Is your family in need of a furry companion? Dogs are a human’s best friend but owning one is a big commitment for pet parents.

Graeme Hall, the Dogs Behaving (Very) Badly presenter, has warned prospective owners that dogs are a huge commitment, adding that dogs can truly enrich family life.

Hall didn’t become a dog owner until he was 40, having never been allowed one in his family home growing up.

It was only after getting that dog (a Rottweiler called Axel) that Hall started training dogs and quickly learned he had a gift for it.

Less than a decade later, he became the presenter of the popular Channel 5 show, Dogs Behaving (Very) Badly.

“We didn’t have dogs as kids because my mum and dad were both working people,” recalls Hall, 58.

He added: “My sister and I were constantly badgering them for a dog, and the answer was always ‘We haven’t got the time for a dog, it wouldn’t be fair because we’re not home most of the time’.”

Kids pleading with their parents to let them have a dog is an age-old scenario, and Hall, who’s known as The Dogfather because of his connection with man’s best friend, says: “Lots of families end up with a dog because the kids really, really wanted one and managed to convince their parents. I’ve seen kids giving PowerPoint presentations!

“Since time immemorial, that’s been the way.”

Hall’s on-screen role is to sort out the bad behaviour of a variety of canines and he’s by no means suggesting that parents should give in to their children’s please for a family dog.

Instead, he stresses that there are many important considerations before bringing a dog into your home and choosing, caring and being responsible for a four-legged friend.

These are just some of the topics he discusses in his new book, The Ultimate Kids’ Guide to Dogs, available now for £12.99.

Graeme Hall warns parents to think hard before getting a dog

“Think about the time that it takes, because you have to walk your dog every day, you’ve got to get up and feed them, let them out for the loo. Do you have the time?” Graeme asks.

He added: “There’s only a finite amount of money and time that any of us have, and you’ve just got to be realistic about how big a slice of those things you’re going to give to the dog.

“Your children are going to be great at thinking with their hearts: ‘We want one’. A parent’s job is to think with your head first and foremost, and if your head says it’s do-able or it’s a good idea, then you can give in to your heart and the kids.”

In addition, for children, it brings a sense of responsibility. “I think there’s a great life lesson in this,” he says.

How often should you walk your dog in the summer?

“Most things you want in life are going to involve a bit of work, and it’s the same with dogs. You have to be involved with feeding and walking them and the not-so-nice stuff, like picking up poo.

“It brings that sense of responsibility and also caring for another living thing, which most kids without pets, I guess, don’t experience.”

Which dog breed is ideal for families?

Hall who owns Tish, a 17-year-old blind Patterdale Terrier, and Jonny, a 15-year-old Staffy cross, recommends a breed for families if you’re unsure where to start.

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He doesn’t hesitate to share what he’s said to people in the past: “Often, somebody would have what I call a little dog problem – ‘I’ve got this little terrier, and he’s a bit yappy and a bit nippy’, and I say, ‘I’ve got the answer and it’s really simple, and this is going to change your life.’ You give it a bit of a pause, and then say: ‘Get a Labrador’.”

He says Labs have been the number one pedigree dog breed in the UK for most of the last 10 years and points out: “They’re a very popular breed, yet you don’t see so many on Dogs Behaving (Very) Badly. Interesting. So on that basis, I would say they’re a good bet.”

However, he does warn that all dogs are individuals and there’s no guarantee that any one, no matter what the breed, will be a great family pet and he’s certainly met a fair few that have been big trouble on Dogs Behaving (Very) Badly.