Getting a puppy is a big decision. Your new furry friend can bring a lot of love into your home, but can also mean you need to make some adjustments. Dogs bring no shortage of excitement and joy, but there are plenty of things to consider before you get one and you should think carefully about whether you’re ready to bring a puppy into your life. To help you choose the right puppy for you, let’s take a look at a few things that might influence your decision, including how much your puppy will cost, whether to adopt or buy a puppy, and what to expect from different breeds. How much does it cost to own a dog? Our Technical Claims manager Sarah Dawson is a qualified Vet Nurse. She says there are five key costs new pet owners need to think about. They can add up to around £704* in the first few weeks, on top of what you pay to buy your puppy. *The prices listed here are averages and may vary significantly depending on a range of factors. To learn more about what it might cost to own a dog, read our article on the annual cost of dog ownership . What breed of puppy should I get? The right breed of puppy for you and your family depends on things like your lifestyle, the home that you live in, and your location. How to choose the right puppy breed for me? When choosing a puppy breed, there’s no way to know for sure which will fit your family best. However, you can take some common sense things into account, including the size of your home, your level of activity, your available free time, and what other members of your family want! If you live in a flat in an urban area, for example, it might be worth considering a smaller dog that doesn't need as much exercise as a larger or particularly energetic breed. Once you’ve got an idea of what kind of dog will suit you best, it's worth narrowing your choice down to a few specific breeds that might be a good fit, before doing in-depth research. Think about your situation as well as the needs of the puppy. If you’re looking for a family dog, you’ll want a happy and healthy breed that’ll be good with children. Large dogs like labradors, for example, can make great family pets - especially for those with big gardens and plenty of time for walks. Popular breeds of family dogs, from smallest to largest, include: Once you’ve narrowed down your options to the breeds that fit your lifestyle, it’s important to remember that you’ll have to do some work to nurture and train your dog to make sure it becomes a happy and healthy member of your family. Getting a dog can be rewarding and valuable for families. When children grow up with dogs, it helps develop their responsibility and compassion. It’s also likely to help prevent any nerves or hang-ups they may have about animals when they get older. Find out more about how to socialise your dog with children . Read our guide on Choosing the right dog breed for you. If you want more input on your choice of dog, don’t be shy: you can talk to vets or friends who have experience with dogs, reach out to breeders, or consider joining Facebook groups and forums to ask current owners questions. Bear in mind that some breeds can cost a lot more to insure than others: take a look at our guide to insurance costs for different dog breeds. How much time do I need for a puppy? Owning a puppy will take time and effort, and you’ll need to be sure you can commit the time to look after it, especially in its first few weeks and months. When you first bring your puppy home, you’ll need to have at least a few free days (or ideally even a week) to dedicate to it. This means that you might need to take a few days off work if no-one in the house is free to look after your pup. As they grow, puppies need about 2-3 hours of active attention every day, but that doesn’t count the time you might need to keep an eye on them when they’re playing on their own, or getting up to mischief around the house. If you have a crate for your puppy, you can start crate training and help it get used to spending time on its own. Crate training can also be useful for creating a toilet training routine. In fact, routines are very important for puppy time management: the more your pup understands its routine (when to eat, when to play, when to go to the toilet, and so on), the easier it will be for you to manage your time with it. Getting started with your pup If you’ve decided it’s time to get a puppy, then don’t forget about puppy insurance. From accidents and injuries, to dental illness, puppy insurance cover means you’ll have financial support should you need to take your furry friend to the vet unexpectedly. Learn more about ManyPets puppy insurance here.
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