Do you like dogs? Keeping a dog is easier said than done. This summer, it is our great pleasure to invite Ms Kate White again to talk about her new dog Toby.

 

1. What made you decide to go for Toby? What was your thought process when choosing him?

What a great question! I have always gravitated towards bigger dogs such as huskies or German shepherds, golden retrievers. I didn’t have an ‘ideal’ dog type in mind. We knew we wanted something calm, small for our flat, with a good, intelligent temperament. I have had a range of pets throughout my life, from hamsters, cats, turtles, hedgehogs to tropical fish. So, for me, I knew I always wanted a dog someday. To tell you the truth, deciding on Toby was one of the more spontaneous decision I’ve made!

 

2. What is the breed of Toby?

He is ¾ Yorkshire terrier, and ¼ Shih Tzu! However, if you look at his photos, you’ll realise his fur remains shorter and darker than typical Yorkies, and many people we encounter out on dog walks think he doesn’t resemble one either! See what you think!

3. Adoption or breeders?

We considered going through the adoption process, to save a dog if we could (I did this for Piggy my hedgehog), however, the process was very long, and didn’t work out for us at that time. Toby is a dog from a breeder, and hence the prices may range £800 + realistically. The positives of buying a puppy is that it will develop it’s behaviour and lifestyle as it goes through life with you, and doesn’t have previous trauma, anxiety issues as many adopted pets have. So, I recommend, if adopted, you can go for a younger dog.

 

4. What do we have to consider if we want to keep a dog?

Luckily, we work from home, so we can spend plenty of time to keep up his routines. Dogs are needier, and so you shouldn’t leave them home alone all day. I would suggest doing some research regarding the best types of dog food, which crate, lead to get- though aside from the basics, we picked up these skills as we went along. Trial and error! Not to mention, your dog will have its own particular behavioural traits which doesn’t apply to all. For example, teething is very common for dogs, they will have very sharp baby teeth and want to bite or chew anything they come into contact with- licking, or biting is the way they can understand the world, and show their love. So, it’s likely you’ll end up having to throw lots of toys early on! He will put anything from the ground into his mouth, including- if you aren’t careful, bottle lids, and rubbish off the street! Also some plants may be poisonous and upset their stomach, so you have to be conscious of what they eat and play with.

5. Do you have to spend a lot of time training Toby?

For us, we had no concept of just how challenging and active a puppy can be! I previously had a cat, and as they are quite independent creatures, they require less effort and time for training. A puppy needs lots of attention, and up to 1yr of its life will require daily training with treats. Treats to behave, such as ‘sit’, ‘Toby here’, ‘down’, as well as making sure he doesn’t jump up on the sofa while we eat. He needs to be crate trained, and sleeps in one every night.

The most challenging aspect is toilet training- sadly we have carpets in our flat, and so at the start, he thought the feel of it was a pee pad!! We have a balcony, so we train him to go ‘pee pee and poo poo’ there, but we also need to take him downstairs to the park or for a walk, several times a day minimum. 6 months on, and we are still training. He is a smart dog, but, he is still a dog, and he forgets training very easily, will misbehave, and go crazy when meeting other dogs in public. Luckily, he doesn’t chew up furniture (or my books!), sleeps through the night- even from day 3 of us getting him, so we have been very fortunate.

 

6. Does he have any quirks or special characteristics?

Yes! He absolutely loves to roll onto his back and expose his tummy for rubs! He also has a special ball which he likes to carry over and play, when I say ‘where’s the ball’? he will go and fetch it. Sometimes I call the tufts of his hair ‘dandelion fluff’, and ‘Chewbacca’ from Star Wars when he gets a crazy look in his eyes! Toby is a very friendly animal- (sometimes TOO friendly!) and expects everyone to love and pet him, and shower affection- a typical post Covid dog.

7. Do you have anything to say to students who want to keep pets?

I fully support owning pets, as they can give you lots of love, care, and support, as well as cheering you up when you’re feeling down. I suggest to be sure you have a stable environment with a stable routine, and enough time to put in the effort to train them. They need to be washed, cleaned, and we can’t always rely on others to take over this job for us.

It’s like babies too- however you treat them at the start will set them up for the rest of their life, and how they behave & learn/develop good habits. Though it’s easy to compare with others, ‘am I doing a good enough job etc’, your main goal is to provide a harmonious, good life for them. Your aim is to be together for a long time! Good luck on your journey – They are truly a blessing!

 

More about Ms White:

My Life Being a Writer and Teacher: https://english.kslo.hk/my-life-being-a-writer-and-teacher/

All About Labyrinth of Souls: https://english.kslo.hk/all-about-labyrinth-of-souls/