Did you know your dog can have an impact on your home insurance?

When it comes to being dog owners, we often think of the pros and cons in terms of how they will impact our lives and health. But what about the impact that they will have on your home insurance?

Thanks to a recent study from Confused.com, we have some interesting facts and answers to share with you about the correlations between our dogs and our insurance. And not only that, but they also break down the best dog breeds for things like “guard dogs,” “watch dogs,” and even the “most obedient” dogs out there.

There are two big things that adding a dog to your home can impact beyond our personal health and well-being and that is either security of your home or even potential damage to the home. And those are two very big things in terms of how dogs can have an impact on our home insurance.

So what all did we learn from this study?

Dogs can have an impact on our home insurance for a few reasons

If you want a great companion and a dog that will help make your home feel safer, then these are the best guard dogs around. Not only will they be more likely to ward off potential burglars, but they are also a lot of fun to cuddle with.

The top five guard dogs to have to keep your home on lock down are:

1. The Bullmastiff
2. Doberman Pinscher
3. Rottweiler
4. Komondor
5. Puli

Now, if you are looking for a different type of doggy-based home protection, there are also the watch dogs to consider. While guard dog and watch dog might seem like they would be the same thing, there are some minor differences, with one of those differences being the barking. A watch dog is more likely to bark at a potential intruder, whereas the guard dogs literally act as bodyguards.

So which breeds made the top five when it comes to watch dogs?

1. The Rottweiler
2. German Shepherd (these pups were actually number 7 in terms of being guard dogs too)
3. Scottish Terrier
4. West Highland White Terrier
5. Miniature Schnauzer

Of course, just because dogs might be good for keeping your home safe, there are some breeds that are known for getting a bit destructive. And top among them are the Pointers, which is a breed that can “cause more home damage than any other dog breed.” With plenty of exercise and training damage can be avoided, but it is certainly something to consider and pay attention to when it comes to bringing home these loveable pups.

And remember when we mentioned that having a dog can impact our home insurance? Thanks to a home insurance expert from Confused.com, Jessica Willock, we have a better idea of what they are talking about. According to her,

"Having a constant companion and bodyguard is a great incentive to buy or adopt, and having that added layer of security in the home is certainly a positive too.But it’s also no secret that with dogs can come a lot of destruction! From ripped up furniture to damaged belongings, it’s likely you’ll be forking out to replace or repair items in the home that have been damaged by your dog. And for this reason, having a dog could have an impact on the price you pay for insurance, as you’re more likely to make a claim for damage."

Basically, it’s always a good idea to do your research when it comes to picking your home insurance because you never know what being a dog owner could mean in terms of what you will pay to insure your home. And it is always a good idea to check your current policy for anything related to dogs as well, especially if you are adopting a furry friend for the first time.

We love our dogs and we already know that with doggy ownership the cost of things will increase, but sometimes we forget that those costs can also apply to things beyond dog food and pet bills.