If you’ve been thinking about welcoming a new dog into your home then you’re in good company – Royal Kennel Club (the new name for the UK Kennel Club) stats show that the number of people looking for puppies has surged to record levels.
Dogs come in all shapes, colours and sizes - there are 221 different pedigree dogs recognised by breeders in the UK, from Affenpinscher to Yorkshire Terrier (there are sadly no dog breeds starting with the letter ‘z’!).
So there’s plenty of thinking to do before you select your family’s latest four-legged addition – whether you want a large dog, family-friendly dog, or an easy to train dog.
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There is even scientific research to guide you, in particular psychologist Stanley Coren’s groundbreaking book The Intelligence of Dogs.
Choosing the right breed is absolutely essential – for example opting for a small dog if you don’t have much room at home, or a hypoallergenic dog if you suffer from allergies.
One thing to take into consideration is that some dogs just don’t get on well with cold weather.
These less hardy breeds will not thank you for long walks in snow and sub-zero temperatures – in fact it might be very bad for their health – and might benefit from wearing a jacket to pop out for a winter walk.
Here are the 13 breeds of dog that struggle in cold conditions.
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5. Greyhound
A good winter jacket, and perhaps even warm protective booties, are ideally needed when taking a skinny greyhound out into wintery weather. They'll still be keen to get home to laze by the fire though. | Canva/Getty Images
6. Dachshund
There's a reason why you often see Dachshunds in colourful winter attire - their short coats and tiny stature mean they hate the cold. Their short legs are also pretty unhelpful when it comes to anything more than a light smattering of snow. | AFP via Getty Images
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7. Pug
Pugs are pretty fussy when it comes to temperatures - their short noses mean that they can't pant properly to cool down so they don't like hot weather, but their short coat means that cold weather's not great for them either. Ideally you should get a pug coat with layers you can remove or add to keep them just right. | AFP via Getty Images
8. Doberman
Many people are surprised to hear that the Doberman Pinscher isn't particularly tolerant to the cold - particularly since they can take pretty much anything else in their stride. | Canva/Getty Images