Owning a dog can be both a pleasurable experience and beneficial to our health and wellbeing. Dogs offer companionship, comfort and an incentive to exercise, all of which have a positive effect on our physical and mental health.

To ensure that your ownership and care of a dog does not have a detrimental impact on the local community, please follow our guidance.

Remember these 10 points

1. Train your dog the basic commands

2. Keep your dog on a lead near roads or where there are other animals e.g. a field with sheep.

3. Make sure your dog has a collar and tag,and is microchipped. This is a legal requirement.

4. Train your dog to 'go to the toilet at home.'

5. Make sure your garden is securely fenced.

6. Always carry a bag, seal it and bin it in any bin.

7. Don't allow your dog to bark unnecessarily.

8. Do not leave your dog alone for long periods of time.

9. Keep your dog healthy - diet,water,exercise,vets - follow the 5 Freedoms.

10.Neuter your dog for health benefits.

Things to consider before owning a dog

Having considered the legal and caring responsibilities you will have as a dog owner, you may also want to consider the following before getting a dog:

  1. Think it through first; do not get a dog on the spur of the moment.

  2. If you rent your property you need to check your tenancy agreement to see whether you are allowed any pets.

  3. Are you able to give a dog the sort of healthy lifestyle it needs? For example a top floor flat is probably not a good home for a German Shepherd Dog.

  4. Can you afford vaccinations, and ongoing veterinary treatment? It is an offence under the Animal Welfare Act, to not provide necessary veterinary treatment.

  5. Can you afford to provide a good diet for the dog?

  6. Will your dog be left for long periods of time? Most dogs are not happy being left for hours on their own.

  7. Are you able to give the dog enough exercise? If you can’t walk a dog at least daily, then don’t get one.

  8. Are you able to ensure the dog has basic training? It is useful to ensure that you are able to call the dog back.

  9. You will need to be considerate to others around you by not letting your dog become a nuisance. This means ensuring it does not bark unnecessarily, stray or foul.

 

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