# Is Ontario dog-friendly?



## born_expat (Mar 18, 2011)

Hi guys

We'd be moving with our dog, and I've just finished reading the thread about winter. Am a little frightened, to be honest. 

How do you get your dog out when it's potentially -15 degrees for 4 months? Any other expats who moved with their pets? How do you deal with the walks in the winter (is there special equipment to protect the dog's paws, do they just get used to it)?


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## Auld Yin (Mar 10, 2009)

born_expat said:


> Hi guys
> 
> We'd be moving with our dog, and I've just finished reading the thread about winter. Am a little frightened, to be honest.
> 
> How do you get your dog out when it's potentially -15 degrees for 4 months? Any other expats who moved with their pets? How do you deal with the walks in the winter (is there special equipment to protect the dog's paws, do they just get used to it)?


You just do it and govern how long you stay out by how cold it is. Many people have coats and boots for their dogs. Most dogs love cavorting in the snow.


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## born_expat (Mar 18, 2011)

Wow, sounds daunting, to be honest. Our walks go right down in the winter season here already, and it definitely doesn't get that cold. 

Right, but it's definitely not an unsurmountable barrier, in your collective experience?


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## Auld Yin (Mar 10, 2009)

born_expat said:


> Wow, sounds daunting, to be honest. Our walks go right down in the winter season here already, and it definitely doesn't get that cold.
> 
> Right, but it's definitely not an unsurmountable barrier, in your collective experience?


Could I say that -15c for four months in Ontario would be an exception particularly in the Toronto area where I note you're planning to relocate. Some days might reach that but I would suggest that 0c to -7/8c would be much more common.
Many people have dogs and it's not a serious problem.


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## born_expat (Mar 18, 2011)

Auld Yin said:


> Could I say that -15c for four months in Ontario would be an exception particularly in the Toronto area where I note you're planning to relocate. Some days might reach that but I would suggest that 0c to -7/8c would be much more common.
> Many people have dogs and it's not a serious problem.


Fantastic. that's more like it. -7 or 8C, I can take, no problem. Pfffeewww. One less potential bad surprise out of the way, thanks! 

As am approaching our move like a professional project (am a project manager, can't seem to help myself, lol), we're in the "feasibility study" phase, so am throwing all sorts of really negative questions out there to make sure am not approaching the whole thing with unrealistically pink glasses. 

I am holding myself back from just packing up and go, though!


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## PatrickB (Feb 21, 2011)

Toronto is generally pretty dog-friendly; you'll see lots of people out walking their dogs every day (rain, snow, shine, cold, you name it). Generally, as has been pointed out, the dogs get used to it (just as we humans do).

We brought our Yorkshire Terrier home to Toronto at Christmas, and while she wasn't thrilled when the snow eventually came, she learned to survive in it (and had fun chasing snowballs around the yard eventually). This is a dog who has only known the south of France, so she had never experienced below freezing weather before, much less snow.

One big difference in Canada vs parts of Europe; you can't take the dogs with you everywhere as we do here in France. IE, generally malls, restaurants, airports etc are all "dog-free" unless they are in carrying cases / bags. We snuck her into a few restaurants, but even then, most restaurants don't want animals inside (the sole exception being service dogs, such as seeing-eye dogs).


Patrick


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## born_expat (Mar 18, 2011)

PatrickB said:


> Toronto is generally pretty dog-friendly; you'll see lots of people out walking their dogs every day (rain, snow, shine, cold, you name it). Generally, as has been pointed out, the dogs get used to it (just as we humans do).
> 
> We brought our Yorkshire Terrier home to Toronto at Christmas, and while she wasn't thrilled when the snow eventually came, she learned to survive in it (and had fun chasing snowballs around the yard eventually). This is a dog who has only known the south of France, so she had never experienced below freezing weather before, much less snow.
> 
> ...


Mmmmh. Thanks, Patrick. 

If your little Yorkie used to Southern French climate managed it, am sure ours must do too (big fat English bulldog cross).

Yep, Europe is definitely quite tolerant of dogs in public places, isn't it? But I'd long stopped taking him to restaurants, etc. as it's just too much of a hassle, so I guess it won't be a big problem. 

How about the anti-dog lobby? I know that in a lot of large cities in North America, dog owners have so used and abused their privileges that there are now lots of very prohibitive rules to dog ownerships (nearly no offleash areas left, for example). 

Do you have experience from that perspective in Toronto?


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## RhychelleW (Jan 25, 2013)

born_expat said:


> Mmmmh. Thanks, Patrick.
> 
> If your little Yorkie used to Southern French climate managed it, am sure ours must do too (big fat English bulldog cross).
> 
> ...


i'll be moving with my jack russell X blue healer in March/Arpil; she is used to nothing lower than say 12-14 degrees celcius! i am really hoping she gets used to it!

i am so used to keeping my pup on the leash that no-leash areas wouldnt be an issue, she is trained and well behaved but will happily run off and chase ANYTHING that moves within her line of vision be it a car/bird/cat etc the second i take my eye off her.

how have you gone with finding dog friendly homes so far, your dog sounds much larger than mine and i would love to hear how you have gone with Realtor's or private landlords; i have not had much luck! i get the response "no dogs allowed" or "cats/birds/fish only" which is odd as i thought Ontario had some form of rule where dogs caouldn't be refused without good reason eg is large or destructive etc. 

would love to ehar your thoughts or any other helpful hints!


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## Scatterling (Apr 25, 2010)

born_expat said:


> Hi guys
> 
> We'd be moving with our dog, and I've just finished reading the thread about winter. Am a little frightened, to be honest.
> 
> How do you get your dog out when it's potentially -15 degrees for 4 months? Any other expats who moved with their pets? How do you deal with the walks in the winter (is there special equipment to protect the dog's paws, do they just get used to it)?


As has been said, your dog will get used to it. If the weather gets really cold, you might have to shorten your walk, but other than that it shouldn't be an issue. That said, they do put a lot of salt on the roads when it snows so you may find that irritates your dog's paws (as it does mine). I just try to avoid walking on the roads where there is salt, and wash his paws when I get home.


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