2. Isn’t someone in my family allergic ?
An increasing number of people suffer from various allergies. If we have a child who is prone to allergies or get an asthmatic crisis from contact with the neighbour’s dog, buying a dog is not the best idea.

3. Do all members of the family agree to get a dog ?
A dog can be good for a family and a source of joy, but it can be also source of problems. Bringing a wolfdog into a flat 1+1 where you live with your mother-in-law who is scared of a fox-hound isn’t truly clever.

4. Am I able to educate it ?
Veterinarians, dog trainers, judges and normal people can confirm that the number of uneducated dogs is still increasing. These are not always mean and aggressive dogs, those will be the exception. However dogs with bad behaviour due to their owner are a big difficulty for the whole neighbourhood and their owners as well. In this section belong barkers, dogs jumping on people, fighters, dogs hunting bicycles, fearful dogs etc.

5. Will I have a time for it ?
The dog is not TV what we can switch off nor scooter what we can put in the basement and have a rest. The dog is a living being. It will be around for ten or more years and you have to count with its demands on your time. It is not reasonable to buy a dog before an internship in England.

6. Who will be going with it outside ?
Everyone knows that dog needs periodically to go outside. Puddles and messes can be tolerated in small puppies but an adult dog should make its needs (and usually does) outside its owner’s flat. However, a lot of people forget that a dog needs movement (not only Czechoslovak Wolfdogs). It is necessary to think if we have enough time and power to accord a dog in this way. Walking the dog every day ceases to be fun when it’s 20 below zero and you just had your wisdom teeth pulled out.

7. Is my home adequate for a dog ?
It is necessary to decide where the dog will live. In a garden or a flat ? In a flat you have to accept the fact that all members of the family agree to have a dog in a flat. It is important to know that we have a necessary place for it. (A small studio about 10m2, twins and couple of wolfdogs wouldn’t be the best idea). We should find out what the neighbours think about the dog. Dogs in the Czech Republic according to the law are only a thing so nobody can prohibit us from buying one. However a compromise is better than a court of law.

8. What to do with it ?
Holidays are the best time of the year. To some places you can take a dog with you but there are places improper for a dog. It is important to know how much are we ready to adapt to our dog or if we can ensure his being in good care. The same problem can happen to those for whom the dog is the only companion. We must ensure care of him at the times of our sickness or hospitalisation. Periodic placement in dog hotels (event the best one) is not so good a classification for a dog owner.

9. Do I have enough money ?
We can to look over the financial aspect too. People expect to pay money for a puppy but there are more financial expenses: Food, veterinary (periodic inoculation, illnesses), dog’s fee, training and equipment for a dog (dog-lead, dog-collar, toys etc.). There can be more expenses for breeding, sports, activities and exhibitions.

10. Will I be able to let the dog be a dog ?
The one of the biggest problems of the dog owner is the effort of humanising a dog. The bad habit to attribute it a human aspects of behaviour is more common than you can see at first glance. Everybody has to realize that a dog, in spite of its smart look, its intelligence and gentle look, is only an animal. Remember this for your and your dog’s satisfaction and don’t force on him your model of human behaviour. Especially Czechoslovak wolfdog seduce with their intelligence this way. Unfortunately, an owner like this very often falls into a displeasing situation because the dog will not respect him as a pack leader and start rivalling with him over this position.

These questions are not only for a person who wants a Czechoslovak wolfdog but also for breeders who sell a puppy and for a dog rescue staff seeking a new owner for a lonesome dog. The person asking only about the price only and telling the breeder about another breeder who offers him a better price isn’t the best candidate for your puppy. The same case is a person who wants to know if his puppy will be a champion and how much its puppies will be worth afterwards. Obviously this person doesn’t want to have a four-legged friend but only the money.

A lot of experiences from here and elsewhere show us that problems start when your new animal doesn’t satisfy your expectations or it has its own needs that nobody expected. However, the owner finds out those things very often in dogs time of puberty and for a dog’s new owner after its first year things harder and much more difficult than before. Additionally changing owners especially for Czechoslovak Wolfdogs is not good for their psyche. Like it or not, for possible problems arising with the dog are responsible not only the owner but also the breeder who sold him the puppy.

You have to remember this !

Vladimira Ticha