Adopting a dog has its costs. Taking care of a dog adds additional financial responsibility. You will have to shell out bucks to pay for the dog, for spaying or neutering surgery, for the initial obedience and socialization classes, and for the initial shots of vaccines. Then you will have to pay for ongoing expenses like food and treats, licensing costs, grooming, travel costs, regular vet checkups on top of paying for its health maintenance. They can forgive the transgressions of small kids and provide the comfort adults require. They know better than to bark at everything or jump at people, and they have, more or less, curbed their aggressive tendencies. To top these off, they also have the skills to adapt to your routine and lifestyle. Aside from that, they are very territorial and would protect it without second thoughts once they perceive that the territory that they are tasked to guard against intruders are violated. The Boerboel These dogs are bred solely for protecting the home. Very aggressive, powerful, and intelligent, this dog breeds have strong guarding instinct and would not be unwilling to demonstrate it any day that its capabilities are challenged. Reward the dog with treats to encourage better behavior. Bring treats with you and make the treats visible to the dog. Use the treats to pull the dog towards you and to walk with you. There is a good analogy to this. People are motivated in the work place by the sticks and carrots approach. Even when employees do not feel up to doing a particular job, when the reward far outweighs the risk, people respond. Dogs trained in obedience are not only much more enjoyable as companions; dogs also are less likely to suffer and are loved more when it knows its limits. While mans love affair with dogs are many centuries old, dogs originally were predators in the wild. Even through all these years these instincts are not totally shed. It is so easy to fall in love with a puppy that is giving you its puppy eyes and begging for adoption. People have different personalities, so have dogs. Since dogs change your lifestyle and will stay with you for a very long while, it is best to have a list of dog traits that will best compliment your personality because when adopting a dog, love at first sight may not be very good enough.