The decision to get a dog is usually made with the fun parts in mind: sofa snuggles, long walks, a new family member. Dogs Trust, the UK’s largest rehoming charity, points out that there is much more to it, because a dog is a responsibility for life. Its guidance sets out ten questions to answer before getting a dog and separate advice on matching a dog to a household. This guide summarises both. It is general information about deciding whether and which dog, not advice on any individual animal.
Question 1: do you have the time?
Dogs Trust says a puppy needs a lot of commitment. A dog cannot be left for hours at a time, both because of toileting needs and because dogs are social creatures that need company. The charity asks whether an owner can be at home during the day, or organise a dog walker or day care for the days they cannot, and says leaving a dog alone must be built up slowly. Owners also need time for daily walks, training and games, because most dogs need lots of mental stimulation. The crate training and time alone guide looks at that side in more detail.
Questions 2 and 3: planning around a dog, and patience
The second question asks whether a person is happy to plan their time around a dog. Dogs Trust says this means no last-minute holidays or spur-of-the-moment day trips unless the dog comes along or is looked after, and that dogs generally love routine. The third asks about patience: a puppy is learning for the first time, while an older rescue dog may not have lived in a home for some time, and both need support with house training and time alone. The charity says patience and positivity are key to training.
Question 4: meeting all of a dog’s needs
The charity says a dog has needs that must be met every day, from morning walks in all weather to a suitable place to live with a bed and toys, mental enrichment as well as physical exercise, and an owner who learns to understand the dog. It lists the five welfare needs from the Animal Welfare Act (suitable environment, suitable diet, normal behaviour, company or separation as needed, and protection from pain, suffering, injury and disease). The Act’s duty applies in England and Wales; the Animal Welfare Act guide explains the legal position and the penalties precisely. Dogs Trust also says the first three or four months of a puppy’s life are a sensitive socialisation period, covered in the puppy socialisation guide.
Questions 5 and 6: long-term commitment and cost
A dog is for life, so Dogs Trust asks owners to consider future plans such as having children, moving house, changing jobs or moving abroad. Thinking ahead, it says, reduces the chance of having to rehome a dog. The sixth question is affordability. Whether a dog is bought or rescued, the purchase or adoption is only the first cost. Ongoing costs include bedding, toys, treats, food, grooming, insurance, expected and unexpected vet bills that may increase as a dog ages, possibly a trainer or behaviourist, and a dog walker or day care if that is the plan. The pet insurance guide explains how policies work.
Questions 7 to 9: motives, household and other pets
- Right reasons. A dog should never be an impulse purchase or a gift that may be discarded when the recipient gets bored. Dogs Trust suggests sponsoring a dog on someone’s behalf as an alternative present.
- A different pet, or a busy household. The charity asks whether a different pet might suit current circumstances better and stresses considering everyone in the home and regular visitors. Where children live in the home, it recommends close adult supervision at all times, which the children and dogs guide discusses.
- Current pets. If a household has a cat, the question is whether it gets on with dogs, and the charity notes that a cat that gets on with one dog will not necessarily get on with all dogs. Cats and dogs must be introduced in the right way.
Question 10: should you foster first?
Dogs Trust says fostering a dog first is worth considering, especially for anyone who has never had a dog of their own. It lets a person test whether they can commit to everything a dog involves while helping a rescue dog on the way to a permanent home. For people who conclude that now is not the right time, the charity suggests volunteering or sponsoring a dog as ways to help without adopting.
Matching a dog to a household
Dogs Trust’s advice on choosing starts from the point that every dog is an individual. Some dogs are active and outdoorsy, while others prefer a quieter home with few visitors. Finding a good match may take time.
Breed information can still help as a rough guide to how a dog might fit. Dogs Trust says its popular breed pages give a breed’s typical size, the environment it tends to live in comfortably, how much it tends to shed and its typical exercise needs, and that an outdoorsy person should think about which breeds might suit hiking. It also points to the Kennel Club for information on a wider range of breeds. The charity also advises being aware of common health issues and inherited diseases in the breeds under consideration. Adoption from a rescue is presented as an alternative to buying, and the rescue adoption guide and the guide to buying a puppy in England cover the two routes.
The bottom line
Dogs Trust’s ten questions cover time, routine, patience, daily needs, long-term plans, cost, motives, the rest of the household, other pets and fostering. If the answers are honest and positive, breed information and the individual dog’s personality can then guide the choice. If not, waiting, fostering, volunteering or sponsoring are all presented as good alternatives.