Most People Want a Dog

Most people, however, want a dog that fits reasonably into the home environment. A couple of Wolfhounds may be your ideal, but their bulk may make a small flat uninhabitable.

The Labrador Retriever, a dog  which, if not overweight, will weigh when mature 30 kg (66 lb), is the most popular dog in the United States and the United Kingdom, with 132,000 in the US and 32,000 in the UK.

Second in the US is the Rottweiler, with almost 94,000 registered, and third the German Shepherd with 79,000 registered. In Britain the German Shepherd is second (24,000) and the Golden Retriever third (16,000). These are all large dogs. By no means do all of them live in large houses
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Breed or type behaviour is probably more important in choosing a dog than any other characteristic. It pays to ask not just dedicated owners but knowledgeable people outside the breed - your veterinary surgeon sees a wide variety of dogs every day.