Pick The Best Dog For Your Lifestyle

Whether you're living in the city, suburbs or great open spaces, a homebody, avid runner, parent or adventure-type, Men's Journal created a grid that allows you to cross-reference varying factors, and choose the best dog to suit your needs. Bill Gifford, editor-at-large of Men's Journal, explained to us the characteristics of a Mastiff, Greater Swiss Mountain Dog, Norwegian Elk Hound and Chesapeake Bay Retriever.

MASTIF
- Homebody with an apartment in the city
- The gentlest of giants, with more bark then bite. do well in small spaces and with little exercise.
- If they want to cross the street, they'll cross the street
- Slobber a lot

NORWEGIAN ELKHOUND
- Adventure seeker with a ranch in the country
- The elkhound is another "independent" (stubborn) breed. He's hardwired to do his job with or without you but is also social
- Has a fierce look that scares potential evil-doers
- Sheds a lot, loves to dig so save your flower beds by giving him his own patch to play with

GREATER SWISS MOUNTAIN DOG
- Good with kids in an apartment in the city
- Big and powerful, but also harmless, it's similar to the popular bernese, but with a lot less fur to shed. Born to herd cattle, Swissies are happy hanging around the kids' soccer game and backcountry skiing.
- Much rarer than the related Bernese
- A confident dog needs a confident owner

CHESAPEAKE BAY RETRIEVER
- Adventure Seeker with a house in the suburbs
- Bred for strength and stamina but not looks. The most athletic outdoorsy dog on the list
- One of the AKC's 9 original recognized breeds in 1884
- Can be emotionally sensitive, avoid harsh training
- Will always smell like the last place he swam

For the complete dog manual, including dog diets for every budget, check out the September issue of Men's Journal on newsstands now or visit www.mensjournal.com.

Special thanks to the American Kennel Club for bringing their furry friends in this morning! If you're interested in learning more about these dogs, the American Kennel Club is hosting a "Meet the Breeds" event on October 17th and 18th at the Jacob Javits Center. For more information, visit www.akc.org.