Why would house size matter to a dog?

[Kermit power]

Evening all,

We're thinking of getting a dog. Not having had one before, I've been looking on the Kennel Club website, and specifically their tool for recommending breeds to consider.

This is useful, but I'm a bit perplexed by the questions it asks, or indeed doesn't ask.

I can understand, for example, why it would be good to know if we've got anyone in the family with allergies, how much we can exercise it, or even the size of any garden we have (although I'm not sure how relevant this is if we can exercise it enough?), but why on earth is house size relevant?

Ok, I get that it would be unreasonable to keep a Saint Bernard in a studio flat, but is a small or large house going to make much difference? I'm especially bemused as I live in a medium house, which isn't given as an option!

I'm also somewhat surprised that it didn't ask if we have kids, as is understood some breeds to be much more child friendly than others.

I've got a well rated "how to choose the right puppy" book on order from Amazon, but is welcome any other suggestions on resources to help with the decision?

[Kermit power]

Starfighter said:

The KC are a very odd bunch. They have some breed standards that effectively promote long term health problems. I’m not sure I would trust them as the definitive source of good practice.

Dogs Trust offer advice to new owners even if you are buying new rather than used as it were.

Thanks, I'll take a look.

One of the reasons I ordered the book I did was a review from a dog trainer praising it for flagging up the problems health problems caused by breeding features into various breeds.

[Kermit power]

renmure said:

Unless the thinking is big house = big garden = good for owning a dog, I can't see it mattering much.

I live in a huge old farmhouse with 5 acres of garden and have always had Great Danes and German Shepherds. But, the the indoor bit the dogs live in, and the outdoor run they have access to via a hatch, would be in keeping with a fairly standard sized 2/3 bedroom modern house. My dogs don't know there's more house than the bits they see and I'm sure they don't care.

You'd think so, wouldn't you, but size of garden and size of house are two separate questions!

We've got an extended three bed semi with an 80' garden, so I couldn't really see the relevance either, beyond not being a small flat with no outside access.

[Kermit power]

sc0tt said:

I think its pretty obvious and you answered the question yourself. Your dog will spend the majority of its time indoors so ensuring it has suitable room is obvious.

But is that something that's really governed by the size of the house?

Unless by "large house" they mean that Fido has the run of everything from the ballroom in the East wing through to the Orangerie in the North-West annex, I don't really see that there's that much difference between a three-bed semi and a five-bed detached from a doggie perspective? It's not as though they're going to be running laps, is it?