There was a really good documentary on channel 4 more last night - if you missed it, you can watch it on 4OD. This programme offered a fantastic indsight into the responsibilities of dog owners and breeders. One piece of advice that I thought was really useful was to stay in a house with a dog before acquiring your own. I have three children (7, 9 and 11 years) and went to stay with my sister and her two dogs for a week to see if my children would react well living with dogs and understand the responsibilities of having a dog. Fortunately, the week was a success and we have since acquired our own cocker spaniel - Sooty. The children help to look after the dog and he is now an established part of our family. We have even started a 'boasting book' about Sooty that the children love to update regularly and take to school to show their friends. I haven't seen these in the shops, but our breeder recommended it to us from 'www.petstory.co.uk'.