10 tips for ensuring fido fits seamlessly into the family

We have all heard of the “American Dream”, and if there is an equivalent “British Dream”, it must surely include a family dog. The idealised British family, in many people’s minds, means parents, children, plus a dog. Despite many people longing for this ideal, there are many unhappy stories, with dogs not working out as well as anticipated. Tragically, the most common cause of death of young male dogs is euthanasia because of “bad behaviour”. Apart from the appalling outcome for the dogs in these cases, there’s certain to be emotional damage to the children and family involved in such cases.

So how can you ensure that your idealised dream does not turn into this sort of nightmare? The key starting point is to ensure that you choose the best first puppy for your family when you start out along the road of dog ownership. Many people start this process with predetermined ideas in their mind (“I’ve always wanted a Dalmatian”), but it’s best to discard these, starting from scratch with a clean sheet and a single focus: to find the best puppy for your children.

1 2 3 Choose a puppy suited to your lifestyle:

The first key to successful dog ownership is choosing an animal that fits in well to your lifestyle. If you live in a fifth floor apartment with no garden, then it makes no sense to choose a large lively dog that needs copious outdoor exercise. Or if you live in the country, expecting your dog to accompany you and your children on regular long walks through fields, a toy sized lap dog won’t work well.

It’s worth talking to someone with experience of dogs to get a sense of what type of animal will suit you; many vets are happy to offer a prepuppy consultation, spending time listening to you before giving their considered opinion of the best type of animal for your family. There are also online questionnaires that take you through a series of questions about your lifestyle that will help give you guidance, although be aware that the recommendation at the end of these often includes a specific pedigree breed. As discussed later, a cross bred dog of a similar type to the recommended breed may often be more appropriate.

Choose between a pedigree puppy or a crossbred:

Many people have a pedigree breed in mind when they are thinking of the best dog/puppy for children, and that’s understandable. The advantage of a pedigree puppy is that you have a clear idea of how the adult version will turn out. And while there’s a cost — up to £1000 or more — for some people, this may be part of the appeal: there’s no doubt that pedigree dogs can have a status-enhancing role.

However there are disadvantages about pedigree dogs too: if you check the insurance rates for different dogs, you’ ll discover that it’s significantly pricier to have them covered for veterinary fees. There’s a simple reason for that: a pedigree dog is more likely to require veterinary attention than a typical cross bred dog. So if you want a healthy, long-lived pet for your children, on average, a carefully chosen mixed bred dog may be a better choice. This does not necessarily apply, by the way, to a so-called “designer dog” such as one of those trendily named made-up breeds (Maltipoos, Puggles, or whatever). Many of these pups may be from different types of pedigree dogs that have not had the full health testing for their breed. It’s easy to buy an animal that’s likely to be less healthy than the full pedigree, comprehensively tested version.

Kennel Club registered or not?

If you are buying a pedigree dog, don’t be misled by the advertiser’s statement that the puppy is “Kennel Club Registered”. Sadly, this is no guarantee of health; it simply means that the pup is certified as being a genuine member of its breed, with a pedigree going back many generations. Any breeder — even a “puppy farmer” — can have their puppies registered from the Kennel Club, as long as they have bred them from Kennel Club registered parents.

That said, the Kennel Club has invested significantly in improving the health of pedigree dogs. If you are looking for a reliable breeder, the Kennel Club Assured Breeders Scheme is a good place to start. While this scheme is not perfect, it’s based on sound principles that mean that you are more likely to find the best puppy for your children if you buy from an assured breeder.

Regardless of whether you choose a pedigree dog or a cross-bred, ask the breeder to give you a contract of sale for the puppy. You can down- load one of these online, then talk to the breeder on the phone before you visit them to make sure that they agree to this.

Do you talk terrier? Or speak Schnauzer? Parlez-vous puppy?

Communication is the key to all successful relationships and, according to researchers, our dogs are in constant dialogue with us.

But are we translating their barks, growls and yowls correctly? According to scientists at Eotvos Lorand University in Hungary, man’s best friend calls upon a rich lexicon of sounds to convey fear and fun, aggression and pleasure and more often than not we understand.

A new study, featuring 40 volunteers listening to different growls recorded from 18 dogs, revealed that in 63 per cent of cases, humans were able to correctly identify whether the animal was guarding food, facing up to a threatening stranger or playing tug-ofwar.

Manchester terriers are a territorial breed, which is a euphemism for barky. So much so, it’s sometimes hard to get a word in edgeways

Women scored more highly than men. But then I knew they would. And not just because I am a woman and therefore know everything.

In my case, I think it’s partly due to nature — women are biologically attuned to non-verbal baby noises — and partly down to nurture in that I’m effectively in charge of them 24/7.

For the past two and half years, Otto and Mabel, our two Manchester Terriers, have rampaged round the house, giving loud voice to their emotions, and as I work from home I have been (willingly or not) tuned in to every sound.

Lively and exuberant, Manchesters are a territorial breed, which is a euphemism for barky. Very, very barky. So much so, it’s sometimes hard to get a word in edgeways.

But by dint of sheer exposure, I can instinctively identify each bark, whether bossily warding off an Amazon delivery man or joyfully greeting my husband.

I can tell when they are engaged in noisy rambunctious chase games, happily woofing as they ricochet off furniture, or crooning as they jaw-spar one another with open mouths.

Then, when the playfight turns into a fight-fight, I can detect that, too. Usually I leave them to sort any dispute out themselves, but if the sound changes I’m on their case.

I hear the warning signs: the throaty growls become more serious, the snapping takes on a new pitch. I can’t explain how I know, I just do.

Otto is above Mabel in the pecking order, which is unusual because it’s generally an alpha female who rules the roost. The children get terribly upset when they see him staring at Mabel until she gets off the sofa; for her part, Mabel accepts her place in the hierarchy. But on those rare occasions when she stands firm and refuses to give way, that’s when I need to intervene and briskly assert my own topdog status.

I know what’s coming when I hear the warning signs: the throaty growls become more serious, the snapping takes on a new pitch. I can’t explain how I know. I just do.

In recent years, there has been a welcome cultural trend towards getting a rescue dog. While many rescue dogs make wonderful pets, if you are looking for a puppy for your children, you may have difficulty finding the right animal from the rescue dog population. Typically, rescue dogs tend to be older. One of the signs of success of the animal welfare movement’s drive to promote spaying and neutering is the fact that there are not as many unwanted puppies as in the past, and it can be difficult to find a rescue puppy. There are still rescue puppies out there, and it’s certainly

4 Rescue puppy or not?

Treats.

That’s all well and good for me, but not so much for the other family members who are less versed in canine code.

I expect them to know what each noise means, but I can’t actually explain the difference between a growl that means “Back off, I am defending this delicious pig’s ear from all comers” and one that says “I see a skateboarder and I’m feeling threatened”.

And so when the dogs misbehave the dynamic tends to be this; Otto snarls at Mabel, Mabel snaps at Otto, they both bark hysterically, the children scream at them and I let rip at everybody with biblical wrath.

Mixed messages is the term that springs to mind. It is this erratic approach that can potentially lead to difficulties.

“I sometimes despair of the miscommunication between humans and dogs,” says Ade Howe, behaviouralist and author of Dog

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TrainingWithout worth investigating the possibilities before rushing out to buy one from a private seller.

When it comes to choosing the best puppy for your family, once you’ve narrowed down the field to a specific type of animal, the next step is to ensure that, if possible, you meet both parents of the pup. Just like humans, most puppies turn out like their parents. This means that if both parents are healthy, good-natured individuals, it’s likely that their pups will turn out similarly. You can go deeper than this too: if you are buying a pedigree breed, you can find out from the Kennel Club which inherited ailments that the breed is prone to, and you can ensure that the parents have had all appropriate pre-

Choose genetic health:

Guardian,

“This new research is oversimplistic, because dogs express a whole range of emotions that owners often cannot read.

To tell a dog off, you need to drop your voice and emit something short and sharp, like a bark. I use the letter “A”.

“I’ve seen young dogs classed as ‘vicious’ and packed off to be put down. But when I see them, I can immediately identify they were just very confused about the hierarchy and were nipping family members the way they would another puppy.”

According to Howe, the tone of barks and growls is crucial; the higher the pitch the greater the excitement, a lower timbre indicates aggression or fear.

“If you want to praise a dog, you should use a high tone,” he advises. “To tell a dog off, you need to drop your voice and emit something short and sharp, like a bark. I use the letter ‘A’; that’s all it takes for your dog to grasp that its behaviour has resulted in a negative consequence.”

It all makes perfect sense. Most of us instinctively use a higher register when happy and a lower tone for displeasure.

But one niggling question remains: is it more important that we understand our dogs or that they understand us?

“Dogs can learn a certain amount, but they haven’t got the capability of learning our language, so we have to learn theirs,” is the verdict of Nigel Reed, a dog psychologist who teaches owners to understand their pet’s needs and whose training guide,

is published next month. “If you don’t pick up on your dogs concerns — whether they are anxious about joggers or postmen or visitors — and reassure them that you are in charge and will protect them, they will gain an overdeveloped sense of responsibility and feel stressed.”

So where does that leave me with Otto and Mabel, currently entwined and gently snoring in their shared basket? I realise that there is work to be done in pre-empting flashpoints, but for now I’ll follow the oldest rule in the book and let sleeping dogs lie.

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TheDog breeding tests for these.

So you have narrowed down the field, and you find yourself looking at a litter of puppies. You now have to choose the individual puppy that’s best for your children. Make sure that you choose one that appears to be physically healthy. Look for a glossy coat, with no scurfy skin and no itchiness. Choose an alert puppy, with bright eyes and an interest in their surroundings. Don’t make the mistake of falling for a weakly, sad-looking specimen because you feel sorry for them. Your job is to choose the best puppy for your family, not to rescue an animal that you feel sorry for.

Choose physical health: Choose a good temperament:

Make sure that you spend