You need to choose the right dog for yourself and your family because there are a huge number of specific dog breeds. There are over 200 recognized by the Kennel Club alone, then there are crossbreeds. They come in different sizes, different shapes, different lengths of hair, different amounts of exercise that they need and how much they’re going to cost you.
The first thing is to do the reading, speak to friends, go and see the local vet to find out what is best for you from them. Then, you can visit dog shows. This can be useful for you to get a better idea of what suits you.
When choosing a dog breed, don’t rush in. Make sure you get the right one that suits you and your lifestyle. Things you need to ascertain include: do you go to work? how much time are they going to be left on their own? how big is your house? how big is your garden? do you have a young family? how much can you afford?
COST: For example, a St Bernard may weigh up to 100 kilos whereas a tiny Chihuahua or a Yorkie may be only a kilo, so the feeding costs will be very different between them. Veterinary fees is also a big consideration. You do need to be able to work out whether you can afford the preventative health care issues, like vaccinations, worming, flea treatment.
EXERCISE: Also, you should know the requirements that they need. A St Bernard probably won’t need a huge amount of exercise whereas a Springer Spaniel or a Labrador will need a huge amount of exercise.
GENDER: A female and a male dog have different personalities and traits.
TRAINING: There are a lot of new tools that can help you do the dog training, like remote dog training collars, but choosing a dog breed that is easier to train is also a big thing you need to think about if you are considering having a well-trained dog.
LENGTH OF COAT: Some dogs have absolutely no hair, like Mexican Hairless and Chinese Crested Dog, but an Afghan Hound has one of the longest coats. Some hair doesn’t fall out so Terriers or Spaniels sometimes need to be taken to the groomers.