A visit to the vet these days is certainly a very different experience to what it was when I was growing up.
Besides the routine sterilization or vaccination, poor old Spot, or the beloved family tabby generally only got bundled into the car if they were in pretty bad shape and I remember more than one…
One of the best things about having dogs in your life is that you get to take them with you on adventures. Whether you’re off to your favourite hiking trail or a family stroll on the promenade – everything is more fun when the dogs come along for the ride.
Travelling with dogs can be…
Dogz at Home Training Centre is dedicated to teaching and promoting positive, reward-based training methods and in today’s article on puppy raising we’re giving you our top 5 challenges faced during puppy raising and how to resolve them using a rewards-based approach.
It means that we strongly…
Can you ever trust a dog around children? It depends on the dog, and it depends on the child. But it's safest to say that the answer is simply "no".
No dog should ever have access to a newborn baby unless the baby is in someone's arms (swaddled/held entirely) and/or the dog is on leash. Toddlers are completely unpredictable and can accidentally "threaten" a nervous dog simply by looking, walking or reaching. Lots of dogs are nervous. It's very, very common.
Bite risk is real, and it is usually severe in young children, with injuries to the head and face. In my behavior appointments, I explain to new parents or parents who've recently adopted a dog that it's my job to make them "paranoid" about safety. I try to compare safety practices to putting a child in a secure car seat for even the shortest drives. That includes avoiding cute photos unless the baby is in someone's arms.
As far as adopting adult dogs with unknown or murky backgrounds - it is probably not a good idea for homes with young children. Dogs would fare better in a home where they can move more freely, and where adults are less distracted.
I would leave it at that.
