Known as the ultimate gentleman for its dapper good looks and gentle nature the Boston Terrier makes a great apartment pet and loves kids.

Australian Shepards are trainable, active working dogs who need a job to do and lots of exercise. They are obedient, intelligent and make great partners for agility, flyball or various working roles in farm life.

The mix of a Golden retriever with a Husky is known as a Goberian. This intriguing hybrid dog is an interesting mix of two breeds, each with their own distinct character.

The ancient Shiba Inu from Japan is compact, agile and independent and was originally a hunting dog.

The ultimate small-space pet, the Chihuahua is big on personality in contrast to its tiny stature.

Buying a dog with your family in mind is an important decision. There are some breeds that are known to be excellent with children. We discuss which dogs would best suit family life.

Golden Retrievers are friendly, lovable and intelligent. They are adaptable to many different family situations and generally love people and other dogs. They are often very enthusiastic and energetic as pups, so some work is required to burn off that energy, but as they age they are content with long walks and lots of company.

If you or someone in your family suffers from allergies, pet ownership is not necessarily out of the question. You may just need to do a little more work to firstly identify the source of the allergy, but also to investigate treatment options and low allergen pets.

This fun-loving, high energy scent hound is a great family pet and always eager to train and play.

Irish Wolfhounds are independent by nature, but bond very closely to their families. They were trained to think independently in their hunting past, rather than relying on close direction.