Beauty isn't skin deep

Dog lovers are being urged to look beyond skin deep when choosing their pet.

The Blue Cross takes in more than 2,000 homeless and unwanted dogs every year and many of these are because of a mismatch between the dog’s needs and the owner’s lifestyle.

We’ve put together some top tips to help people make an informed decision about finding their perfect pooch:

Breed – if you want to buy a pedigree dog ask your vet or relevant breed club to recommend a responsible breeder. You should expect a reputable breeder to answer your questions about the dog’s behaviour characteristics and provide you with all the relevant paperwork, health screening certificates and a written medical history, including vaccinations and worming.

Ask lots of questions, both of the dog breeder and yourself. Think about how much time you have to spend training and exercising your chosen dog and how much space you have to accommodate a particular breed.

Rescue – giving a dog a second chance in life can be a hugely rewarding experience. Animal welfare organisations like The Blue Cross can cut out the leg work by offering you advice about individual breeds before matching you with a dog that suits your needs. All dogs receive a full medical and behaviour assessment and are also neutered, microchipped, vaccinated and wormed.

Know what to expect by talking to people who already own your chosen breed of dog.  They can give you an insider’s guide on things you need to consider.

The Blue Cross will be on hand to offer advice and support to dog lovers at Crufts from 11-14 March (at stand 84 in Hall 2).

Free information on choosing the right pet as well as a host of other pet care advice leaflets will be available on our stand.

The charity’s experienced animal behaviour advisers will also be there to answer pet related questions.

For more information about choosing a pet have a look at our top 20 dog breed feature here.