Positive reinforcement is a very old philosophy based on the premise that reinforcing good behavior is more pleasant to both the dog and the owner aside from not resulting into developing undesirable characteristics in the dog. Positive reinforcement creates trust. It creates a structure for more definitive behavior rewarded when pleasant responses are achieved. When decided in adopting a dog, choose dog characteristics and traits that you want. If you lead an active lifestyle for example, do not adopt a dog with a phlegmatic character that will be content to hang around the house much of the time, eating, and sleeping. To select the right dog, select those that closely resemble your lifestyle. After a few days the pup will appear comfortable already, hold the leash for short periods of time, but let the pup guide the way. Go with his phase. Do not pull at the leash yet, during this initial stage, it is best to give the pup his space. Remember that you are still inside the home or within the confines of your yard. When To Not Adopt A Dog A dog is irresistible for dog lovers, a puppy much more. There are times, however, when adopting a dog is not recommended. The following guidelines will be of help. - A dog is never a good gift. This is not only true for the dog but also for the recipient of the gift. To many people, even with dog lovers, dogs take too much time and too much work to have around especially so because a dog as a gift is an unplanned responsibility. Rehoming An Adult Dog Puppies are a bundle of joy (and mayhem) and they are fun to be with. Not to mention, they are so darn cute that it is often hard to resist their charm. But, are they good for adoption? Not exactly. Adult dogs are the ideal choices. Why You Should Choose An Adult Dog You'll have a much calmer, more behaved dog Ten to one, would-be dog owners prefer puppies for adoption based solely on their looks. One of the downside to having a companion dog is that because of their size, they are vulnerable to larger animals. When you are located in areas where winters could be very cold, you would want to consider companion dog breeds that are fluffy or are longhaired. The benefits far outweighs the risk though as these dogs are content to follow wherever their owners go, are very easy going, and are content to sit with their owners for long periods of time.