Dog Care & Behaviour
Dogs are social animals that need to be part of your family! With lots of care, training,
socialization and love, your new dog will be a faithful and loving family companion
Socialization & exercise
Dogs are extremely social creatures. Make sure that they spend lots of time
bonding with the family and have opportunities to interact with other dogs. Take
your dog for car rides, walk on busy streets, visit friends, children, other animals and
people of all shapes and sizes. This will help your dog feel comfortable with different
people other than their pack and decrease anxiety in new situations. Off-leash parks
are great places to socialize your dog with other dogs — consult your city/municipality
website for a listing of off-leash parks in your area.
Your dog requires lots of daily exercise. The amount depends on your dog's
age and breed. Most dogs need one to two hours of outdoor exercise everyday.
Some breeds (e.g., border collies, labs, and Jack Russell terriers) require more
exercise than others (e.g., Bulldogs, Great Danes, and Mastiffs).
Medical care
Select a veterinarian and visit with the vet when you first get your dog for a routine health
check. The BC Veterinary Medical Association website allows you to search for a veterinarian
in your area. Consult with your vet clinic if your dog has any lumps, bumps, unusual skin problems
such as red or raised skin, smelly ears, open wounds, becomes lethargic, refuses to eat, gains
or loses excess weight or if you notice any other unusual physical conditions. You may also want
to consult with your vet if your dog experiences a change in normal behaviour (e.g., refuses to
go on walks, becomes terrified of visitors in your home, hides a lot, etc.)
Vaccinations
Your dog will most likely have been vaccinated when at the facility that you
have adopted him from. Check with the shelter or breeder to confirm. Your dog
will require booster vaccinations if a puppy and annual vaccinations if an
adult.
Housing
Your dog will be most happy living and sleeping inside your home with the
family. Set up an area with a comfy bed or blanket that your dog can call his
own. We are strongly opposed to having your dog live outside. Dogs are extremely
social animals and need lots of contact with humans and other dogs.
Feeding a puppy or dog
Puppies require good quality puppy food. Adult dogs will thrive on a quality dry kibble. We
recommend adding water to the dry kibble. Both are available at your local pet supply store.
Consult the feeding guidelines provided on the bag or can to determine how much your dog
should eat in a day. It is common for most dogs to eat twice a day — in the morning and at dinner
time. Puppies may require three meals a day. There are different types of dog food available
other than the standard kibble and can food, including different types of the BARF (bones and
raw food) diets and recipes for home cooked meals. Consult your veterinarian to choose a diet
that is best for your dog to ensure your dog is getting the right amount of nutrients he needs.
Table scraps
It's very tempting to feed your dog table scraps but you should try to avoid doing so. This
will not only promote begging at the table, but human food can be unhealthy to
dogs and feeding your dog extra table scraps will likely lead to obesity. Human
food is usually too salty or too sweet for dogs, factors that can affect good
health. Many things people eat can be poisonous to dogs. For a list of foods that are toxic
to dogs, please see our Toxic Foods for Dogs form. if you think your pet may have ingested
these foods and is feeling ill, please contact your veterinarian immediately! If this is after hours
you can always contact and emergency clinic or the Pet Poison Hotline 1-855-764-7661.
Treats
There are a lot of treats available for dogs at grocery stores and your local
pet supply stores. Treats are great for training but should not replace dog
food. Limit the amount of treats your dog receives each day and don't forget to
take into consideration the size of your dog too.
Water
Your dog should always have access to fresh water. Change the water and wash
out the bowl daily.
Training
Basic obedience training is essential for all dogs. Your dog should know the
basic commands: sit, stay, come, relax, and off. We strongly suggest enrolling
in an obedience class with your dog.
Practice commands with your dog at home. Keep training times short. Daily 5
to 10 minute sessions are much more effective than 30 minute sessions where you
and your dog may start to get impatient, frustrated or bored.
Identification
If your dog is gets lost he'll need some form of identification to help
him find his way home. Make sure that your dog has two forms of ID. A visible
tag that includes your dog's name and a phone number that you can be reached at
all times and a permanent form of ID such as an ear tattoo or microchip.
Grooming & Nail Trimming
All dogs, whether short or long hair, require grooming. Longer haired dogs
need to be brushed daily to keep mat free. Visit your local pet supply store for
grooming tools appropriate for your dog's coat. Regular grooming will also help
you detect external parasites (e.g., fleas) or any lumps, bumps or skin
conditions your dog may have.
A dogs nails might also need trimming if they grow quickly or your dog does not
wear them down naturally. When standing, your dog's nails should not be touching
the ground. On average, nails should be trimmed once every month by a vet,
groomer or yourself at home. Consult with your vet or local groomer for tips on
how trim nails. Great care must be taken that you don't trim too much. You can cut
the blood vessel in the middle of the nail called the "quick." If you trim your own dog's
nails, always have styptic powder nearby just in case you cut the quick. The
styptic powder will stop the bleeding.
socialization and love, your new dog will be a faithful and loving family companion
Socialization & exercise
Dogs are extremely social creatures. Make sure that they spend lots of time
bonding with the family and have opportunities to interact with other dogs. Take
your dog for car rides, walk on busy streets, visit friends, children, other animals and
people of all shapes and sizes. This will help your dog feel comfortable with different
people other than their pack and decrease anxiety in new situations. Off-leash parks
are great places to socialize your dog with other dogs — consult your city/municipality
website for a listing of off-leash parks in your area.
Your dog requires lots of daily exercise. The amount depends on your dog's
age and breed. Most dogs need one to two hours of outdoor exercise everyday.
Some breeds (e.g., border collies, labs, and Jack Russell terriers) require more
exercise than others (e.g., Bulldogs, Great Danes, and Mastiffs).
Medical care
Select a veterinarian and visit with the vet when you first get your dog for a routine health
check. The BC Veterinary Medical Association website allows you to search for a veterinarian
in your area. Consult with your vet clinic if your dog has any lumps, bumps, unusual skin problems
such as red or raised skin, smelly ears, open wounds, becomes lethargic, refuses to eat, gains
or loses excess weight or if you notice any other unusual physical conditions. You may also want
to consult with your vet if your dog experiences a change in normal behaviour (e.g., refuses to
go on walks, becomes terrified of visitors in your home, hides a lot, etc.)
Vaccinations
Your dog will most likely have been vaccinated when at the facility that you
have adopted him from. Check with the shelter or breeder to confirm. Your dog
will require booster vaccinations if a puppy and annual vaccinations if an
adult.
Housing
Your dog will be most happy living and sleeping inside your home with the
family. Set up an area with a comfy bed or blanket that your dog can call his
own. We are strongly opposed to having your dog live outside. Dogs are extremely
social animals and need lots of contact with humans and other dogs.
Feeding a puppy or dog
Puppies require good quality puppy food. Adult dogs will thrive on a quality dry kibble. We
recommend adding water to the dry kibble. Both are available at your local pet supply store.
Consult the feeding guidelines provided on the bag or can to determine how much your dog
should eat in a day. It is common for most dogs to eat twice a day — in the morning and at dinner
time. Puppies may require three meals a day. There are different types of dog food available
other than the standard kibble and can food, including different types of the BARF (bones and
raw food) diets and recipes for home cooked meals. Consult your veterinarian to choose a diet
that is best for your dog to ensure your dog is getting the right amount of nutrients he needs.
Table scraps
It's very tempting to feed your dog table scraps but you should try to avoid doing so. This
will not only promote begging at the table, but human food can be unhealthy to
dogs and feeding your dog extra table scraps will likely lead to obesity. Human
food is usually too salty or too sweet for dogs, factors that can affect good
health. Many things people eat can be poisonous to dogs. For a list of foods that are toxic
to dogs, please see our Toxic Foods for Dogs form. if you think your pet may have ingested
these foods and is feeling ill, please contact your veterinarian immediately! If this is after hours
you can always contact and emergency clinic or the Pet Poison Hotline 1-855-764-7661.
Treats
There are a lot of treats available for dogs at grocery stores and your local
pet supply stores. Treats are great for training but should not replace dog
food. Limit the amount of treats your dog receives each day and don't forget to
take into consideration the size of your dog too.
Water
Your dog should always have access to fresh water. Change the water and wash
out the bowl daily.
Training
Basic obedience training is essential for all dogs. Your dog should know the
basic commands: sit, stay, come, relax, and off. We strongly suggest enrolling
in an obedience class with your dog.
Practice commands with your dog at home. Keep training times short. Daily 5
to 10 minute sessions are much more effective than 30 minute sessions where you
and your dog may start to get impatient, frustrated or bored.
Identification
If your dog is gets lost he'll need some form of identification to help
him find his way home. Make sure that your dog has two forms of ID. A visible
tag that includes your dog's name and a phone number that you can be reached at
all times and a permanent form of ID such as an ear tattoo or microchip.
Grooming & Nail Trimming
All dogs, whether short or long hair, require grooming. Longer haired dogs
need to be brushed daily to keep mat free. Visit your local pet supply store for
grooming tools appropriate for your dog's coat. Regular grooming will also help
you detect external parasites (e.g., fleas) or any lumps, bumps or skin
conditions your dog may have.
A dogs nails might also need trimming if they grow quickly or your dog does not
wear them down naturally. When standing, your dog's nails should not be touching
the ground. On average, nails should be trimmed once every month by a vet,
groomer or yourself at home. Consult with your vet or local groomer for tips on
how trim nails. Great care must be taken that you don't trim too much. You can cut
the blood vessel in the middle of the nail called the "quick." If you trim your own dog's
nails, always have styptic powder nearby just in case you cut the quick. The
styptic powder will stop the bleeding.
