GIVING PAWS FOR THOUGHT: DOGS IN CANADA

According to Statistics Canada, approximately one-quarter of Canadian households have a four-legged family member—namely the family dog. From its 2001 census, Statistics Canada estimates that there are over 3.5 million dogs in this country.

We Canadians love our pets. We spend over $1 billion each year on pet food—approximately $300 per year to provide food and care for our four-legged companions. Over 75 percent of pet owners buy their furry friends birthday and/or Christmas gifts. It is estimated that close to 40 percent of Canadian dog owners let their canine companions sleep with them.

Unfortunately, not all human/canine interaction is friendly. Increasingly, newspaper accounts of dog bites have led some municipalities to seek drastic action against certain canine breeds by banning ownership or exercise of these breeds within municipal limits. The prevailing opinion of legislators is that certain breeds are inherently aggressive and so should be banned from cities and towns, thereby limiting their potential for unprovoked attack. The Canadian Kennel Club, however, takes a different view. In a national message, the CKC has instead advocated legislation targeting irresponsible owners who, they say, are the root cause of the problem. Further to this, No Puppy Mills Canada published a document entitled: “What is Responsible Dog Ownership?” which stresses the importance of training dogs to be good canine citizens.

Training dogs to be good canine citizens can be accomplished by understanding canine psychology and by utilizing proper technique. This is the foundation of the ICS Canada Dog Obedience Program. Through specially-prepared lessons explaining how dogs learn and their social behaviour, the student may become familiar with behavioural problems and how to correct them by the use of rewards and play—a skill that may prove to be increasingly sought after by Canadian dog owners.

Canadian students are eligible to join the National Association of Dog Obedience Instructors (NADOI)—the foremost association of its kind in North America—upon successful completion of the NADOI examination. Find out how you can become a member at: http://www.nadoi.org