Time to add a dog to the family? No matter the reason you want a dog, the process of choosing the right dog takes a bit of research. When it comes to bringing a pet into the family, it is important to understand the needs of both the dog and your family.

Take Inventory

First things first, take inventory of yourself and your home.

Do you have wonderful memories of having a Lab or German Shepherd chasing you around the yard as a kid and think you want another one? Do you have a yard? Are you able to take them for long walks or runs daily? How big is your home? Labrador Retrievers, Golden Retrievers, and German Shepherds are good breeds for kids and families, however they also have a lot of energy to burn. If you are busy and live in the city, your childhood memories may need to stay a memory while you look for a more appropriate breed for your current situation.

Do you live on an acreage with a lot of space inside and out for a dog to play around in or in a smaller townhouse or condo and spend a limited time outdoors? There are plenty of family friendly breeds for all types of home situations.

The Calgary Winter

As you know, it gets cold in the winter and can dip down to -40 at times, so it is important you choose a breed that won’t freeze during the colder months or you have a wardrobe ready to help them stay warm all year round and space inside for them to get their daily exercise.

To Shed or Not Shed?

How do you feel about dog hair on your furniture or vacuuming for the umpteenth time to keep the carpets from having a layer of fur?
Combing or brushing your faithful friend on a regular basis will reduce the amount of hair shed in the house and gives you some one-on-one bonding time. However, if the idea of your hand being covered in dog hair when you pet them or having to constantly comb their coats to get most of their hair into the garbage instead of the house, you may want to consider a hypo-allergenic option.

Poodles, Terriers, and the Bichon Frise have hair instead of fur, so they don’t shed. Since they don’t shed, they need to visit the doggy hairdresser to get a wash, cut, and blow out. If shelling out money for a trip to the puppy beauty parlour isn’t in your budget, you could always learn dog grooming skills.

Breeders have successfully created hybrid breeds trying to get the temperament of breeds such as the Golden Retriever or German Shepherd with the hypo-allergenic hair of a poodle. The first Labradoodle was bred by Australian Wally Conron as a guide dog for a blind woman whose husband was allergic to dog hair. The Doodle dogs started becoming popular in the last 10-15 years as families began to want a non-shedding option of their favourite pure breed.

Cost

Pure breeds and designer breeds come with a hefty price tag. If you want a puppy for your family, you will be looking at $1 000 on the low end and can expect to pay upwards of $5 000, and you haven’t even paid for their first shots or bag of kibble yet. A larger dog will cost more to feed and non-shedding breed will cost more in grooming.

Training

All breeds need to be trained, but some will need more training than others. Are you a patient person who will enjoy spending time training your new dog or are you too busy to put up with daily messes and mistakes? If you don’t want to spend too much time training and more time doing what you do on a regular basis, consider finding an older well-mannered dog whose owner can no longer care for them. There are several reasons why a pet needs a new forever home, their owner dies, moves, or has a life change the animal cannot be brought into.

If you have the patience to train an animal and deal with their misadventures or bad behaviours, consider a rescue dog with unique needs. Abused animals need someone who can give them understanding, patience, care, and love.

Buy or Adopt

Adopting can cost less than purchasing a new puppy. Adopting an older dog comes with less training, unless the dog was abused or untrained in its last home. Adoption has the added benefit of giving a dog a new home and ensuring they are not euthanised due to being without a home.

If you want to adopt, be prepared for an invasive process where your home and family will be assessed to determine your ability to own a dog. Many families abandon the adoption process due to the requirements, however, many rescue dogs need new homes. Finding the right pet takes time and the organization wants to ensure you are getting the right animal for your family.

If you decide to purchase a new puppy, make sure you are buying from a quality breeder and that the parents are healthy. Though the process is less invasive than adoption, each breeder has their own processes and approval criteria to ensure the animals are going to a good home. To ensure you are getting a healthy puppy, you will want to choose a breeder who cares about where the pup will be going.

Once you have figured out the size, temperament, cost, and training requirements you want in your new dog, it’s time to choose a breed. There are lots to choose from and each breed has its own general temperament, strengths, and weaknesses.

To help you determine which breed to start getting to know, we’ve found these online assessments to help you narrow down your search.

American Kennel Club Dog Breed Selector: https://www.akc.org/dog-breed-selector/

Dog Time.com Dog Breed Selector: https://dogtime.com/quiz/dog-breed-selector

Puppy Spot.com Dog Breed Selector: https://www.puppyspot.com/breed-selector-quiz

Have fun learning more about the dog breeds that are best for you!

There is a lot to do before you bring the new member of your family home.

Time to stock up on food. Find out what the breeder or the shelter is feeding them and purchase the same type of food to give their digestion consistency while they are getting used to living in their new home. Food and Water dishes come in a variety of sizes and materials. You will need to choose a set that is easy to clean and will hold up to daily use.

Treats, everyone loves treats, even your new pooch. Buy a variety of healthy treats you can use to reward them during training. They can also be used in certain toys to keep your pet occupied for hours.

Before you leave the store, choose a leash and a collar, the type of collar and leash will depend on the strength and size of your dog. Try to purchase a leash that will work now and in the future. You may want to consider a harness because it is easier to control your pet and doesn’t put pressure on their neck.

It’s a good idea to buy an ID tag for the collar to add your name and number, just in case the pup gets lost.

There is one thing you will need to remember every time you go for a walk with your new walking buddy – poop bags. There are different options, like biodegradable ones, with leash attachments.

Other items you can buy and attach to the leash are a training clicker and treat bag.

Other items to buy:
• Brush
• Shampoo
• Ear Cleaning Solution
• Toothbrush & Paste
• Nail Clippers
• Puppy Chew Toys
• Fetch ball
• Tug toy
• Dog Kennel
• Dog Bed
• Puppy Training Pads
• Baby Gate

Puppy proof your home to ensure it can’t get a hold of anything you don’t want it to chew. Use baby gates to keep it contained and have the kennel (crate), bed, and toys all laid out waiting for its arrival.

Looking for other pet related articles? We’ve got more in our Pets Blog Category!

Welcome to the second edition of TRANSITIONS Magazine!

This publication is all about the family dog! We have articles and quizzes to test your knowledge and help you to determine which breed of dog is best for you and your family. Of course you will also find links to trending real estate news and our newest column – “Ask Susanita”!

Enjoy!

Click on some of the highlights we have linked below.

Featured Articles:

Choosing a Family Dog
Getting Ready for Puppy

Most Recent Real Estate Market Reports:

Market continues shift toward more balanced conditions after torrid start to the year – August 2021 Real Estate Statistics Report

Price growth slows as supply to demand balance improves – July 2021 Real Estate Statistics Report

Supply trends up but market still favours the seller – June 2021 Statistics Report

Inventory rises, but sellers’ market conditions persist – May 2021 Statistics Report

Demand for homes remains high with record sales in April – April 2021 Statistics Report

Ask Susanita!

Why did the Calgary Real Estate Market go crazy in 2020 and 2021?

Where will Calgary home prices go next?

Is now a good time for new buyers to get into the Real Estate Market?

Does Calgary’s economy support a sustained housing market increase?

What do you need to know if you are in a competing Real Estate bid situation?

Watch for our Fall/Winter edition to be released soon!

If you or someone you know has any real estate questions, we’d love to help!

Contact us here: https://www.cbcompleterealestate.com/contact

OR

Phone: 403-686-1455

Email: info@cbcalgary.ca

Thanks for reading!

I remember the first home I listed. I had 2 dogs and a Mazda hatchback. Last minute showings were a nightmare as we’d climb into the car and park down the road – while I prayed that I had managed to vacuum up all of the dog hair, put the toys away, and hide the dog bowls…and dang! I forgot to clean up the business taken care of in the backyard!

Meet KC and Charlie. You just have to look at them and they will magically shed all over you. While I did manage to sell my home quickly, there were definitely some tense moments as juggling work, family, home and dogs became a full time job!

If you are trying to sell your home, the goal each and every time a potential buyer comes through is for them to be able to imagine themselves living in your home. While the super-sized comfy dog bed laying on the floor in the living room is not offensive to you – a non-pet owner may be immediately turned off.

So what can you do if you are trying to keep your home in showing-ready form while living with pets?

Here are some ideas for you to try:
•Give Fido a vacation – see if a relative or friend is able to keep your pet(s) while your home is on the market.

Since this may not be an option for everyone, read on!

•Try your best to keep shedding pets off the furniture. Fabric covered furniture and bed spreads are often the first thing people see when entering a room. Try to keep them hair-free.
•Keep doors to rooms closed. Often pets will just wander in and out of rooms, for no real reason, leaving a trail of hair behind them.
•Keep a bin handy to toss toys, bones and dishes into for last minute showings.
•More walks = less backyard business! Try taking your dog for walks more often rather than given them the run of the back yard or dog run. Believe me – when you are in a hurry to get the inside of the home ready, the backyard will almost always slip your mind!
•Have the carpets professionally cleaned. This will give your home a fresh scent and get rid of stains on the carpet that you may have just gotten used to seeing, so they are not as obvious to you any longer.
•Keep your Realtor® in the loop. Let them know if the pets will be in the home or see if a neighbour can assist with letting them outside.
•Do your pets sleep on the bed with you? Consider using a flat sheet on top of your comforter to collect pet hair. In the morning, remove the flat sheet for a hair-free bed. (don’t forget to close the bedroom door now!)
•Keep lint brushes handy. Use them to remove hair on the bed or toss cushions – or anywhere you spot pet hair as you rush out the door!

Looking for more tips to prepare your home for sale? Check out 60 Cleaning And Organisation Tips to Prepare Your Home for Sale (By Cleaning Experts)

If you have a special circumstance with your pet, discuss this with your Realtor®. Chances are they may have a suggestion for you. As a professional, they have likely encountered many situations involving pets and showings and will be able to offer some great advice!

Good luck with showing your home!