I own seven dogs: Meet the dog lovers of Birmingham who weigh in on rescue versus pedigree

Crufts is a celebration of dogs in all shapes and sizes, from highly trained show champions to the everyday pets that fill homes across Birmingham.

But beyond the spotlight of the NEC, owning a dog is a big decision.

For many, a dog is part of the family, a companion, a protector and even a best friend.

Others see pet ownership as too much responsibility, too expensive or just not for them. Some people grow up with dogs and wouldn't be without one. While others have never had a pet in their life.

So in a city as big as Birmingham, how many people actually own a dog? And if they don't, what's holding them back?

We went out to speak to the people of Birmingham, here’s what they had to say:

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“Yes, I do. So I've got two dogs. I've got a Staffordshire Bull Terrier called Stan, who's 13. And literally in October, we rescued a greyhound and she's called Sandy. Mainly own them because my kids, who are now older, conned me into having these dogs. But I'm the one that looks after these dogs and probably love them the most.”

“I've actually got two dogs, two Frenchies, Rocco and Baxter.”

Yes, I do. I own seven dogs. I think they're great companions. I love all of their characters. They're all their own sort of individual personalities. I don't actually own a dog, but I have done in the past. And the dog wasn't really trained, so he actually got out the back of the garden and bit somebody. So after that experience, I didn't want to really have the responsibility of owning a dog again.”

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Owning a dog isn't just about having a pet, it's a commitment. Some people choose a specific breed, looking for particular traits or appearances, while others believe every dog deserves a chance, no matter their background. Rescue centres across Birmingham are full of dogs in need of homes, yet pedigree dogs remain as popular as ever. For some, getting a dog from a breeder means certainty in size, temperament and health history. But others believe adopting a rescue dog is the better choice, giving a loving home to an animal that needs it.

So when it comes to choosing a dog, do people in Birmingham think a pedigree is worth it, or is a rescue the way to go?

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Here are some of the replies: “Well, there you go. I've already adopted a rescue, so that's kind of my answer. Stan wasn't. He's not pedigree, but he was a replacement dog for a dog that we died, and it was to make my daughter happy. I think there's some fantastic rescues out there.”

“We've got a mix of pedigrees. We've got non-pedigrees, but we've owned them from a puppy. We've also got some rescues. I think they're all their own individual personalities. I don't think you can say that a pedigree dog is any better than any other dog. You can have pedigrees that have got health issues. You can have some non-pedigrees that are perfectly healthy.

“ I think it's each to their own as to why you want to own a dog, why you want to own that particular breed. And certainly rescues, a lot of the time, it's not the dog's fault that it's in a rescue. So I think they're definitely worth a chance.”