Matt Cobb has been the proud owner of Norman the border collie for a month. Photo / Supplied
Dogs can bring much joy and companionship to the home. But getting a dog is not a decision that should be taken lightly.
Mike Tweed finds out what it takes to have a happy hound and household.
Whanganui support worker Matt Cobb had a new arrival a month ago - Norman the border collie.
Norman joins Winston the bichon-shih tzu cross and three cats in the household.
He went for his first walk this week.
"We had to puppy-fy the house a little bit for sure - bedding, toys, food, and lots of sprays and pads for cleaning up in the lounge if he decides to take a wizz," Cobb says.
Cobb says work schedules mean at least one person is at home with Norman throughout the week.
"The kids are around as well, so there is always someone on hand to do something with him."
Whanganui dog trainer Sarah Hesketh says it would be nice to think prospective dog owners will seek help from professionals, just as they might when looking for a new car or home appliance.
She is the owner of Pet Dog School, a facility that offers training, daycare, homestays, and support for dog owners.
"Google and books are a start but can never beat the knowledge and support an experienced dog professional can provide," Hesketh says.
"An expert will learn quickly where prospective new owners most need support and what help is needed, enabling them to assist with stuff you would never have thought of or realised was important until it is too late."
Cobb says Norman will be undertaking obedience training at some point soon.
"He's pretty boisterous, but he's a puppy. [My partner Courtney] has to remind me that it will take more than a couple of weeks of telling him 'no' to stop him doing stuff.
"Having him really socialised is the plan.
"I would love to be able to take him along when I'm doing support work, that's where I want to get his training to."
Hesketh says everyone in a household should agree they want a dog and what part they will play in taking care of it.
"Parents need to remember that children still need parents to take care of them. They cannot be blamed for not being very good at taking care of a dog.
"A couple should ensure that they have a plan for who will take the dog in the event their own relationship does not last.
Taking a dog "as a best mate" for individuals was the hardest.
"The dog relies entirely on that one person so it is important they are taught to enjoy staying with extended family members and are easy and pleasant to look after," Hesketh says.
Whanganui District Council compliance officer - education/pound keeper Marieke Waghorn says when it comes to breeds, looks could sometimes be deceiving,
Fox terriers are one example.
"A lot of people get a foxy because they think they're cute and little, and would be perfect for a small house.
"It is actually a large dog in disguise. They are a working dog and bred for farm work and pest control.
"They require a lot of exercise and mental stimulation."
Some people don't realise they need gates and fences that were appropriate for the breed, she says.
"Collies and huntaways are pretty smart. They can often get out. Labradors are quite good at escaping as well," Waghorn says.
"We've got huge fences at the pound and we had a staffordshire bull terrier climb seven feet up it. Luckily, we've got a roof on it so he couldn't get out."
Huntaways are regular visitors to the pound because they were kept in town and not adequately exercised.
"They are bred to bark and run around a farm all day," Waghorn says.
"People really need to know exactly what they want out of a dog before they get one.
"If you're after a couch potato, you should get a greyhound."
Hesketh says there is no need to rush into getting a dog, with plenty of puppies and older dogs to go around.
People shouldn't let themselves get pressured into taking one home before "serious research" has been done.
"Start with the question 'What do I have to offer a dog?'," Hesketh says.
"Make sure your head ultimately makes the decision.
"It's easy for your heart to take over but it's your heart that gets broken when it all goes wrong."
As for pure breeds versus crossbreeds, it came down to personal preference, P.A.W.S Animal Shelter founder Lesley Butler says.
Butler has been in the animal control business for 45 years and founded P.A.W.S almost 12 years ago.
Some pure breed dogs are more inclined to have hereditary problems.
"If you do want a dog of a certain breed, make sure you go to a reputable breeder - someone who loves that breed and has only ever been interested in breeding it to improve it.
"That's important, rather than someone who is just knocking out puppies for profit."
For crossbreeds, getting a look at its mother before you buy the puppy is a sensible thing to do, Butler says.
Cobb says dogs are a financial investment as well.
"Between the dogs and the cats, that's easily $50 a week for food.
"Then there is the cost of (vaccination) shots, vets, and all that kind of thing. It's definitely something to keep in mind."
Waghorn says the rising cost of living and housing shortages has led to an increase in people surrendering their dogs in Whanganui.
Getting pet insurance was "a really, really good idea".
"Rescues, SPCAs and pounds are overflowing.
"Unfortunately, the first thing people have to sacrifice is their pet."
People loved big dogs, but medication dose rates were based on weight.
"With a big 50kg mastiff, antibiotics alone could set you back hundreds of dollars," Waghorn says.
"The bigger the dog, the more expensive it is at the vets."
P.A.W.S only rehomes to responsible owners, and a home inspection is undertaken before anything is signed.
Butler says getting a dog was a privilege, not a right.
"We won't home a puppy to someone who is out working eight hours a day.
"Dogs are pack animals, whether that pack is other dogs or your family.
"If you're out all day then he's alone and miserable. All the toys and dog chews in the world won't compensate."
Butler says a six-week-old "Christmas puppy" often comes into P.A.W.S when they hit eight or nine months.
"The baby stage has worn off and they haven't bothered to train it. It's been a lovely cuddly toy and then it becomes the teenager," Butler says.
"Nobody has taught it anything, it gets tied up in the backyard, it's howling, animal control is called, and we go around and pick it up."
Butler's advice is to start with a puppy as you mean to continue.
"If you don't want that puppy on your furniture or on your bed when he's fully grown, don't let him get on there from day one.
"You give him your old pair of slippers to chew on, then he chews your new pair up and you get cross with him."
Hesketh says puppies are seen as a blank canvas, meaning they can be trained from the start and hopefully taught to become the dog someone always dreamed of.
That also means people had an enormous responsibility to get it right.
"Taking on a puppy of unknown parentage leaves you open to ending up with a much bigger dog than you wanted, surprise behaviours specific to its parent breeds, and health issues either genetically handed down or breed specific.
"With an adult dog you can see what size it is and can get an idea of its temperament and training.
"If you get it from a foster home they will be able to tell you if it is toilet trained and any habits they have observed."
Taking a dog into your home was exciting, and living with a happy, well-trained dog is a great thing, Hesketh says.
"Just as with anything we want to be successful, it takes time, planning and being honest with yourself if your relationship with your dog is to be a long and wonderful one."
