Selecting Your Dog

Choose a dog suited to your lifestyle, environment and family. Consider the following:

Lifestyle - Do you enjoy outdoor activities? An active, energetic dog would be a good choice for you. If, however, you are the stay-at-home type, then you are looking for a small dog to provide you with companionship.

Dog Size - Remember the Fox Terrier-size dog is better for an apartment than a Great Dane, and while the average city lot provides sufficient room for a small Spaniel to exercise, it is not large enough for a very active Boxer or hunting dog.

Your Budget - Adding a dog to your family may cost more than you think and larger dogs are more costly. There are other considerations such as veterinary care and the cost of boarding your dog should you go on vacation.

Family - Small children and very young puppies do not mix well. The toddler sees the puppy as an extra cuddly toy to be pushed and poked, and a puppy might nip in defense. In the end the child may grow up afraid of dogs or the puppy may mature into a nervous, irritable dog. An older pup, about 9-12 months of age, is much more suitable for a home with young children. Better still, wait until your child is old enough to properly handle a dog. Never leave an infant or young child alone with a dog.

A Dog's Requirements

Besides shelter, food, fresh water, and medical care, your dog's basic necessities include grooming, companionship, and plenty of exercise -- at least 2 walks a day.

Dogs will be most happy living and sleeping inside your home with your family. They should have a set place to call their own. If you prefer an outdoor kennel, it should be weather and draft-proof, situated in a dry and sunny spot, be raised off the ground, contain plenty of clean, dry bedding, and have walls and floors insulated against heat and cold. Dogs are social animals and desire contact with others -- be they people or other dogs.

Feed your full grown dog once daily, preferably in the evening. Larger or very active dogs may need a snack in the morning, but avoid overfeeding. Many North American dogs have something in common - Obesity! Obesity greatly increases the risk of: heart disease, arthritis, back problems, and cancer. As your dog ages and becomes less active switch to a low calorie dog food.

Water

All animals require a constant supply of fresh water. Water should be changed often, at least at all feeding times. For outdoor dogs water dishes should be fixed so they don't spill if knocked over. In cold weather be sure the water is ice free.

Training

All dogs need at least some basic training for the safety of the dog and other people. A well trained dog will be a pleasure to be around. Basic training should begin at six to eight weeks of age. It is best to refer to a dog training book or enroll in "Puppy Kindergarten" classes.

Be patient and consistent in the training of your puppy. There are many schools of thought for how to train dogs, however, striking an animal is never an acceptable method of training. Voice intonation, tugs with the leash and a can with small rocks that makes a loud noise when shaken are key instruments to training.

Begin with house training, leash walking, sit, stay and come. Training your dog to a flat collar and leash is of utmost importance. If your dog is having difficulty learning we recommend using a Halti, gentle leader or harness. Not only is it the law in most areas that a dog be leash controlled, but it could prevent your dog from being hit by a car, poisoned, injured in a dog fight, stolen, impounded or lost. Remember too, that picking up after your dog is part of being a responsible dog guardian.

Medical Care

Have your puppy or dog vaccinated regularly. Thousands of dogs die each year from one disease alone - parvo virus. Prevention is the only way to fight this fatal disease.

Start your pup's vaccinations at six to eight weeks of age. For adequate immunity, boosters must be given at twelve and sixteen weeks. Thereafter, a booster once a year is necessary.

Due to the increased incidence of rabies, all dogs should be vaccinated for this as well. (See the rabies information from the Canadian Food Inspection Agency.)

If your dog becomes ill phone your veterinarian. Your veterinarian is often the best person to ask about nutrition, parasite control and animal husbandry in addition to medical questions.

Stop Unwanted Pets

Dogs should be spayed/neutered around six months of age. Not only will this procedure ensure that your pet remains more healthy and less likely to wander, it will also prevent the birth of unwanted pets. There are not enough homes for them for all the animals born each year. Make sure that your dog does not add to the population explosion.