There are many breeds which are often better suited as companions rather than family pets thanks to their small and tiny size. Medium and large size breeds are often better suited to families with children, although it's important to note that not all breeds tolerate being roughly handled by younger kids. Large and Giant breeds tend to be a little too large to be around toddlers and younger children simply because of their huge size, although very often many of these breeds are in fact gentle giants.
Pets4homes always recommends that potential owners take into account a breed's size before making their final decision on which type of dog would be best suited to their families and lifestyles.
Many breeds are high-energy dogs which is particularly true of "working dogs". Dogs that boast having a lot of energy need to be kept busy mentally and physically to be truly happy, well-balanced characters when they live in a home environment. They need a ton of exercise which has to include keeping their minds occupied which makes them the perfect choice for people who lead active, outdoor lives and who like to have a canine companion at their side.
Breeds that are considered low-energy are just as happy lounging around the home as they are being taken out for a walk and they are the perfect choice for people who lead more sedentary, quiet lives.
Pets4homes always recommends that potential owners take a dog's energy levels and exercise requirements into account when choosing a breed so it matches their own lifestyle.
Some breeds are known to be highly intelligent which generally means they are easier to train and that they learn new things quickly. However, because a breed is known to be a fast learner, it means they are just as quick to pick up bad habits too.
Other breeds take their time to learn new things and need more in the way of repetition to get it right which in short, means more time and patience is needed when training them.
Pets4homes always recommends that potential owners take the time to read up on a dog's intelligence and their needs before making the final decision on which breed is best for them.
All dogs shed whether it's hair or dander (dead skin) with some breeds shedding more than others. As such, living with a dog means having to put up with a little or a lot of hair being left around the house and on clothes. Some breeds shed all year round, whereas other breeds typically blow their coats a couple of times a year which is when they shed the most.
A few breeds shed steadily throughout the year and blow their coats in the Spring and Autumn too, whereas other breeds only shed a little hair no matter what time of the year it is. Houseproud people should choose a low shedding breed to make their lives easier and there are a lot of low shedding breeds to choose from.
Pets4homes always recommends that potential owners check how much a breed sheds before making a final decision so they are well prepared for their new pet's presence in the home.
A lot of breeds are easy maintenance on the grooming front and only need a weekly brush to keep their coats looking good and their skin in great condition. Other breeds are much higher maintenance and ideally need to be professionally groomed a few times a year to keep their coats nicely trimmed and looking good which can add to the cost of keeping a dog considerably.
Pets4homes always advises potential owners to check out how much grooming a dog's coat requires before making the final decision on which breed would be best for them.
Some breeds are not tolerant of children at all, whilst other are exceptionally good around children of all ages and will tolerate being pulled about, they put up with noisy environments when kids shout, scream and chase around like toddlers and younger children often do.
However, all children need to be taught how to behave around dogs, how to handle them and when it is time to leave a dog alone which is especially true when it's meal time.
Pets4homes always recommends that any interaction between toddlers and younger children be supervised by an adult to make sure playtime stays calm and things never get too rough.
We recommend that you never leave any child alone with your dog, even for a few minutes, no matter what breed of dog you have. If you do have younger children and are looking to buy or adopt a dog, we advise against larger or strong dog breeds.
For further advice please read the following article on Keeping Children Safe around Dogs
A few breeds are known to suffer from specific hereditary and congenital health issues, although good breeding practices go a long way in reducing the risk of a dog developing a genetic disorder.
With this said, not all dogs will develop a hereditary disorder during the course of their lives, but the risk is greatly increased if they are not bred responsibly.
Pets4homes always recommends that potential owners ask breeders about any genetic diseases that are known to affect a breed and to see all the results of DNA and other tests carried out on parent dogs before they commit to buying a puppy from them.
Apart from purchasing a puppy or dog, there are other expenses that need to be factored into owning and caring for them correctly. This includes the cost of vaccinating, neutering and spaying a dog when the time is right. Other costs include investing in good quality collars, leads and coats which many smaller breeds need to wear during the colder months. Apart from these expenses, there's pet insurance to consider which lots of owners choose to take out just in case their dogs fall sick or get injured.
Vet bills include things like regular check-ups and annual boosters which help reduce the risk of dogs catching any nasty diseases. Frequent visits to the vet also helps catch any health issues earlier rather than later which often means the prognosis is a lot better for a dog.
Pets4homes always recommends that potential dog owners calculate just how much it would cost to keep and care for a dog making sure they are fed the right kind of food to suit the different stages of their lives which helps ensure they stay healthy right through to their golden years.
A lot of breeds form extremely strong ties with their owners which means they stress out when they are left on their own which includes for short periods of time. As a result of being left alone dogs can become destructive around the house which is their way of relieving the anxiety they may be experiencing and not necessarily because they are being naughty.
Breeds that form strong bonds with their families are best suited to households where at least one person stays at home when everyone else is out because they are at greater risk of developing separation anxiety.
Pets4homes always recommends that potential owners check out just how tolerant a breed is of being left on their own before making the final decision on which breed would best suit their lifestyle.
Pets4Homes also recommends that no dog be left alone at home for more than 4 hours at a time.
A lot of working breeds were bred to be independent thinkers capable of doing their job on their own when needed. These dogs have evolved to be highly intelligent with some breeds being more than capable of working for extremely long periods of time.
Just because a dog is extremely intelligent does not mean they are easy to live with because like the Border Collie, they can be very demanding when it comes to the amount of exercise and mental stimulation they need to be truly well-balanced, happy dogs when they live in a home environment.
Highly intelligent dogs do well when they take part in "obedience training" and other canine activities where they get to use their brains while at the same time having a great workout.
Pets4homes always recommends that potential owners check out a breed's intelligence and their specific energy needs before making their final decision so their dog's needs fit in well with their lifestyle.
Choose one or more of the 7 KC breed groups to display all dog breeds within those groups. Each group contains dog breeds which were bred for a specific purpose. The groups are as follows :
We have also added the breed group 'Hybrid' which contains all hybrid type dogs, for example, the 'Labradoodle'.
Pets4Homes Dog Breed Selector, helps you find the perfect breed from 243 Dog Breeds. Filter the breeds using characteristics such as Intelligence, Exercise Needs and Amount of Shedding.243 Dog Breeds Found Matching your filters
