Vizsla

Vizslas are one of the better choices for a family with children. Expect a big dog that is high-energy, sheds a normal amount and needs very little grooming. The big catch is company: this breed genuinely struggles when the house is empty all day.

Source: American Kennel Club breed standard.

Hungarian sporting nobility bred the Vizsla to hunt close — within gun range rather than ranging out of sight — and that closeness became the defining trait of the breed. Owners call them "velcro dogs" without irony: a Vizsla wants physical contact, follows you into the bathroom, and leans its whole weight against your leg. The flip side is that this is one of the breeds least suited to an empty house, and separation anxiety in Vizslas is common enough that rescues screen for it. Physically they are lean, short-coated and almost self-cleaning, with rust-coloured noses and eye rims that match the coat exactly. Low grooming, very high companionship — the opposite trade from most dogs on this list.

Day to day. High-energy — this is a dog that needs a real outlet every single day, not a stroll. Skip that and you get chewing, barking and digging, which is not naughtiness, it is boredom. On noise, it is about average for noise.

The coat, honestly. This breed sheds a normal amount and needs very little grooming. A brush a few times a week and the occasional tidy-up keeps it in good order.

Being left alone. Struggles on its own. If your house is empty from the school run until the evening, this is the breed most likely to be unhappy about it — and separation problems are one of the top reasons dogs end up back in rescue.

Training. Eager and easy to train. That makes it a forgiving choice for a family training their first dog, as long as everyone is consistent.

• You want a dog with a reputation for putting up with children
• Someone in the house genuinely wants to run, hike or train most days
• You want a dog whose coat looks after itself
• You have room for a big dog and a car it actually fits in
• This is your first dog and you want one that makes training feel possible

• Your daily walk is really a quick trip round the block
• Your house is empty from the morning drop-off until the evening
• You are in a flat, or nobody can physically hold this dog on a lead

Rough running cost: $$ (middle of the pack) — because it is a big dog, so food, medicines and anaesthetics all cost more.

Those are relative bands, not live prices. For real numbers across every pet we cover, see the pet cost study and the cost calculator.

Rescues do have Vizslas and Vizsla crosses, usually adults whose size, coat and temperament you can see rather than guess at.