My family are thinking of getting a dog soon. My mum has had a few when she was younger but other than that, none of the family have ever had a dog before. My mum goes out during the day for........3 hrs top, she doesn't work at the moment. Our house is LARGE and our garden's pretty big, but we have big fields just down our road. Which breed does anyone suggest???
Plz reply!!!!
Jessie02

Hello Jessie,

There are quite a variety of things to consider. You say "your family", how many does that consist of and are they all committed to having a dog? Also, how old is the youngest member? (dogs and very young children must equally be thought about carefully).

Does the family want a puppy, or a slightly older dog?

If you are considering a pedigree dog, why don't you all sit down and write down the breeds that you like the most. Then see how these compare with each other. You might find you have three or four breeds that you ALL like. Next, take yourself off to the Library and borrow a couple of books that show most breeds of dogs. You will have pictures and then information about them. Different breeds fall under different catergories, i.e. Gundog, Terrier, Working, Utility, Pastoral, Hound. Dogs from these catergories tend to have similar attributes. So read the information, and then decide which breed best suits your lifestyle and needs, and equally that you suit the needs of that breed too!

Perhaps you will end up with say two or maybe three chosen breeds that you all like. So, then you could find when and where there is an Open Breed Show, and go along and look at the breeds you like 'in the flesh', talk to the Owners about them, (people love talking about their dogs) and also folk will recommend good Breeders to you.

Another alternative is to visit Rescue Centres, they will normally have background information about the dog you like, i.e. quite obedient, good with cats and children, travels well in a car etc. Then you can meet the dog and see how he/she reacts with you and perhaps take him for a short walk and see how you all get along.

Owning a dog is a true commitment. So, apart from all the wonderful reasons for having a dog, perhaps you could all consider the difficult aspects, i.e. Vet Bills/Insurance, Holiday Boarding Kennels, Being unwell (sickness, diarrhoea), getting wet and muddy, exercising the dog in ALL weathers, training (requires patience and dedication) etc., and then discussing how you all feel about coping with these situations.

Don't rush into anything, take your time, and choose wisely, the right dog will be waiting for you!

Let us know what you all decide eventually,
Denise.