The Saga Guide to Getting a Dog
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The Saga guide to getting a dog • What breed is best for you? • Buying a puppy • Rehoming a rescue dog And more... Welcome Owning a dog can CHOOSE be hugely rewarding THE RIGHT and many people coming up to retirement BREED will be looking forward to finally being able to What to consider In this guide we own the dog they have WHAT’S introduce you to the key always wanted but when getting a dog characteristics of the never had the time for. INSIDE seven dog groups that Not only do retirees A dog is a huge commitment, be a good idea to insure your breeds fall into, have the time needed to 03 Choose the right breed with many breeds living for dog. If you do plan on getting including information on care for a dog properly, 4 Gundogs up to 15 years or longer. insurance, it is best to do it exercise and grooming 5 Hounds Before you decide to get a early: a puppy is cheaper to but dogs can also 6 Pastoral dogs dog, answer these questions… insure than an older dog. requirements (including provide companionship, 7 Terriers shedding) and life span. exercise and even be 8 Toy dogs Do you have time? Will you be able to This is designed to help a great way to meet new 9 Utility dogs Even the smallest dog will manage a dog? you narrow your search people through the 10 Working dogs need exercising and time A small puppy can grow 11 Mixed breeds dedicated to training, rapidly. When choosing and find the right dog dogwalking community, socialising and caring for it. a breed consider how large for you. Once you’ve training classes or fun 12 Buying a puppy and strong it will be, and decided on a breed that dog shows. It’s little Finding a reputable breeder – and the puppy Do you have the space? whether you will still be suits you, research it wonder that research farm warning signs to beware of Some breeds need access to able to handle it 10 years thoroughly and carried out by Saga a large garden while others down the line. familiarise yourself with found that one in five 13 Rehoming a rescue dog are suited to life in a flat, but The benefits of a rescue dog all dogs need exercise. If you What happens when you any health issues people plan on getting don’t have a garden, is there go on holiday? associated with it. a pet in retirement! 14 Bringing your dog home a park or common nearby? Is there someone at home to Remember that every We have put this guide For more How to dog-proof and prepare your home look after your dog when together to help you in information before your dog arrives, and how to transport Can you afford a dog? you’re away? If not, find out dog is individual your first steps to on caring for him safely back to your place As well as food, you’ll need to how much a local kennel or and, while you can use your dog, visit budget for inoculations, petsitter costs. their breed as a guide, choosing a dog. It saga.co.uk/ 15 When your dog arrives home worming and possibly a dog will have its own includes information on pet-tips Top tips to make your dog feel at ease medical treatment. Can you How much upkeep can points to consider, afford the vet’s bills for you cope with? personality and is not an overview of the 16 Useful links any emergency operations Some breeds require regular guaranteed to conform different dog groups and Find out more about dogs your dog may need? grooming, while others need to what is considered hardly any. How much time do tips for welcoming ‘normal’ for that breed. Saga’s How to choose a dog in retirement guide offers practical tips for buying Do you need insurance? you want to spend brushing your new furry friend into or rehoming a dog, including an overview of different breeds, what to look out If you’re nervous about your dog? Are you willing to Which breed will be your household. for when buying a puppy and tips for welcoming your new dog into your home. unexpected vet’s costs it may pay a dog groomer? right for you...? 2 SAGA.CO.UK/MAGAZINE/PETS How to choose a dog in retirement How to choose a dog in retirement SAGA.CO.UK/MAGAZINE/PETS 3 All about Gundogs All about Hounds Need-to-know stats Need-to-know stats EXAMPLE: Labrador EXAMPLE: Beagle AVERAGE WEIGHT: 30kg (4st 10lb) AVERAGE WEIGHT: 11kg (1st 10lb) EXERCISE: At least EXERCISE: More than two hours two hours a day a day GROOMING: Once a week GROOMING: Once a week LIFE SPAN: 10 years + LIFE SPAN: 10 years + SHEDS: Yes SHEDS: Yes riginally bred to remember that they are Other breeds ounds were bred need a patient owner who is Other breeds find and retrieve working dogs, so require to hunt. There are willing to put in time and game, gundogs are plenty of exercise and SMALL BREED: Cocker Spaniel two types of hound effort to train them. SMALL BREED: Dachshund intelligent and stimulation. Most breeds live LARGE BREED: Italian Spinone within this group. Hounds require a lot of LARGE BREED: Irish Wolfhound Oobedient. They are often used for more than 10 years, so if HSight hounds, such as the exercise and are suited to big as assistance dogs because you are buying a puppy you GOOD Whippet or Afghan, use their homes with plenty of space. they are easy to train and need to think carefully about FOR NOT keen vision and speed to They also need a securely make excellent companions. how able and willing you will SHEDDING: capture their prey. fenced garden to stop them Gundogs love the outdoors be to take your dog on long Irish Water Scent hounds, such as the running off after anything and are very active, so are walks and play ‘fetch’ in Spaniel Basset, Beagle or Foxhound, that catches their interest best suited to large houses a decade’s time. use their sensitive noses to – rabbits, squirrels or even GOOD FOR with big gardens and readily Popular gundogs include follow their prey’s scent over nextdoor’s cat. NOT SHEDDING: accessible open spaces. They the English Springer Spaniel, long distances. Examples include the Basenji are ideal family dogs. Hungarian Vizsla, Golden Highly intelligent, hounds Bloodhound, Rhodesian When considering Retriever, Weimaraner and have a mind of their own and Ridgeback, Greyhound, a gundog, it is important to English Setter. can be quite stubborn, so they Saluki and Pharoah Hound. 4 SAGA.CO.UK/MAGAZINE/PETS How to choose a dog in retirement How to choose a dog in retirement SAGA.CO.UK/MAGAZINE/PETS 5 All about Pastoral dogs All about Terriers Need-to-know stats Need-to-know stats EXAMPLE: German Shepherd AVERAGE WEIGHT: 36kg (5st 9lb) EXAMPLE: Border Terrier EXERCISE: More than two AVERAGE WEIGHT: 7kg (1st 1lb) hours a day EXERCISE: Up to an hour a day GROOMING: More than once GROOMING: More than once a week a week LIFE SPAN: 10 years + LIFE SPAN: 12 years + SHEDS: Yes SHEDS: Yes he pastoral group and active, so need to be Other breeds erriers are known escape artists – they will need Other breeds includes herding physically and mentally for their feisty a securely fenced garden. dogs, which were stimulated. Sporting SMALL BREED: Cardigan Corgi and energetic Terriers tend to be smaller SMALL traditionally bred to activities, such as dog agility, LARGE BREED: Pyrenean personalities. They than other breeds, making BREED: Tcontrol groups of sheep or competitive obedience or Mountain Dog Twere originally bred to them suitable for smaller West Highland cattle. Accustomed to flyball are all ideal for GOOD hunt vermin, so they may not homes. Don’t be fooled by White Terrier working in the fields and these breeds. FOR NOT get along well with other their size, however, as having space to run around Although pastoral dogs SHEDDING: smaller pets. they will still require plenty LARGE BREED: in, pastoral dogs are best tend to have hardy Hungarian They love digging for their of exercise. Bedlington suited to houses with big weatherproof coats, they still Puli (right) prey, so are probably best Examples of terrier breeds Terrier (right) gardens and plenty of open require regular grooming. kept away from your include the Scottish Terrier, spaces nearby. Examples include the vegetable patch – unless you Staffordshire Bull Terrier, GOOD Pastoral breeds can be Border Collie, Old English want it dug, of course! Norfolk Terrier, Fox Terrier, FOR NOT protective of people and Sheepdog, Rough Collie, Terriers are also good at Airedale Terrier, Parson SHEDDING: property, making them good Pembroke Corgi and squeezing through small Russell Terrier and the Sealyham guard dogs. They are agile Lancashire Heeler. spaces, making them great Dandie Dinmont. Terrier 6 SAGA.CO.UK/MAGAZINE/PETS How to choose a dog in retirement How to choose a dog in retirement SAGA.CO.UK/MAGAZINE/PETS 7 All about Toy dogs All about Utility dogs Need-to-know stats Need-to-know stats EXAMPLE: Pug EXAMPLE: French Bulldog AVERAGE WEIGHT: 7kg (1st 1lb) AVERAGE WEIGHT: 12kg (1st 12lb) EXERCISE: Up to 30 EXERCISE: Up to an minutes a day hour a day GROOMING: Once a week GROOMING: Once a week LIFE SPAN: 10 years + LIFE SPAN: 10 years + SHEDS: Yes SHEDS: Yes oy dogs were bred as for homes where they Other breeds he utility group And Poodles were originally Other breeds companion or lap will be left alone for is composed of bred as water retrievers dogs, meaning they long periods of time.