A dog's basic needs include:

• Housing
• Good nutrition and fresh water
• One-time spay/neuter surgery
• Yearly vaccination and check up and other ongoing veterinary care
• Containing and controlling
• Yearly licensing
• Obedience training
• Exercise and play
• Bathing and grooming
• Holiday boarding arrangements

Housing

Dogs are very social animals and love, above all, to be with their 'pack'--that's you! Play is an essential part of providing for your dog's well- being. Invest time to interact with your pet everyday. Your pet will thrive and you will strengthen the bond you share.

Relegating a dog to the backyard to sleep away from you actually goes against their instinct. Your dog will appreciate not only the shelter of your home but the love, too. So, make room for your dog.

Of course, having shelter, such as a dog house, in the backyard is also important. When you are out your dog can find shelter without having to go inside the house.

A dog house in Lethbridge must be insulated and should not be too large (or else it will be cold). It should have a covered door (with a flap), and be raised off the ground to better preserve heat. It must be furnished with cedar shavings, hay/straw or bedding.

Dogs can get both frostbite and heat stroke, so keep them protected in both summer and winter!

Puppies will require house-training and crate-training that uses positive reinforcement. Click here for more information.

Good Nutrition and Fresh Water

Provide your dog with high quality food. Avoid cheap, no-name food and aim for middle to high range of quality dog food. Ask your vet for advice on the best food for your dog considering its size, age, activity level and medical conditions.

Provide a consistent diet. Feed your dog at the same times each day.

Dogs are omnivores eating meat, grains and vegetables. Commercial dog food has all the nutrients dogs need.

Always provide fresh clean water (change daily, at least). In the winter, if your dog is outside ensure they have access to water that is not frozen.

Help your dog maintain an appropriate weight. Overweight dogs develop health and bone/joint problems.

Feed your dog after you and your family have eaten. This establishes that you are the 'alpha.'

Lastly, NEVER give your dog “people food” or leftovers. Not only is this unhealthy, it is inconsistent and can results in problems such as weight gain and diarrhea. It can also cause considerable skin problems, ranging from eczema to allergies or a foul odor.

Does your dog beg during meal times? This is inappropriate. You can d iscourage begging by simply acting like a dog would: Tense up your shoulder and neck muscles, look angry, and growl. Your dog will get the message!

Spay/Neuter Surgery

For more information on why you should spay/neuter your dog, click here!

Vaccination and Check-Up and Ongoing Veterinary Care

Your dog requires yearly vaccinations against deadly diseases.

Your dog also requires regular deworming and flea/tick control.

If your dog seems 'out of sorts', is limping, or has other things going on, your dog will need to see a vet.

Containing and Controlling

You will need a 6-foot fence to contain your dog. Tethering is no longer considered acceptable and humane, and many cities in North America have outlawed the practice of chaining dogs.

Responsible breeders and dog adoption agencies will not adopt a dog to someone who does not have a fence and who plans to tether the dog.

Yearly Licensing

You will need to licence your dog annually. It is cheaper for spayed/neutered dogs to be licensed by the City because it ultimately costs less to taxpayers to have dogs 'fixed.'

Your dog should wear the ID on his/her collar ID. The collar should be tight enough that it will not slide over the dog's ears, but loose enough that you can fit two fingers between the collar and the dog's neck. Check the fit of the collar often, especially if you have a fast-growing puppy.

It is also helpful if on your dog's collar there is a tag with the dog's name, address and telephone number (including cell phone number). If your dog escapes from your yard, a friendly neighbor may bring him/her home. This will save you the cost of retrieving your dog from the pound.

You can also mark your dog for identification by having a vet put a tattoo on or microchip in your dog.

Obedience Training

You will need time and patience to learn their language and understand their needs. It is very important to train your dog so that you will have a good relationship. There are many good books and classes available. Make sure to choose a training method that uses only positive reinforcement. This is the most effective form of dog training.

Obedience training is just as much about your dog as it as about you! The human-canine relationship is one that crosses the species divide, and there is much we do not understand about each other.

Obedience training can help prevent nuisance behaviours such as barking, jumping up and begging. You must teach your puppy or dog appropriate and acceptable social behaviour. It is therefore recommended that you seek the advice of a professional dog obedience trainer.

Obedience training helps you

• Understand your dog
• Work with your dog
• Develop a strong and lasting bond with your dog

Obedience training helps your dog

• Work with you
• Bond with you
• Learn how to be around other dogs

Your dog will benefit from learning how to get along with others, and learning to respond to you when you tell them to stop doing something. Obedience training establishes YOU as the leader, using positive feedback and praise.

You will also learn how to get your dog to walk nicely on a leash, instead of having your dog always take you for a walk!

Socialize your dog, starting when it is 8 weeks old. Expose your dog to different animals, people, kids, and experiences like walking downtown or going into a store (some pet stores permit dogs).

Minimize barking that disturbs others using positive rewards for quiet behaviour. Exercise your dog before you leave him, so he is more likely to sleep than experience separation anxiety. Be aware that Lethbridge does have a strictly enforced dog bylaw.

Get your dog accustomed to be handled as she will be at the vet. Have her roll over and feel her feet and toes, her ears, and her legs. Your vet will be thankful!

Exercise and Play

Dogs require more time than most pets. Outdoor exercise is important. Staying in a backyard is not exercise. They need to run or walk for 30 minutes at least 2 times a day plus quality time with you or the family.

While leash walks are nice, dogs usually need more vigorous exercise. Lethbridge has 3 off-leash parks. Popson Park on the West side has direct river access.

Only use off-leash parks if your dog is socialized and will come to you on command.

Avoid off-leash parks if

• You keep your dog on a leash
• You don't like dogs
• You don't like being jumped on by dogs

During tick season, make sure you check your dog thoroughly for ticks after a trip to the off-leash areas.

Keep your dog under control at all times when not on private property (use a leash). Don't forget to 'scoop the poop' using a plastic bag, and show courtesy to those who don't like dogs.

Consider exercise in your own yard by teaching your dog to catch and retrieve a ball.

Consider agility or flyball.

Don't Let Your Dog Down. You aren't a dog owner just at Christmas, or on the weekends, or in the afternoon, or when you have spare time. You aren't a dog owner just when the dog is behaving, or when he's a cute fuzzy puppy. When you bring a dog into your family, that dog is yours for life. If you can't keep that commitment, don't make it. And once you've made it, don't break it. Your dog's life depends on you.

Supervise Play With Children: Children and dogs can be great companions, but they also require supervision when playing together. Your dog may be "good with kids," but what if he encounters a kid that is not good with dogs? Very small children should never be left alone with a dog, no matter how stable his temperament.

Give Your Dog a Job: Keep your dog active and alert by giving him tasks to do. Teach him to fetch the paper, carry groceries in a pack or empty the dryer. Make him sit before getting a treat or lay down before going outside. Giving your dog a sense of purpose and accomplishment will increase his sense of well-being.

Bathing and Grooming

Dogs require regular grooming, especially if they have longer hair. You may choose to take them to a professional groomer but it is a good idea to get your dog used to being brushed. Tangled, matted hair is very uncomfortable and can lead to skin problems.

If you have a puppy, make sure you acclimatize them to the shower early on. Make it as pleasant as possible by using hypoallergenic shampoo with a low odor. Keep it fun and use food treats.

Grooming your dog is one way of showing him/her that you are dominant. This is important to your dog.

Dental care is also important. Brushing your dog's teeth weekly will keep their teeth and gums healthy. This could prevent costly vet bills.

Holiday Boarding Arrangements

Most dogs love car rides and can almost always go where you go. Check ahead to see if hotels and camping areas accept dogs. If not, you will need to board your dog at a kennel. Dogs cannot be left at home unattended during holidays. By attending a kennel, your dog can have as much fun as you while on vacation!

If traveling by car, remember that leaving your dog in a car during summer is unwise, as the interior temperature can increase to deadly levels in minutes, causing not only temporary discomfort, but heatstroke, brain damage, and even death. Dogs do not sweat. They cool themselves by panting, so if they only have hot air to breathe brain damage can occur within moments and they can die.

When traveling, keep your dog safe in the car by using a crate, or by attaching the dog to a seat belt with a harness. Never let your dog ride free in the back of a pickup truck, or allow him to hang his head out of the car window.

If you decide you are unable to bring your dog with you on a road trip, you will need to find a kennel. Choose a kennel that allows free access to the outdoor runs and allows large group socialization and play time. Also, bring their own bedding and a shirt you have worn for a few days, so they have familiar smells while you are away.

A dog has the soul of a philosopher.

Plato

Happy is the home with at least one cat.

Italian Proverb