There are many factors that should be taken into account when choosing a dog. If you choose the right one your life can drastically change for the better. Choose the wrong one, and the next 10 years could be a nightmare!
In general, large breeds need large homes. Not all require huge amounts of exercise but they do need space and should not be housed in a flat. They are not suitable for the elderly or small children as they may knock them over, by virtue of strength! They grow slowly and need limited exercise and good quality food when growing to prevent skeletal deformities.
Small breeds, particularly toy dogs are unsuitable for families with active children as these dogs tend to be quite fragile and will not stand up to too much rough play.
Many of the giant breeds tend to slobber, so prospective owners should not be too house-proud.
Many breeds of dogs shed profusely, and with central heating, this tends to occur all year round. Regular grooming is a must if you want to prevent a thick layer of dog hair lining your house!
Some breeds require regular professional attention to keep them looking at their best, so these breeds should be avoided if the prospective owner does not have the money to pay for this.
Breeds with long and double coats require daily or almost daily brushing to prevent matts and tangles developing. Grass seeds picked up on walks are a huge problem in these breeds and they should be checked thoroughly after every walk, particularly the paws and ears as huge damage can be caused if they are left.
Dogs with large folds of skin can get infection as the air cannot circulate well and this can cause a very unpleasant odour, not to mention the discomfort to the dog! These areas should be checked regularly.
Breeds with very smooth coats can suffer in cold climates and should be provided with coats when out on walks.
In general, each Kennel Club group has breeds with similar temperaments, but this can vary considerably within the group, and even within individual breeds. The general characteristics of each group can be seen by going to the breeds page.
The best way of assessing the temperament of a puppy that you are considering purchasing is to meet the mother and ideally the father too. The attitude of the dog and the bitch are important, how do they greet you, can you take a toy from them, can you pet and groom them easily? There are also a variety of tests that can be performed on the puppies to determine their likely temperament, but this may change depending on training and socialisation.
Different breeds require different training methods. Some dog breeds, such as gundogs and sheepdogs, have been developed to work alongside humans, following their instructions, and these breeds tend to be easy to train. On the other hand, some dogs have been bred to follow their hunting instincts to the end and these breeds tend to need firmer handling.
However easily a dog can be trained, it is not going to teach itself good manners and plenty of input from the owner is necessary in all cases.
Many dog breeds have been selectively bred to have high energy and endurance. These dogs need plenty of physical exercise to prevent obesity, but also mental exercise to prevent them becoming bored and destructive. Sports like obedience and agility are ideal to use up excess energy.
The exercise requirements of different breeds varies enormously. In general, small breeds require less exercise and medium-sized breeds require the most.
Dogs that require large amounts of exercise do not cope well with life in towns and cities and need plenty of free-running every day.
Noise is a huge problem in today's society and noisy dogs can cause their owners many problems with neighbours and the Environmental Health Inspectors.
Dogs tend to bark for several reasons, the main ones being separation anxiety and guarding.
To find out about hereditary problems, please visit the health pages.
For information on the different breed groups and breeds, please visit the breed pages.
Continue to find out where to get your dog from.