For many families in New York City, deciding to get a dog in New York City can be a weighted decision, as many New Yorkers have small living quarters, long work hours and unpredictable schedules. What’s more, when you do decide to get a dog, picking a breed can be an undertaking in itself; how do you know which breed is right for your family and lifestyle? Where should you look for a dog to ensure that he is healthy and has been raised properly? Should you get a purebred or a mixed breed, and how do you know that a shelter dog will be a safe addition to your family? To answer these questions and more, we chatted with Dr. Nicholas Dodman of Tufts School of Veterinary Medicine (and a frequent contributor to the popular Animal Planet television show “Dogs 101”) for his expert advice on picking the right pet for your family and making sure  your pooch is healthy, balanced, well exercised and stable.

What breeds would you recommend for families living in the city; specifically families who live in small houses or apartments?

It really depends on personality of the dog and exercise requirements, and not so much about the actual breed. However, I’d recommend [that families consider] mixed breeds; if you adopt a dog from a shelter you can save a life; 2.2 million dogs are put to sleep each year. Besides, purebreds can come with problems too—they can have physical issues and bad temperaments. 

What’s more, a lot of people make the wrong decision when choosing a dog because they only consider one thing—exercise requirements. The well-adjusted dog for city dwellers would be a medium to low energy dog. Do your research and look up dog breeds to see which ones are low energy. You need a stable, well-balanced, well-socialized dog that is confident yet has low exercise levels.

But remember that it’s not just breed, it’s the personality too, and it’s really all about the individual within a breed. I would advise someone to look up characteristics of different breeds first, and then make list to see which one fits your lifestyle.

What sort of health concerns should families be advised about before they decide to purchase a dog?

Mixed breeds are by far healthier than purebreds; although it depends on how mixed they are, really. Let’s say you have a Labrador-Sharpei mix: you have a 50 percent chance of hip dysplasia and a fifty percent chance of skin problems. However, the more mixed a dog is, the less chance of recessive genes causing problems because they are “diluted” and first generation mixed breeds typically have “hybrid vigor.”

With a purebred dog, it’s your duty to find out about health problems that are common to the breed. For example, Dobermans can have compulsive disorders and hemophilia, while a German Shepherd is prone to hip dysplasia, a Saint Bernard is prone to seizures, etc. Every breed has its issues, so make yourself aware of physical problems by researching online or asking a knowledgeable person. If you buy a purebred, make sure to ask the breeder questions and make sure they answer honestly. I also recommend asking the breeder if you can see the mother and father of the puppies.

Many city families who want to get a dog are concerned that they won’t be able to provide the dog with adequate exercise. Do you have any suggestions on how to make sure you keep your dog healthy and exercised, even in a small apartment or if both parents work?

Most people don’t understand that a walk around the block doesn’t cut it, and it’s their duty as a responsible pet owner to find a green area where you can exercise your dog, and where they can go off-leash or swim to get proper exercise. Even using a treadmill indoors—if properly supervised—can work.

For people who suffer from allergies, what hypoallergenic breeds would you recommend looking into purchasing or adopting?

There’s really no such thing as a “hypoallergenic” dog. Allergies and shedding go together hand in hand—some dogs shed a lot while, while others shed very little. The allergy is to dander and the fact is that certain dogs who have a reputation for not shedding actually produce less of an allergen, and that’s related to an individual dog’s genetics and breeding. Standard poodles are the best for those with allergies, though.

Generally, which of the suitable breeds for city dwellers are the easiest to groom and to train?

I keep coming back to poodles. They are easy to groom, easy to train and they are low-key enough for apartment dwellers. They are terrific dogs; they are intelligent, they don’t shed very much and they’re not super high energy, but they will play with their owners.

Do you have some advice for city families looking for their new pet; especially for families who have very young children? 

I would say to look for older dogs in a shelter, especially shelters that match dogs with potential owners because senior dogs are usually quieter and have lower energy levels.

How would you advise them to go about obtaining their new pet: through an AKC-registered breeder or through a shelter? What are the pros and cons of each?

It depends on age; with a purebred, you know what they will turn into, but with a mixed breed puppy, you’re not sure what you’ll get. You can’t be sure about exercise requirements, shedding or temperament. Also with shelter dogs, some of them do come with baggage and have issues, and you have to see if those are issues are ones you can cope with. Still, older shelter dogs are not going to change, and what you see is what you’re going to get because they are in their “end-stage behavior”. Despite it all, any dog from a shelter is a good choice for a pet. Even purebreds can have issues, because while you can generally make a well-educated guess at what it will turn into, sometimes, physical temperament can unfold in a bad direction or turn into aggression. The buyer has to be very aware; choose your breed, your breeder and your lines very carefully.

Do you have any advice on how to choose a vet for your new puppy?

We wrote a book called “Puppy’s First Steps,” it’s a book put out by the faculty of Tufts University, and it includes advice on selecting a puppy and choosing a vet. However, the most important questions to ask are about their hours, their wait time if they have emergency care, as well as boarding, grooming and pickup/drop-off services. Above all, choose a vet that you feel comfortable with, don’t just pick one because they look and act like a TV doctor. Ask questions, talk to other people and get more information before you make a decision.

Are there any specific tips or bits of advice you can give for city families and their dogs?

The most important advice I can give is this—to make sure your dog receives appropriate exercise and mental stimulation, is fed a diet that is appropriate for its life stage and activity level, and that you communicate clearly with your pet, as dogs don’t speak human language, so only use one word commands. Finally, also make sure that you have a control system in place and research leash laws.

Do you have any tips on how to have a healthy, happy, well-socialized dog while living in the city?

You can read my book “The Well-Adjusted Dog: Dr. Dodman's Seven Steps to Lifelong Health and Happiness for Your Best Friend” for more information, but the main thing is to make sure your dog is understood and that their needs are met physically, mentally and environmentally in order help them to fit into the family.

Do you have any advice for first time dog owners taking their pup to a dog park?

The first thing to do is train your puppy to accept a collar and a lead. Once that’s been accepted and they’re used to it, pick up the lead and train the dog to walk on the lead, eventually working up to bringing them to a park. It’s imperative to keep the dog on a leash and let get them used to park a few times. Keep them away from other dogs at first; also remain calm and show no anxiety—dogs will pick up on fear so be upbeat, happy and stay out of trouble. Eventually go on to using a longer lead and giving your dog much more freedom; let him get used to it and make sure that he’s still reliable. At this stage, you should also start training his recall as well. The next and final steps are to drop the lead and try his recall; if you finally have trust in your dog, let him go off-leash.

Shopping For A Shelter

For those of you who are looking to adopt a furry friend from a shelter, you may be wondering which shelters are close to where you live. Here is a handy guide to the best shelters in NYC. Remember, choose your new pet carefully and treat them well!

Manhattan

The New York City Animal Care and Control (ACC) has wonderful selection of cats, dogs, and rabbits. The NYC ACC also has a search option on the official website so you can see what animals have recently come to the shelter. The main location is at 326 East 110 Street, but there are also locations in Brooklyn, Queens, and Staten Island as well; nycacc.org

The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (The ASPCA) also has a search option on its website which gives details about all the animals currently in the shelter. The ASPCA have also been featured on the Animal Planet hit TV show “Animal Precinct,” which follows the ASPCA Humane Law Enforcement (HLE) Team, who helps to enforce animal cruelty laws throughout the five boroughs of New York City. Besides from fighting animal cruelty and adopting out animals, animal lovers can also donate to the shelter to help it running smoothly. The ASPCA is located on East 92^nd Street; its hours are 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday to Saturday and 11am to 5pm on Sunday; aspca.org

Animal Haven is a no-kill shelter that finds homes for abandoned cats and dogs throughout the Tri-State area that also has mobile adoption events. Animal Haven is also a founding member of the Mayor’s Alliance for New York City’s Animals. Its hours are 12 p.m. to 7 p.m., Monday through Friday and 11 a.m. - 6p.m. on the weekends. You can also go online to see its list of current adoptable dogs and cats; animalhavenshelter.org

Bideawee is a Midtown shelter that has it all: an adoption center, veterinary practice, animal behavior and training and a pet memorial park, plus educational and volunteer programs. In addition to an online adoptable pet search option, Bideawee also has a web store, an “ask-the-vet” web tool and more helpful resources. When you go into adopt your new furry friend, the shelter also offers adoption counseling to help you find the pet that fits your lifestyle. 410 East 38th Street; bideawee.org

The Humane Society has been around for 100 years, and was originally founded to protect the city’s horses from abuse. Now, the organization adopts out animals and also provide a variety of different services, some of which include a spay/neuter program for feral cats and affordable veterinary care for pet owners with limited means. 306 East 59^th Street; humanesocietyny.org

Eve’s Sanctuary is an independent, no-kill, all volunteer animal rescue organization works with the New York City Animal Care and Control to rehabilitate and place animals into loving homes. All animals are fully vaccinated, de-wormed, spay/neutered, and micro-chipped; facebook.com/evessanctuary

Brooklyn

Sean Casey Animal Rescue is a not for profit, no-kill shelter that takes in rescued, confiscated, neglected, injured, or other unwanted animals from private owners, zoos, shelters, and other public organizations and cares for and rehabilitates them until they can find the appropriate happy home. The organization often host adoption events at places such as Park Slope’s Animal Kind Veterinary Hospital and has a shelter that is open every day from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. 153 East 3^rd Street, Windsor Terrace, Brooklyn; nyanimalrescue.org

BARC (Brooklyn Animal Rescue Coalition): is a not-for-profit, no-kill, privately run animal shelter located in Williamsburg, Brooklyn that has been around since 1987. Its hours for adoption are Tuesday - Saturday, 12 p.m. to 5 p.m., and it also has a pet supply store so you can pamper your pet and help out a good cause! barcshelter.org

Queens:

Bobbi and the Strays: is a non-profit no-kill animal rescue organization that rescues and provides the essential care that so many orphaned, stray, abused and special needs cats and dogs need, but often don’t receive. Their goal is to find permanent happy and loving homes for all their rescues. This organization is also part of the Mayor's Alliance for NYC's Animals as well. bobbiandthestrays.org

Dr. Nicholas Dodman is a noted and celebrated veterinary behaviorist and currently is a faculty member of Tufts-Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine. He is also an adviser for the hit Animal Planet show “Dogs 101” and has written several books, the latest of which is "The Well Adjusted Dog: Dr. Dodman's Seven Steps To Lifelong Health and Happiness for Your Best Friend. His official website is located here.