With the Westminster show just a few days past, GoodDozg.org would like to remind everyone about the right and wrong reasons to choose a particular breed. Do your homework, make an educated decision and think about rescue first.

Some dog owners surrender or abandon their dogs due to relocation or other factors beyond an owners' control. But a more common reason for the surrender of companion dogs is the owner’s unwillingness or inability to handle their dog. Most times, this situation is based upon the owner’s decision to select their dog according to the breed without completely comprehending their ability to care for the particular demands of that breed.

The media can influence the popularity of dog breeds. Sometimes a breed will become popular despite its inherent difficulties. This is often true for breeds with large amounts of energy. The level of attention required by dogs can come as a surprise to novice owners and often end in unfortunate situations, such as abandonment or surrender.

The 101 Dalmatians movie series created a fervor surrounding the breed. People rushed to get the spotted dogs, making the breed one of the most popular and trendy in the mid-1990s. The Dalmatian, however, is an energetic breed that requires more exercise and training than some owners are able to provide. Opportunistic breeders compacted the problems by profiting through irresponsible breeding, which tends to increase breed-specific health problems.

“Benji” Brackman of the Chocolate Chip Dalmatian Assistance League explains that when the cartoon versions were re-released, her organization received over 1000 Dals in need of homes. The problem repeated when the first live action movie was released. After the second live action movie, Brackman says her organization was “inundated” and that a board member came back to over 2,300 e-mails after a one-week vacation. “A lot of very sweet temperament dogs were put down,” Brackman lamented.

Similarly, the Bull Terrier enjoyed increased popularity due to the “Spuds MacKenzie” advertisements by the Anheiser-Busch company. “Spuds” amplified the rate of Bull Terrier ownership. Bull Terriers, while a loyal and loving dog, are highly energetic and require a large amount of attention. The younger market, at which the commercials were aimed, was not the ideal market for a breed requiring its owners to spend a large amount of time at home. Shari Mann, president of the California-based Bull Terrier Rescue Inc., talks of “an increased number of picked up stray Bull Terriers; not necessarily 'owner surrenders.'” Fortunately, the new Target ad campaign, which features a Bull Terrier with the company's red circle logo around one of its eyes, has not yet caused a spike in unwanted Bull Terriers.

The Newfoundland, the winner of Westminster 2004, is another breed with potential difficulties for unprepared owners. A common misconception of “Newfies”, according to Jennifer Zablotny of Great Lakes Newfoundland Club Rescue Program, is that they are “gentle, laid back, and so great with children.” Coupling a puppy's rambunctious energy with the size of a Newfoundland can result in bigger messes and potential injury to smaller children during rough play. In addition to allergies and ear problems, the dog's size can often lead to joint difficulties and knee surgery making medical expenses one of the major reasons for surrendering or abandoning Newfoundlands.