The human behind the guides
Hi, I'm Mel Petermann.
Founder & lead writer · DogProsandCons.com
I started this site because I was tired of dog-breed articles that read like sales brochures — where every breed is "great with families!" and nobody warns you about the shedding, the stubborn streak, or the vet bills. So I built the site I wish I'd had before I brought home my first dog.
Mel Petermann.
My story (the honest version)
I've been a dog person my whole life. It started with a stubborn, sweet mutt I grew up with and turned into decades of living with, reading about, and falling hard for one breed after another. I'm not a veterinarian and I've never claimed to be — what I have is experience, a lot of research, and years of paying close attention to what actually makes a dog and an owner a good match.
The idea for this site came out of my own mistakes. Years ago I brought home a high-energy dog because every website told me how wonderful and family-friendly the breed was. All true — but nobody warned me how much exercise she really needed, or what a bored dog can do to a living room in an afternoon. We figured it out together, and I loved her fiercely, but I never forgot how easily it could have gone the other way, simply because no one told me the hard parts up front.
So I built the resource I wish I'd had back then: plain, honest guides that put the cons right beside the pros. Every breed is a trade-off. The people who end up heartbroken — or who give a dog back because they couldn't keep up — usually just weren't told the downsides. Closing that gap is the whole reason DogProsandCons exists.
These days I spend my time researching breeds, swapping stories with other owners, and writing it all down — so your decision is an informed one before the dog comes home, not after.
How I write these guides
- 1Research first, opinions second. Every guide starts with breed standards and vet-reviewed health information, not just vibes — so the facts hold up.
- 2Real owners, not just theory. I fold in experiences from people who actually live with the breed, because the day-to-day reality is what you're really buying into.
- 3The cons get equal billing. Most sites bury the downsides. I put them right next to the upsides, because that's the whole point of a pros-and-cons guide.
- 4Plain English, plus a fit quiz. No jargon, and every guide ends with a quick quiz that scores how well the breed matches your space, schedule, and energy.
The goal was never to talk you into a dog. It's to make sure you and the dog are actually right for each other.
What this site stands for
If a breed is a handful, I'll say so. Trust matters more than telling you what you want to hear.
Real numbers — weight, lifespan, exercise, grooming — instead of "needs some exercise."
Lived experience sits alongside the research, because that's the part you can't Google.
There's no perfect dog — only the right dog for your life. Every guide is built around that.
Have a breed in mind?
Dig into an honest, no-fluff guide — or tell me about your own dog. I read every message.