Choosing A Pet

Dogs

Dogs are very affectionate, make great companions and are a big incentive to take some exercise. But ownership also means responsibility for many years ahead, so ask yourself first what you can commit.

• Do you have time to exercise a dog daily?
• Where will you exercise your dog? (Some breeds need lots of open space to be happy)
• Are you prepared to poop scoop?
• Are you aware of the long term cost of food, healthcare, veterinary care, kennels, for example?
• Do you have time to look after a demanding puppy or would you prefer a more mature dog that is less boisterous and already housetrained?

Coat type is a critical consideration. How much time are you prepared to give to grooming? Some breeds' coats require daily grooming (particularly long haired breeds); others require regular clipping. The smooth coat is the easiest to maintain with weekly brushing but keeping moulting hair off furniture can be a chore.

Male or female. Young males can be a nuisance when in hypersex mode, but this can be solved through neutering. Bitches go on heat twice a year and thus demand extra vigilance to avoid unwanted pregnancies; again this can be solved through spaying.

Size - Small dogs (terriers, lap dogs ...) are cheaper to feed and easier to handle as they are light and easy to pick up, but they do still require lots of exercise as they tend to be very active.

Typical house pets such as Retrievers or Labradors like lots of food and exercise and are responsive to training - however they can be difficult to keep clean.

Guard dogs (Rottweilers, Dobermans, Alsations) again like lots of exercise and food and are very responsive to training. However, these dogs are extremely powerful so you will need to be a competent dog handler and be aware of what the law requires. - these dogs can be dangerous if mishandled.

Pedigrees (pure breds) come with documentation and plenty of information on their size, feeding, energy requirements and temperament. However, pedigrees are known to be affected by 'breed specific' diseases. For example Pointers are prone to lymphomas, Boxers to heart disease, Dobermans to bleeding disorders, labradors to skeletal malformation in the hips and Irish setters to eyesight problems. Don't let this put you off, but do your research first, and check that the breeder has had the parents of the puppy checked for the breed specific problem and scored by the British Veterinary Association.

Cross breeds A cross bred dog is the offspring of two pure-bred dogs and often combines the better traits of both; the randomness of their breeding means they are less likely to inherit diseases and disabilities than pure-breds. They also tend to have happier natures.

Random breeds Random bred dogs are as the name suggests, and it can be very difficult to know how big a random bred puppy will grow as they come from mixed parentage.