Pursuit of Dog III: The road to canine love can be bumpy

Dago discovers -- again -- how hard it can be to find the right dog, and ricochets between hope and something like despair.

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Maggie

When he started the process we offered to help, so he's dutifully taken our Are you ready quiz, which helps prospective owners decide just that, and our Dog MatchUp, which helps people identify dogs compatible with their lifestyle and personality.

The most important things he's learned:

• Don't fall in love with the first cute dog to trot by--you may fall out of love once you've lived together for a while.
• You don't need a yard to have a dog--a relief to Dago, who lives in an apartment. Regular play and exercise with their owners does dogs more good than languishing in a yard.
• Large, low-energy dogs are a better choice for apartment dwellers than smaller, hyper dogs.
• Smart dogs are fun but more work. Brainy canines need lots of mental exercise--training, jobs to do, games to play--just as much as physical exercise, or they can get bored and destructive.

He's also learned what kind of dog would suit him best: an even-keeled pooch who can handle his sometimes hectic schedule; isn't barky and gets along with humans and canines alike, since he lives in an apartment and plans to take his dog to the office. He'd also do better with a snuggler than a dog who's happier covering lots of ground every day.

Armed with all this new information, he turns to our DogFinder, plugs in his zip code, and waits for his dream dog to appear.

Puppy love

The first dog to pop up is Hector, a Rottie mix puppy. Rottweilers are number eight on Dago's list of recommended breeds and he takes one look and says, "I want him!" Still he can't resist scrolling and views a gorgeous Border Collie mix puppy with lush white-and-black fur, cornflower blue eyes, and a name--Snickerdoodle. "Can you change a dog's name?" he asks. We assure him he can.

Then there's Fat Man Slim, an older Aussie Cattle Dog mix.  [Continued]

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