If you have an active lifestyle, selecting a breed of dog that can match your energy is important if you want your tail wagging companion to come along for your outdoor adventures. Many dog owners select a dog because they think it is cute or because they see those “I need a loving home” eyes during a visit to the shelter. I know I’m guilty as charged.
If you like to go on frequent walks or if you are an avid runner, biker, hiker you might want to consider a more active breed. Sure you can get a French Bulldog, Pug or English Bulldog but they aren’t going to be able to chill on the mountainside with you. Imagine bonding with a pup every morning at 6am when you go out for your morning walk. Some breeds will literally roll their eyes at you as they see you walk out the door. Can you imagine how motivating it would be to have a dog that will be excited to be a part of your morning routine?
According to the American Kennel Club, the list of pups below would be the best options to hold you accountable for your daily jog.
- American Staffordshire Terrier
- Border Collie
- Brittany
- Belgian Malinois
- Dalmatian
- Doberman Pinscher
- German Shorthaired Pointer
- Greyhound
- Redbone Coonhound
- Vizsla
If you are a bit of a couch potato or you would simply rather spend your mornings at home with a cup of coffee, you may want to think twice before adopting one of the dog breeds above. You may find that you are letting you pup down and he/she might decide to take out some of that extra energy on pillows, carpet or even that leather couch as an outlet for the extra energy.
All of these breeds enjoy having a job to do and will share that feeling of accomplishment after completing your daily activity. These active breeds are also great candidates for agility training and truly thrive when they have something stimulating to do. There are nuances to the list above. For example; some of these breeds such as the Greyhound are very task oriented but they are also considered a lazier breed since they will often lounge around until their next opportunity for exercise. Research your pup’s breeds completely to ensure that you have a high level of compatibility with your lifestyle.
There are plenty of active dogs breeds that didn’t make the AKC list such as the Huskies, Poodles (including doodles), Corgis, Labradors and Jack Russell Terriers. Learn about your dog’s preferences because many other breeds or mixes will be just as active as the pups listed above.
When adopting a dog that is mixed breed, a DNA test can be very helpful in determining which breeds are most dominant in their genetic makeup. Every dog is unique so even the most purebred pup from the list above might prefer basking in the sun instead of following you for a walk around the neighborhood. This is no different than humans, if you come from a family of runners you are predisposed to running traits but that doesn’t mean you will absolutely enjoy running.
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