dog, and more. This class covers the different breeding groups available and will help guide you through the process of testing and selecting your new best friend.
Course Motivation
Why Are You Getting a Dog?
Owning a dog can be a phenomenal experience. Whether you are single or have a family, adding a dog (or two) to the mix can provide a lot of joy, humor, and love. But there are far too many instances where a person or family gets a dog only to discover that they don't have the time, energy, patience, or ability to properly care for the dog. Choosing the correct dog is a mix of art and science that requires tremendous honesty on the part of the owner in order to ensure the best fit possible which will allow for the happiness for the person, their family, and the dog as well.
When it comes to choosing the right dog for you, there are a number of factors that come into play. An assessment of your situation, goals, and ability to adapt are even more critical than the type of dog you want to get. In fact, once you have a full appreciation of all of the factors that are at play and how much of a challenge it can be, you may decide that getting a dog isn't the right avenue for you. After this course if you still feel ready to commit to getting a dog, be prepared - you are taking on a major commitment and it is unfair to any dog you may get if you don't take it seriously.
When you first begin to determine what kind of dog will work best for you, the first element of the decision is to determine what your purposes are in getting a dog. The right dog for a person who is elderly or disabled may not be the right dog for a large family which still may not be the right dog for a different family with a lot of pets already in place. By providing yourself with an honest assessment of what you want to get out of owning a dog, you are already a big step closer to choosing the right dog for you.
Try asking yourself the following questions:
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Do I want a dog who will be a surrogate child or a dog that will be treated as a family pet?
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Do I want a dog who will want to be on me (quite literally) most of the day or a dog comfortable napping on the floor?
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Do I want a dog to be treated as family or do I want a dog that knows its place?
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Do I want a dog primarily from my own purposes or for my children's desires?
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Do I want a dog that will become attached to a particular family member or one that will love the whole family equally?
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Do I want a dog whose main purpose is to bring comfort and joy into my life or a dog that will help teach my children about responsibility?
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Do I want a dog that will stay indoors with me or be outside oriented?
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Do I want a dog to perform tasks for me such as retrieving animals when I hunt?
As you begin to ask these questions, you should start forming an idea of the type of relationship you want to have with your dog which should, in turn, indicate your true purpose in getting a dog. If you are considering getting a dog that will primarily be for someone else's purpose, talk with them about their goals for having a dog. If you have a child that really loves dogs and wants one for themselves, talk with your child about what types of things they imagined doing with the dog and that should give you some idea as to what their purpose is. Alternatively, if you're giving a dog to someone else like a family member or close friend, although you may want it to be a surprise it is imperative that you discuss with them why they want to dog and what role the dog will play in their lives.
Getting a dog is a massive commitment and unfortunately, many people go into it with an unrealistic expectation of how it will be. Many people fall in love with the way a certain dog looks or even a part of how the dog behaves; these glimpses into a type or breed of dog does not necessarily indicate that they will truly be compatible for your life and your purposes.
You may be hesitant (for any number of reasons) to truly admit what your purpose in getting a dog is. For some people, admitting that they are lonely or in need of love and attention from a dog may be hard to face. For others, getting a dog because they can't have children or just went through a divorce is something they would prefer not to explain. The beautiful part about identifying your purpose in getting a dog is that you don't have to share your purpose with anyone else. It is absolutely necessary for you to be honest with yourself about why you want a dog but you don't have to share your reasons with anyone else. Your reasons are your own but ignoring or overlooking what they are often results in an owner not getting what they need and a dog who is likely to be abandoned or given away.
Take this opportunity to make a list of your goals in getting a dog. There is no need to make complete sentence is or paragraph, just jot down a few adjectives that would describe the type of dog that would give you what you're looking for. Such terms may include some of the following:
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Protective
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Loyal
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Attentive
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Smart
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Sociable
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Athletic/high energy
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Low energy/low key
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Family-oriented
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Individual-oriented
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Likes big families/other animals or pets
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Needy
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Independent
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Easy to train
Feel free to add your own adjectives to the list. Then prioritize the characteristics you want in a dog. It's important to prioritize these things because everyone wants a dog who is protective, for example, but someone who lives alone may need a highly protective dog much more than they need a dog who is comfortable around a large family. Alternatively, a large family is certainly going to want a dog who is protective but that may not be nearly as important as having other characteristics. Each breed of dog brings a unique combination of attributes so prioritizing what you are looking for in a dog can help you find the best match for your individual purposes.
Be sure to keep your prioritized list handy as you complete this course. Your purpose in getting a dog, while extremely important, is only one element of choosing the right dog for you. We will continue to explore other aspects of choosing a dog such as when physical living arrangements, availability of your family to adapt, finances, size and age of dogs, and so on as we go through this course. Your list will take these other elements into account to give you a full picture of the right dog for you.
- Completely Online
- Self-Paced
- Printable Lessons
- Full HD Video
- 6 Months to Complete
- 24/7 Availability
- Start Anytime
- PC & Mac Compatible
- Android & iOS Friendly
- Accredited CEUs

Course Lessons
Lesson 1: Why Are You Getting a Dog?
Lesson 1 Video
Lesson discussions: Reasons for Taking this Course
Complete Assignment: An Introduction
Complete: Lesson 1 Assignment
Assessment: Lesson 1 Exam
Lesson 2: Where Will Your Dog Live?
Lesson 2 Video
Complete: Lesson 2 Assignment
Assessment: Lesson 2 Exam
Lesson 3: Who Else Is Getting the Dog?
Lesson 3 Video
Assessment: Lesson 3 Exam
Lesson 4: What's Your Lifestyle Like?
Lesson 4 Video
Complete: Lesson 4 Assignment
Assessment: Lesson 4 Exam
Lesson 5: How Will You be Paying for This? Part 1
Lesson 5 Video
Assessment: Lesson 5 Exam
Lesson 6: How Will You be Paying for This? Part 2
Lesson 6 Video
Assessment: Lesson 6 Exam
Lesson 7: What's Most Important?
Lesson 7 Video
Complete: Lesson 7 Assignment
Assessment: Lesson 7 Exam
Lesson 8: Which Breed is Right for You? Part 1
Lesson 8 Video
Assessment: Lesson 8 Exam
Lesson 9: Which Breed is Right for You? Part 2
Lesson 9 Video
Assessment: Lesson 9 Exam
Lesson 10: Which Breed is Right for You? Part 3
Lesson 10 Video
Complete: Lesson 10 Assignment
Assessment: Lesson 10 Exam
Lesson 11: Which Dog is the Right One for You?
Lesson 11 Video
Lesson discussions: How would you rate this course?; Program Evaluation Follow-up Survey (End of Course); Course Comments
Assessment: Lesson 11 Exam
Assessment: The Final Exam
Learning Outcomes
- Identify why are you getting a dog.
- Identify where will your dog live.
- Identify who else is getting the dog.
- Summarize what your lifestyle is like and how you will be paying for this.
- Determine which breed is right for you.
- Determine which dog is the right one for you.
- Demonstrate mastery of lesson content at levels of 70% or higher.
Additional Course Information

- Document Your Lifelong Learning Achievements
- Earn an Official Certificate Documenting Course Hours and CEUs
- Verify Your Certificate with a Unique Serial Number Online
- View and Share Your Certificate Online or Download/Print as PDF
- Display Your Certificate on Your Resume and Promote Your Achievements Using Social Media

Choose Your Subscription Plan
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Includes CEUs | X |
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Time to complete | 6 months |
No. of courses | 1 course |
Certificate & CEUs
This course only
Includes certificate |
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Includes CEUs |
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Self-paced |
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Instructor support |
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Time to complete | 6 months |
No. of courses | 1 course |
Certificates & CEUs
Includes all 600+ courses
Includes certificate |
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Includes CEUs |
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Self-paced |
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Instructor support |
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Time to complete | 12 Months |
No. of courses | 600+ |
Certificates & CEUs
Includes all 600+ courses
Includes certificate |
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Includes CEUs |
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Self-paced |
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Instructor support |
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Time to complete | 24 Months |
No. of courses | 600+ |
Student Testimonials
- "I was very pleased with this course. I found it very helpful." -- Bridget S.
- "I loved it, it was extremely helpful." -- Belman S.
- "Great class, had fun learning." -- Cody S.
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