To future dog owners

Do you notice adorable, playful furballs out walking with their owners? Do you enjoy visiting friends who already have one, because they greet you happily and bring you their toys? It seems you are considering the possibility of having a pet. Before you take on the obligation and promise to care for that gentle, devoted creature for better or for worse, think about the following. First that barking furball will enter your yard, then your home, then your bedroom, and finally (or right at the start) it will claim a piece of your heart. Forever. But that is not the worst of it. Whatever kind of person you are, your dog will make you a better one. Are you really ready for such an adventure? Here we have mentioned only the most important things a responsible owner should, in return, give their pet. But if we ask any pet what it actually wants from its owner and its family, the answer is unanimous and wise. Our dog wants only one thing from us: attention, attention and more attention. Because when it has our attention, it will also have love and everything else it needs.

Housing and feeding

A dog's diet needs particular attention at a young age, when supplements such as vitamins, minerals and the like are also needed. The foods we eat ourselves can significantly affect the health of some dogs, most often in the form of hard-to-treat allergies of unknown cause. On the other hand, it is very important that the dog maintains the body weight appropriate for its build. Long, lonely days in a corner of the yard are inhumane treatment of someone to whom you are the whole world, and they also lead to unwanted behaviours and habits. If the dog lives outside, it needs to be brought into your living space from time to time so that it can be in the company of the family it belongs to.

The dog's health

The only vaccine required by law is the one against rabies. It is customary and advisable to protect dogs with vaccines against other infectious diseases too, because if they catch one of them, the consequences will most likely be serious. Throughout its life a dog must be protected against internal and external parasites, and ticks in particular. Dogs often get injured or simply fall ill. Then, more than ever, they need support and care, and sometimes considerable financial resources. In summer and winter, at extreme temperatures, dogs have special needs and must be protected appropriately. Regular visits to the vet will contribute to your pet's better health.

Walking the dog

The walk is the central event in a dog's life, the key to its mental and physical health. A walk is not playing in the park with other dogs, a walk is not just running around to burn off energy, nor is its purpose a toilet break. A walk has its own structure and content. How long it lasts naturally depends on your dog's needs, the weather and so on, but it is needed every day. Dogs also need, on a daily basis, to be mentally engaged, to play, to move about outside their usual surroundings, to socialise with other dogs, and to explore and observe the world around them. Microchipping your dog is a legal obligation and is extremely useful if the dog simply gets lost, which most often happens on a walk.

Raising the dog

From its first day in the home, a pet learns your rules of behaviour, and in that you have the primary role and responsibility. The first few days and months of living together are crucial for forming useful habits, learning to communicate, gaining trust in you and in the world we live in, socialisation, and developing your friendship. During that time you monitor your dog's reactions and behaviour on a daily basis and actively guide it through the process. Out of that process comes a relationship of respect and trust which, together with appropriate training, is the foundation of obedience.

The dog's hygiene

Dogs, like many other animals, take care of their own hygiene. However, since our pet lives in close proximity to us, we need to help it with that too. Many breeds and crossbreeds need regular clipping, coat brushing and the like. It is useful to wash and dry the paws when we get back from a walk, check the coat and look for ticks making their way towards the tender parts of the skin. From time to time a dog's ears are cleaned with a medicinal product intended for that purpose. If the dog is not very active or moves on soft surfaces, its nails are trimmed regularly.

Choosing a dog: adopt!

Of course we support and recommend adopting dogs from your local shelters. All dogs, purebred and mixed, will warm your heart equally, and they can learn and give everything that is expected of a pet. Not to mention the quiet excitement of waiting to see what your mixed-breed puppy will look like and what kind of dog it will become when it grows up. The fate of dogs in shelters is an unjustified, undeserved and uncertain question of life itself.

If, after all this, you still want to and believe you can take on the responsibility and keep the promise to care for your pet for the rest of its life, then congratulations. You are well on the way to being the conscientious owner of a happy pet. Now we can treat you to a secret. Every bit of effort you put in and every moment of time you share with your pet soon becomes a special joy and a unique satisfaction that you experience only when those eyes look at you and tell an unforgettable story that only you understand. No one can describe it to you, but we are at your disposal to help you achieve it, in the name of and for the love of our pets, who have taught us that dogs deserve every respect and effort.

Author: Suzana Spasojevic