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Hound Handbook
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Hound Handbook: dog health, care, breeds and pet insurance guides

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Fluffy white Bichon Frise on a rock beside a lake, with the Manhattan skyline behind
Breeds

Best Dog Breeds for Apartments: 12 Honest Picks (and What Matters)

The best apartment dogs are calm and quiet, not just small. Twelve breeds with honest pros and cons, why mixed breeds are worth a look, and building pet rules.

9 min read · 8 sources

Latest

  1. Bloat (GDV) in Dogs: Signs, Breeds at Risk and Prevention
  2. Can Dogs Eat Bananas, Apples and Other Fruit? A Safe-Fruit Guide
  3. Cost of Treating Cancer in Dogs: Surgery, Chemo and Radiation
  4. How to Crate Train a Puppy: A Realistic Week-by-Week Plan
  5. Does Pet Insurance Cover Dental Cleaning and Tooth Extractions?
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Tools for dog owners

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How much should my dog eat?

Daily calories and portions from weight, age and activity.

Dog years, done properly

The epigenetic formula, not the ×7 myth.

What will a dog cost?

A line-by-line yearly budget in your currency.

Is it toxic to dogs?

Foods and plants, sorted by danger.

Health

What to watch for, and when to call the vet.

More health
A black Great Dane lies on the floor against a dark studio background, looking towards the camera
Health

Bloat (GDV) in Dogs: Signs, Breeds at Risk and Prevention

GDV, or bloat, is a twisted stomach that can kill a dog within hours. The signs to act on, which breeds are most at risk, and what preventive gastropexy offers.

9 min read · 10 sources
A smiling black dog with its mouth open, showing clean white teeth and pink gums in warm evening light
Health

Dog Dental Care: How to Brush, What Chews to Avoid, and Cleanings

A tricolour Beagle sleeps with its head on a patterned blanket
Health

Dog Diarrhoea: Causes, Home Care and When to See a Vet

A small curly-coated Maltipoo in a harness shakes its head on a lawn, ears flying
Health

Dog Ear Infections: Causes, Cleaning and Prevention

Training & behaviour

Kind methods with evidence behind them.

More training & behaviour
Boston Terrier resting its chin on its paw in the doorway of a pink travel crate with the door open
Training

How to Crate Train a Puppy: A Realistic Week-by-Week Plan

Crate training a puppy usually takes a few days to a few weeks. Here's a step-by-step plan, the right crate size, safe times by age and mistakes to avoid.

8 min read · 6 sources
A black, tan and white puppy runs across a lawn carrying a red rope toy
Training

How to Stop a Puppy Biting: What Works and When It Ends

A cream Golden Retriever puppy lies on a fleecy white blanket
Training

How to Toilet Train a Puppy Fast: Schedules by Age

A woman walks a black dog on a short red lead along a leaf-covered woodland path
Training

Leash Pulling: How to Teach a Dog to Walk Nicely on a Lead

Everyday care

Exercise, grooming and life at home.

More everyday care
English Setter running towards the camera through long summer grass, ears flying
Care

How Much Exercise Does a Dog Need? By Breed, Age and Weather

Most adult dogs need 30 minutes to 2+ hours of exercise a day. See our breed table, the truth about the puppy 5-minute rule, senior dog tips and heat limits.

8 min read · 8 sources

The most popular breeds

Honest profiles, including the health problems breeders don't advertise.

Breed finder
White and grey pied French Bulldog sitting upright in a sunlit doorway in Paris

French Bulldog

#1 in the US · 9–12 yrs
Backlit profile portrait of a yellow Labrador Retriever against a soft dark background

Labrador Retriever

#2 in the US · 10–12 yrs
Pale cream Golden Retriever looking upward, backlit by golden evening light in a field

Golden Retriever

#3 in the US · 10–12 yrs
Black and tan German Shepherd Dog in profile on a sunny lawn with olive trees behind

German Shepherd Dog

#4 in the US · 9–13 yrs
Head of a red smooth-haired Dachshund with long soft ears in warm sunlight

Dachshund

#5 in the US · 12–16 yrs
A black Miniature Poodle in a natural pet trim stands on long green grass

Miniature Poodle

#6 in the US · 13–15 yrs
Black Standard Poodle with a pompom tail standing on a green lawn

Standard Poodle

#6 in the US · 12–15 yrs
White Toy Poodle in a blue harness standing on a park path beside grass

Toy Poodle

#6 in the US · 12–18 yrs
Tricolour Beagle in a red harness lying on grass and panting happily

Beagle

#7 in the US · 12–15 yrs
Adult black-and-tan Rottweiler lying on a concrete floor, looking straight at the camera

Rottweiler

#8 in the US · 8–10 yrs
Liver-roan German Shorthaired Pointer striding across snow with a forest behind

German Shorthaired Pointer

#9 in the US · 10–14 yrs
Close-up of a fawn and white English Bulldog face with an undershot jaw and soulful eyes

Bulldog (English)

#10 in the US · 8–10 yrs
Senior black brindle Cane Corso with natural ears and a greying muzzle standing on a sunlit lawn in front of a hedge

Cane Corso

#11 in the US · 9–11 yrs
Blenheim Cavalier King Charles Spaniel lying with its chin on the grass in front of a hedge

Cavalier King Charles Spaniel

#12 in the US · 9–14 yrs
Yorkshire Terrier with a tan face and upright ears looking up at the camera on a cobbled street

Yorkshire Terrier

#13 in the US · 12–15 yrs
Blue merle Australian Shepherd with pale blue eyes looking at the camera in a snowy garden

Australian Shepherd

#14 in the US · 12–15 yrs
Black Labrador sitting in the bow of a canoe in front of a man paddling on a misty lake
Pet insurance, explained

The money side of loving a dog

Deductibles, excesses, lifetime cover and the small print that decides whether a claim gets paid. Explained plainly, for the country you actually live in.

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Costs & insurance

More on costs & insurance
Close-up of a pale cream eight-year-old Golden Retriever looking at the camera against a dark green garden background
Insurance

Cost of Treating Cancer in Dogs: Surgery, Chemo and Radiation

Lymphoma chemo averages $5,254 in the US and £6,000–8,000 at a UK referral hospital. Real costs for surgery, chemo and radiation, and where insurance runs out.

9 min read · 13 sources
A tan-and-white dog with a worn collar sits on sand, mouth open and teeth showing
Insurance

Does Pet Insurance Cover Dental Cleaning and Tooth Extractions?

Most dog insurance won't pay for a routine clean. Extractions are usually covered after an accident, and after gum disease only on some policies. How to check.

8 min read · 11 sources
A brindle French Bulldog stands among fallen autumn leaves, looking up
Insurance

Dog Insurance for French Bulldogs: What to Know Before You Buy

French Bulldogs cost more to insure because they claim more, mostly for breathing, skin, eye and ear problems. How BOAS cover and hereditary rules work.

7 min read · 11 sources