Grey Cockatiel

Thinking about a Cockatiel? It is a small dog, friendly, and lives around its lifetime. Before anything else, check your week: this breed does well when someone is home to break up the day, and poorly with eleven empty hours.

If that does not describe your household, tell us - we would rather point you at a different dog that fits than sell you this one.

Your Cockatiel checklist

• Damp: dry it properly in the wet months - skin trouble here starts damp and gets ignored.
• Nails: trimmed before you can hear them on hard flooring.
• Training: loose-lead walking and reliable recall, both set in the first three months.
• Exercise: two walks a day, and do not over-exercise a young dog while the joints are still forming.
• Vet: registered before you need one, not during an emergency.