Puppies are also not advisable for adoption because they are too young to show their true temperament, behaviors, and features. You also can't approximate how much training, grooming, and medical attention the dog will likely need. On top of these, most puppies in animal shelters have had rough beginnings. Whether the choice is to go for the pure or the mixed bred, find a dog that matches your energy level, one that approximates your characteristic or one the one trait that you value most. If you have a family, consider the one that will generally match theirs too. Love All dogs love, but some dogs have the tendency to display their affection better than others do. - Older pets do not always welcome new pets in the house; on the contrary, older pets tend to be wary with new, younger ones. Dogs are also basically predators. This has not been shed off even through centuries of domestication. As such dogs practice hierarchy. Larger dogs often occupy and have the alpha male attitude and will bully any new pet that is added to their group. The Caucasian Shepherd Talk about size and viciousness, this dog have it. Contrary to the Wolf Dog, the Caucasian Shepherd is very gentle to those that it is familiar with, but is very suspicious to those who are not. This dog breed is very gentle to, too gentle in fact, sometimes to a fault. But when guarding a property or a facility, this dog is a must have. You can also narrow down your choices to certain characteristics like: - breed size, - energy level, - exercise requirements, - playfulness, - affection level, - tolerance towards other dogs or pets, - ease of training, - protection ability, - grooming requirements, and - tolerance to heat and cold Dog size Dogs have a wide range of sizes. Clarify your house rules Your new dog cannot guess which behavior is appropriate at your house and which are not. It will take some time before he fully understands that some behaviors that he used to have are no longer applicable and that new behaviors are needed to be formed. Include your family in the training of your newly adopted dog It is very important to have common rules for handling the dog.