My family would love to get a dog, but I have three children ranging in age. Which dog would be best suited for my family?

Ann

This is quite a difficult question as it is subjective in nature, but I’ll do my best to answer. With very small children it is not always a good idea to get a dog – partly for the child’s safety but also because looking after a dog can be extremely demanding on your time.

If your children are old enough to get a dog but still young, then you obviously want a good-natured and calm dog. Here are some of the best dogs for children in my opinion:

• Beagle
• Golden Retriever (probably not the best dog for first time owners)
• King Charles Spaniel
• Labrador Retriever (again probably not the best dog for first time owners)
• Pug (great for first time owners)

All of these dogs are in general well-natured and patient with children, so should make great family pets. There are other considerations you should take into account before deciding to get a dog – read more about them here.

All the best,

Richard

Dogs are also classed as pure-bred or mixed-breed. A pure-bred is a dog whose ancestors are all of the same breed, while a mixed breed dog has parents of different breeds.

The breed of your dog determines many things such as size, appearance and even personality. Spend time picking the right breed for you and your family.

Toy Breeds
Examples: Chihuahua, Pug and Yorkshire Terrier
Description:
Toy dogs are usually small and live for a relatively long time. They have been bred as human companions, and as such make great pets. In general they require the least amount of exercise of any of the main groups.

Sport Breeds
Examples: Labrador and Golden Retriever, Cocker Spaniel
Description:
These dogs were originally bred for use in hunting or sports (as the name suggests). Because of this they require a lot of exercise – but are also very intelligent.

Terrier Breeds
Examples: Scottish Terrier, Miniature Schnauzer
Description:
Terriers were originally bred for hunting small animals. Because of this they are lively dogs. Sometimes a little too lively for owners to cope with!

Hound Breeds
Examples: Beagle, Basset Hound, Greyhound
Description:
The hound group of dogs have been bred to hunt – either by site, scent or both. All require reasonable amounts of exercise. They are generally good natured and affectionate.

Herding Breeds
Examples: German Shepherd, Collie
Description:
These dogs were originally used on farms to herd livestock so are intelligent and easily trained. They are often friendly dogs (although there are exceptions). They require a lot of daily exercise.

Working Breeds
Examples: Boxer, Rottweiler
Description:
Working dogs are exceptionally strong, powerful and clever. They usually make fantastic and loyal pets, but do require experience. They are not a good choice for a young family pet because of their size. They need a lot of exercise.

Non-Sporting Breeds
Examples: Poodle, Bulldog
Description:
These are dogs that don’t specifically fit into the other groups. Because of this there is a wide range of personalities, sizes, appearance and behaviours associated with this group. If you do decide to go with a non-sporting dog then make sure you research your particular breed thoroughly.

This is a big question and shouldn’t be answered lightly. All breeds of dogs can take up a large part of your time. They need exercising, feeding, health care and not to mention a large amount of love and attention. Getting a brand new puppy can be even more time consuming as it involves a lot of training.
Until you’ve had experience living with a dog this can be a difficult question to answer, but there are a few general guidelines you can follow.

• Aim to put aside at least an hour a day to exercise the dog no matter which breed you get. The dog might need even longer than that if it is a large energetic breed.
• When you first get the puppy you should be aiming to do around half an hour training a day (split up into shorter periods).
• Every so often your dog will need to be taken to the vet which can take an hour or more.
• You should also remember that when you’re not around your dog will miss you! There isn’t much point getting a dog if you can’t spend any real time with it after all, so make sure you have enough spare time during the day to spend with the dog.

Spending time having fun with your dog is the best reason of all to get a new puppy, so if you have a busy schedule you should think carefully about whether you can devote enough time to your new pet.

2. Is my house big enough for a dog?

This is often overlooked, but dogs take up a lot of space! If you already have a cramped house getting a dog is definitely not going to help the situation.

This is where the right breed choice comes into play. It’s obvious that bigger dogs need more room in the house to be able to stretch their legs, so if you have a smaller house a smaller breed would be best. Of course if your house is overcrowded already then you’ll need to consider whether it is fair on the dog to keep it cooped up – and whether your family will be able to cope!

3. Can I afford a dog?

Another big consideration is whether you can financially support a dog on top of all your other commitments. It’s easy to underestimate how much a dog really costs, so here are a few of the things you’ll need to pay for if you get a new puppy.

• Dog Food
• Health Care
• Training Classes
• Toys and Equipment (i.e. leads, bowls, crates etc)
• Grooming (if required for your dog)

These can add up to a lot of money over time, so you need to be 100% sure you have the money available to care for a dog before you commit.

4. What do I want from a dog?

This is something only you can answer, but you should consider it carefully as it will affect which breed you get. There are many questions that you need to answer yourself personally. For example, do you have young children so need a small dog? Are you living in a flat? Do you live in the city or near woodland? Have you had experience training a dog or do you need one that is intelligent and easier to train? Do you have to have a pure bred? Do you want a house dog? Do you want your dog for protection?

Getting a new puppy is a wonderful time as long as you make sure you are absolutely ready for a pet in your life. I think that the love, effort and care you put into a dog is more than worth the reward you get form building up a wonderful relationship with your pet. However if you aren’t 100% sure you can support a dog then it could spell disaster for both you and the puppy. Try to answer the above choosing a puppy quiz honestly so you can gauge how ready you are to get a new puppy.