Considerations of Buying a Dog

Before you purchase a dog please ensure that you have thought carefully about the responsibility of dog ownership. Speak to your local veterinarian and other dog owners, and gather as much information as you can to aid you in your decision. Never buy a dog on impulse - dogs often live to around twelve years of age but some dogs much longer. Owing a dog is a commitment, which should be carefully considered. For more information about pet ownership click here.

Responsibilities of Dog Ownership

All dogs require adequate shelter from the elements, protection from potentially harmful situations, an adequate and balanced daily diet and appropriate daily exercise.

It is the owner who must bear the responsibility if a dog bites a human, kills wildlife, damages property, causes a traffic accident, creates noise or other pollution, or is the direct cause of some other cost to the community.

Dog-owners should be aware of any signs of illness in their dogs and must ensure that proper veterinary care is provided.

The following information is intended to provide a very basic overview of the essentials of caring for your dog. It does not cover every aspect of the care of your pet and we strongly advise that you seek further specific information and advice in order to ensure the welfare of any animals in your care.

Basic Dog Needs

Housing
Although most dogs are hardy enough to sleep out of doors in a well-built, well-furnished and weatherproof kennel, many dogs live indoors and sleep in a basket or softly-padded pet bed.

Puppies should be introduced to their sleeping area as soon as they are brought home. Kennels should be warm, dry and draught-free, off the ground near the house, but not in a thoroughfare.

The kennel should be protected from rain and excessive sun. Ideally the roof of the kennel should be hinged to make cleaning easier. Washable rugs, cushions or blankets should be used for extra comfort and warmth and bedding should be cleaned regularly.

Nutrition
Dogs require a properly balanced diet for health. This diet should contain:

• Protein: to build the body;
• Fats: for skin and coat health;
• Carbohydrates: for energy;
• Minerals and vitamins: for good bone development and healthy tissues.

Roughage is essential for bowel function.

The easiest and most economical balanced diet is a mixture of meat (raw or cooked or canned) and dry food. The following information will help you decide the best source of nutrition for your dog:

• Meat: by itself cannot be a complete diet and requires heavy supplementation with vitamins, minerals and other food materials, which is uneconomical and time consuming. In rapidly growing dogs a diet of meat alone can be responsible for major mineral imbalance and skeletal damage;
• Canned Food: these vary widely in quality but a good quality canned food, that combines the nutrition of meat with vegetables, cereal and the correct levels of vitamins and minerals, provides a diet which is complete and balanced;
• Semi-Moist Foods: all these products are a complete diet;
• Dry Foods: those that are a complete diet have this stated on the packet. This is an excellent, easy and inexpensive way of feeding a dog;
• Bones: all dogs appreciate a bone, especially a raw bone. A large marrowbone cleans the teeth, massages the gums, and is a valued possession. The RSPCA recommends a regular supply of bones for mouth/dental hygiene.

Dogs should have ready access to a plentiful supply of clean, fresh water, particularly when dry foods are used. Containers must be kept clean and placed in the shade. In hot weather water may need replenishing several times a day.

Training
Socialisation and early training are essential. Dog owners must teach their pets the rules of acceptable social behaviour and conduct training, which is based on kindness and positive reinforcement.

Anti-social behaviour such as barking, jumping up, begging, pulling and general disobedience can be avoided and corrected by early training. Puppy preschool classes are readily available for pups from 7 weeks.

Exercise and Play
Digging holes in the garden, wrecking plants and pulling washing off the line are all symptoms of frustrated and bored dogs. Dogs need an outlet for their energy and this comes via exercise.

Dogs need regular exercise - for most dogs this means at least once a day. Forms of exercise can include walks, off leash runs and structured play. Ideally, dogs should be taken to council designated areas where they can be safely let off the leash to run free with no risk from motor traffic and no threat to farm livestock or wildlife. All exercise, even that taken off the leash, should be supervised and the dog kept within calling distance. Dogs should always be under the control of the owner, either physically via a lead or by voice control.

A large back-yard will offer the opportunity of some exercise, but under no circumstance should this be a substitute for regularly scheduled walks where the dog has the opportunity to socialize with other dogs and with humans.

Bathing and Grooming
Combing and brushing dogs regularly is essential, particularly for long-haired breeds. It is best to establish this habit early in a dog's life, so that daily grooming becomes part of its routine.

Grooming removes dust, dead skin, loose hairs, grass seeds and tangles. It also assists to shorten the coat moult, which occurs each autumn and spring.

Dogs should be bathed when necessary using a shampoo specifically prepared for dogs. Using a flea control shampoo and a flea rinse, particularly in the summer, will also help control fleas although there are now a number of options for this problem. When bathing a dog in cooler weather, towels or a hair drier can be used to remove excess water and assist in drying the coat.

Boarding
If you are away from your home for any extended period of time you must make arrangements for the care of your dog. Relying on your neighbours to feed and care for your dog is often not a good solution. It is recommended that you place your dog in a boarding kennel where you are confident the dog will be securely kept and properly cared for.

In choosing a boarding kennel make sure you visit the establishment first and check that the following criteria are met:

• Staffing: enough to ensure personalised attention for your dog,
• Security: adequate precautions against the possibility of escape;
• Hygiene: evidence of cleanliness and no smell;
• Accommodation: dry, clean and roomy;
• Exercise: an area for daily exercise and play.

A good boarding kennel will only accept dogs, which have been properly vaccinated and will require proof of vaccination.

Health

Signs of Health
A healthy dog should display the following signs of health:

• Demeanour: alert, and quickly responsive to sounds and calls;
• Movement: good stamina in youth, deteriorating with age; no lameness;
• Appetite: enthusiastic for food, eating fast; no vomiting;
• Coat: clean, glossy, and free from parasites and dirt;
• Ears: alert to slightest sound, no discharge or irritation;
• Eyes: clear with no discharge or inflammation;
• Nose: cold and damp when outdoors, dry and warm when indoors; no persistent discharge.

If your dog appears unwell, has lost its appetite or is unresponsive and lacking energy, consult your veterinarian immediately.

Vaccination
Canine distemper, canine infectious hepatitis and canine parvovirus are three viral diseases of dogs which are potentially fatal. Vaccination against the diseases are mandatory. Temporary vaccinations are given from 6 - 10 weeks of age, but further injections are required. A vaccine is available against kennel cough, an upper respiratory infection of dogs. This disease is not fatal but vaccination is advisable. Consult your veterinary surgeon for advice on the proper schedule and whether any other vaccines are advisable.

Worming
Puppy roundworms can infect humans. To prevent this infection, puppies should be wormed regularly throughout the first year of life, and dog owners should practice commonsense personal hygiene at all times.

Tapeworms, hookworms, and whipworms can also infect dogs, whilst heartworm is a major problem for dogs in many areas of Australia. Preventative treatment is advisable but must not be commenced without first receiving veterinary advice.

Fleas
Fleas are a common external parasite associated with dogs. They usually cause severe itching and inflammation of the skin, leading to dermatitis. They are also the intermediate host for the tapeworm most common in dogs. There are now a number of options available for control of fleas, including medication, insecticidal powders or washes or the use of a flea collar. Your veterinarian will be able to advise you on these.

Desexing
Bitches are desexed for a number of reasons:

• to prevent the season cycle which occurs twice a year for 3 weeks (This may attract many male dogs to property where the bitch is housed resulting in fighting and destruction of gardens, or the escape of inseson bitches);
• to prevent unwanted pregnancies with the associated problems of rearing puppies and finding proper homes for them;
• to prevent breast cancer and uterine problems frequently found in entire (undesexed) bitches that have not had puppies.

Male dogs are predominately desexed to prevent fighting and straying.

The preferred age for desexing dogs is usually between two and six months. Your veterinary surgeon will advise. Please click here to find out further information about desexing.