Are you ready to own a pet?

When a dog becomes part of your life it is like part of your family. We worry about them, laugh with them, rely on them and like to brag about them. They are terrific company, and can be really good for our mental and physical health.

There are lots of things we can do to make life with our dog even more enjoyable.

Here is a checklist of things to consider before making a commitment:

byron dog rescue
  • An animal is for keeps, and may live a long life.

  • Will your home and lifestyle accommodate a pet?

  • Fencing for dogs is important.

  • Are you away for long periods of time?

  • Does anyone in your family have allergies?

  • Animals like a regular schedule; if you lead an erratic and busy life you probably won’t have time for a pet.

  • Do you have time to take a dog to training? – Dogs and humans are a lot happier if time is taken for training.

  • Are you financially able to pay for worming, vaccinating, food and annual vet checks?

  • Are you prepared for holidays if you owned a pet?

  • Are your children the right age? – Very young children demand a lot of time and attention.

  • Can you spend dog socialising your dog with other dogs at the beach or park?

  • Do you have young grandchildren visit or other young visitors?

  • Pets can teach children about responsibility and caring.

A dog’s temperament is a direct result of the owners ability to understand him and give him what he instinctually needs as a canine animal. Lots of good advice is to be found on this website before you take the plunge and adopting a pet.

Local dog trainers

Barco – community dog training based in the north of Byron Shire. Email barcodogs@gmail.com  Phone 0429 518 817 or 0447 975 201.

Barco is a voluntary not for profit organisation who run dog obedience classes to teach people how to be responsible dog owners. Training sessions are each Sunday morning starting at 9am at Brunswick Heads sports fields.  If you are fostering a Byron Dog Rescue dog the training is free for that dog.  For all other dog owners, once the $20 yearly registration fee is paid, the only other cost is only $5 each time you attend training.