Dog 101-The Basics
Some tips to help you before adopting or fostering a dog.
When Your Dog Doesn’t Love the Car
For some dogs, going in the car means adventure. Are we going on a hike? Are we going to see family? Or maybe we are going camping! These are all positive associations with travel that some dogs make. For others, their association with the car could be going to the...
Aaaakkk! My Dog Has Prey Drive!!!
"Aaaakkk! My dog has prey drive" Well, ya! It's a dog! Just like you can not teach a fish not to swim, you can not take the prey drive out of a dog: dogs have evolved away from their ancestors (wolves) and may have retained an instinctual desire to hunt - which is...
Rookie Questions!
Sometimes applicants are afraid to ask the 101 stuff so we will try to address questions here! Q. Does DIBS have any rules about crate training for dogs? Some places say it's good to do for puppies, other places say absolutely not for any of their dogs, so I just...
Dog Bed Basics
A dog bed should be a safe space for your dog. They can use it for napping, but also just to get away from it all. We put some thought into buying a dog bed such as what size, will it match my decor and the price, but do we put much thought into where it goes in our...
Tractive….The 101 Info for DIBS Adopters!
As you may have heard, all dogs in DIBS foster homes have a Tractive device on them during all daytime hours. We know that dogs can get loose while on a walk, in a park, or just bolting out of the front door of a home. When a dog is adopted, we want to ensure their...
Keeping Your Dog Secure
Dog Safety is one of those things that we don’t think about until after something happens. Some examples are when your dog: bolts from the car escapes through the front door or, has been gone for days, and you have no idea where to star We want to share our “lessons...
Your Rescue Responsibility
Adopting the perfect dog isn't really a thing. Some dogs are better than others, some are fantastic, but under the wrong guidance from their humans, even the best dog may flounder. A dog's life, learning, and education is an ongoing work in progress (just like with...
Shelter Puppy Syndrome!
Shelter Puppy Syndrome. Ok, we made that term up as there isn't a lot of info on the topic. Perhaps it isn't a universal issue. But - it is an issue facing our rescue organization. We have amazing rescue partners, and like anything in rescue, funds and resources are...
The high’s and lows of having a dog…
Are You Ready for a Dog? We Mean, Really, Honestly, Undoubtedly and Unconditionally - Ready for a Dog? The reason for wanting a dog falls into the "high's" category. We visualize all the wonderful things that go along with having a dog: Autumn walks through the leafy...
Dealing with a Shy Dog
From time to time a dog enters the rescue that seems "shy". Often they have entered a shelter at a young age, and are not exposed to a lot of human contact, or life with a family. New surroundings can overwhelm them so fosters and new families need to be prepared...
Potty-Training!
When you adopt (or foster), we don't know a dog's skills in the bathroom department! We can hope, but we never know! To help with potty training, there are a few important tips! Outside treats only Schedule & consistency Crate training The same as with children,...
Therapy Dogs
We do get asked if we have dogs that could be therapy dogs. Generally, we do not. Some may surprise us and be up for the task, but at DIBS, we do want our dogs to be the ones on the receiving end of support, while they acclimate to their new lives. Being a pet,...
Dog Peeing in Favourite Spot Indoors
You’ve brought your new rescue dog home and suddenly they are peeing in that one spot - this is unexpected as you were told the dog was housetrained! There are a few things to consider: 1. Newly adopted dogs – even if fully housetrained – may have an accident in your...
Are you Ready?
We want to help you and your new pet live long, healthy lives together. Start here! Selecting a Pet Set yourself up for success. Think about your family’s lifestyle, financial situation, space restrictions and time limitations to ensure you choose the right breed,...