There have been some new additions at Goldenvale lately!
In June Dr. Teasdale took a trip up to the Barrie Humane Society and adopted Lucky – a shepherd/hound cross estimated to be 16 years old. We don’t know her back story but she has settled in wonderfully to her new life. She has a few skin issues that are an ongoing challenge to stay ahead of, and her hearing is almost completely gone, but her personality is just fantastic – she loves everyone, especially her new mom.
A few weeks ago Dr. Steph and her husband brought home a new puppy to add to their family – an 8 week old whippet named Winnie. She loves coming to work every day and having all of the staff to annoy play with all day. Her new parents are a little sleep deprived and a bit sick of cleaning their carpets from puppy accidents but she’s just so darn cute… when she’s sleeping.
Having both dogs at the same time really just hi-lights the joys and challenges of adding a new pet to your home. Rescuing an adult or mature dog from a shelter is a great option if you want to add another dog to your household but don’t have the time for puppy training. However, mature dogs can come with their own set of pre-existing problems (whether it be physical or behavioural) that you are agreeing to take on and help them through. New puppies are adorable and extremely playful but it also takes a lot of patience to get through house training and teaching them to be polite canine citizens. Be prepared to become acquainted with the wee hours of the morning when the rest of the world is still dark, quiet, and sound asleep.
Whichever direction you choose to go when adding a new pet to your family make sure to include your veterinary team – we can help point you to some helpful web resources with reliable information, get a physical exam done to point out any areas of concern and get everyone started out in the right direction!