Finding the right dog breed for me

Becoming a dog owner is a significant decision. From the first day your dog arrives, they become a big part of your household. As their owner, you have a responsibility to give them a good life which begins long before their arrival as research is needed to determine which dog breed would best fit you.

Our experts are here to help and provide all the necessary information in helping you choose what breed would be best for you.

On this page you will find the following

1. How to choose the right dog breed

2. Pedigree or mixed breed

Is your home environment safe for a dog?

There's no one type of environment that's right for a dog. You may have children or existing pets to consider. You may live in a city or the countryside, in an apartment or a house. Whatever the environment, the important thing is that it's safe for your pet.

Puppies in particular are very receptive to their environment, and negative experiences will have a lasting effect. Today's habitat is often urban and with city life come numerous, frequent, and often intense visual and auditory stimuli. It is extremely important that your puppy does not associate its living environment with a fright or any unpleasant sensations.

City life can be very stimulating but for a puppy this can easily be overwhelming. You should take the time to gradually familiarize him or her with their surroundings as well as with the multiple situations they will have to face: cars, escalators, elevators, trains, streetcars, or buses to name only a few.

The puppy must also learn to stay alone in the home sometimes for increasingly longer periods without being frightened or becoming destructive or noisy.

Things to consider include:

• Exposed electrical cords.
• Anywhere a puppy could get stuck or fall such as windows, balconies, or stairs.
• Accessible toxic substances including cleaning products, e-cigarette refills, home medication, chemical fertilizers, sharp tools, herbicides, and insecticides.
• Holes and gaps in the yard where a puppy could escape, poisonous plants.
• Poisonous plants such as Ficus, Cyclamen, Holly, Mistletoe, Philodendron, Aloe, Narcissus, Hyacinth, Iris, Azalea, Rhododendron, Oleander, and Sweet Peas.

Getting a dog can be a rewarding and long-term relationship, and making sure that your home and lifestyle can meet the health and safety needs of your new dog will go a long way to ensuring a successful and happy life together.