� All dogs smell when they are not kept clean. Some breeds smell more than others. For instance Poodles & Lhasas don�t have near the doggy smell that a Beagle or Basset, but get one of the little darlings hot and dirty and you have a smelly pup.
� No dog is totally hypo-allergenic. They all have hair and they all have dander. Some breeds seem to cause more of an allergic reaction than others. (I don�t know how allergenic the Mexican Hairless or Chinese Crested who have no hair can be.)
� All dogs shed (except the aforementioned hairless breeds). Some seem to shed more than others. Good diet and good grooming help keep this problem to a minimum, but by no means will eliminate it.
� All dogs are capable of chewing on the couch or your best shoes. You must learn to redirect this behaving and keep temptation out of their way.
� All dogs, no matter how well trained, can have an accident in the house. They are living, breathing beings like us and just like us, they can make mistakes.
� All dogs bark. Again, some breeds more than others and some with louder voices than others. (I have read the �bark-less� Basenji has more of a yodel.)
� All dogs are capable of biting. The bigger the dog, the more damage they can cause. You must be the one to make sure you can control your dog through leashing or fencing, plus obedience commands. Make sure you don�t put your dog in a provocative situation where he can become frightened and/or aggressive. For instance, allowing your brother�s two-year-old child to hug your sweet Lab. Many of the actions of toddlers can be misconstrued by a dog to be aggressive on the child�s part. Toddler's actions can also mimic prey actions to the dog and awaken a sleeping instinct to hunt & kill. This could result in the child�s disfigurement or death and the dog�s death, so ALWAYS, ALWAYS, ALWAYS MONITOR DOGS & SMALL CHILDREN. NEVER, NEVER, NEVER, LEAVE THEM UNSUPERVISED NO MATTER HOW SWEET YOU THINK YOUR DOG IS, IT IS STILL AN ANIMAL WITH ALL THE INSTINCTS OF ITS WOLF ANCESTORS.
IN SUMMATION
Dogs are wonderful � but dogs are animals and not people. They do not possess the same analytical mental abilities that humans do. We are their guardians and must keep them out of harm�s way � from harming or being harmed. If you cannot take the negative along with the positive, please do not get a dog or any other pet. Owning one is not a right, it is a privilege. They will love you unconditionally, but if you are not ready for the responsibility, please consider a pet rock.
