Radar's Recon
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Always A Gift, Never A Present
If you’re thinking of adding a new furry friend to the family, make sure you’re compatible before picking them up! We can compare getting a dog to buying a book. When we walk into a bookstore, we usually head straight for the genre that best suits us; we always know if we’re looking for reference books, fiction, young adult, horror. But first, we pick the bookstore. Sometimes we need to go to the big flashy brand name store, but there’s also the independently owned bookstore, and our online options. Next we choose the book and as any good reader knows, you never choose a book by its cover! We’ll spend…
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Cover Up – Picking Pet Insurance
Navigating the world of pet insurance can be complicated and confusing, it will all be worth it in the end. Pet insurance will help cover unexpected, emergency veterinarian bills. When you’re looking to buy your pet insurance, start by asking yourself the following questions: Am I looking for a pet discount plan or a comprehensive insurance plan? The difference between these two is, a discount plan involves paying an annual fee from getting discounted veterinarian and related pet services; a pet health insurance plan would look much more similar to human health insurance plans. Will I get to choose my veterinarian? Some plans come with pre-approved doctors; if you want…
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Getting Ready For The Cold
Even though it doesn’t seem like it recently, we get cold winters that many dogs are unable to cope with. We can prepare ourselves for those bitter cold days by making sure our dog is comfortable and safe. If your dog doesn’t have a coat of their own, make sure you buy them one. Short haired dogs and dogs without undercoats don’t do very well, for very long in our winters. Before you take them for a walk, look to see how much salt has been put down on the sidewalks and how recently. Their feet are unprotected and will succumb to chemical burns from the de-icer. Ensure you are…
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Know The Law
It’s important to both know and understand the legal obligations that come with owning an animal, especially dogs. Legalities regarding ownership may vary from province to province, or even region to region. Some cities have their own bylaws set in place regarding the number of animals that may be permitted in a home and will also include specifics on leash laws, what would be considered “running at large” (loose), or even if you need to have your dog licensed by the city. Additionally, in Ontario, we have what is known as the Dog Owner’s Liability Act aka DOLA. This lays out the basic foundation for ownership laws throughout the province…
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5 Bad Behaviours And Why
Jumping Jumping is how dogs will greet each other and this is something they’ll do when they’re excited to see you. Sitting prevents jumping. If you don’t like your dog jumping on you, tell them to sit before they have the opportunity to get their feet off the ground. Remember though, jumping can also be a taught behaviour. Rewarding them with praise and love when you get home, will only make them jump up more. Digging Dogs dig out of boredom, to hide resources, or to find them. To keep your dog from digging up your flower bed, provide them with their own digging sandbox or a designated spot. Keeping…
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Chewing, chewing, all day long chewing
Chewing is instinctive to our dogs, it’s not something we can ever take away from them. There are a few reasons why they feel the need to chew; teething being the first, if you are bringing home a new puppy remember they bring brand new teeth that will need help breaking the gums. Dogs explore the world with their mouths, they don’t have fingers to touch with like we do. Chewing also keeps the jaw mussels strong and helps keep the teeth clean. Some dogs will also chew when they are bored or to help cope when they are upset. So it’s up to us to find a safe way…
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When picking a Christmas treat for Radar
Know what’s in your treats. In Canada, there are little to no regulations controlling what is allowed in the products we give our animals. What little regulation we do have, is governed by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) and outlined in the Health of Animals Act (S.C. 1990, c. 21) – Health of Animals Regulations (C.R.C., c. 296).(1) When you find the section about your pets food in part 4 section 53 you will see it’s very short and all about import, nothing to do with anything made in Canada. It is completely up to the consumer to be reading ingredient lists and educating ourselves on those items. For…
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Walking and snacking
When training your dog it’s important to have a high-value reward. The first rule of picking a high-value treat is that it doesn’t need a high price tag! It just needs to hold value to your dog. Chicken wieners and cheese, or fresh beef liver cooked to medium rare. If you’re using food, keep the pieces small; similar to the size of your baby fingernail or the kibble they eat. While treats are great, be mindful of how much is too much. When training, keep a majority of praises to a physical or verbal level. Give them a scratch and tell them who’s a good dog! Is your furry friend…
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Radar’s Recon
Radar O’Reilly is a Shepherd Terrier mix who was brought to Ontario from Kentucky by Niagara Pet Rescue in 2018 when she was 2 years old. It took a little persuasion as the paperwork that came from the US shelter said “no cats” and I lived with two, but I convinced them I could get the issue under control, and with a fair amount of time, love, patience and a little food she no longer gives chase. That wasn’t the only struggle that came with adopting an older dog. When Ray first came she was suspicious of people and loud noises and she loves to run and explore, she would be…
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