Having a dog in Vancouver 2023

My husband and I just moved to the City of Vancouver with our 3 dogs some years ago! Here’s a bunch of things you’ve gotta know if you are having a dog in Vancouver (or 3 like us) or if you are planning to adopt one.

Owning a pet in Vancouver has its pros and cons. Specially if you don’t count with certain facilities. But it is always best to be prepared. Everything is possible!

Having a dog in BC

Laws in British Columbia stipulate that your dog must have a license renewed every year.

You have to walk your dog on-leash, except for some off-leash parks and designated areas.

There are no dog breeds banned in BC but if you have an aggressive dog it should always be muzzled, if you don’t follow this the fines can reach up to $500 CAD for an unmuzzled aggressive dog.

And of course, you have to clean after your dog.

Here’s a Guide of owning a dog in the City of Vancouver

Dog-Friendly Rental Property

Even though Vancouver is a great city for having a dog, it is not that easy to find apartments that allow you to have pets. And even worse to have more than 1 small dog.

In our case that was the hardest part of all from moving from Mexico City to Vancouver. First of all, the rents in Downtown Vancouver are pretty high (you can check out the best places to live in Downtown Vancouver) and apartments are tiny as fuck. So, the combination of this 2 factors plus the dog permit is a challenge, but not impossible.

It is definitely easier to get a house or apartment if you only have one dog, there’s plenty of options that allow 1 dog (if it’s small even more).

But we started looking for buildings that were pet friendly that said we could have at least 2 pets in it. It’s always good to ask if there’s an option for a 3^rd dog, if your dogs are well trained it’s important to let your landlord know this.

I highly recommend to work on the kennel adaptation for your dogs to make things easier whenever you are not home.

Good news! Vancouver City Council passes motion calling to end “no pets” rental rules.

Money

Owning a dog is expensive! You have to be conscious of some things that might help your budget. You’ll have to learn to do a lot of stuff for your dog, so be prepared, but it’s gonna be worth it. I would totally recommend to lear how to trim your dogs nails for example.

Medical expenses

Here’s an approximate of the medical expenses: $210 CAD for small dogs, $235 for medium dogs and $260 for larger dogs.  So, the average cost of owning a dog in Van City in a year ranges between $750 and $2000 CAD. A vet consultation goes from 30 CAD to 90 CAD most places. I found a veterinary called Atlas Hospital which is one of the cheapest just in case you have an emergency, but that is for my own experience.

Grooming

The average cost for a small dog is $60, for a medium dog $80 and large dogs $90 or more. Here’s where I think it is worth trying to learn how to cut your dog’s hair. I don’t mean to be an expert, maybe you can take your dog once in a while to the groomer but keeping it’s hair done for a longer period of time can help your budget.

You can find some grooming kits in a good price here.

Food

I have 3 dogs, 2 small ones and 1 medium, and I spend $100 dollars for a 9 kg (20 Lb) bag each month for their food.

I found this brand “The Honest Kitchen” that is a high-quality product but there’s plenty to choose from. My yorkie is kind of picky though and the best kibble similar to raw food that we found is called “Carna 4” I highly recommend it.

Transportation

If you don’t own a car, the transportation can get complicated as dogs (other than service dogs and small dogs in their bag) are not allowed in public transport.

But the good news is that there’s plenty of dog parks and beaches that are pet friendly!

If you have a bicycle you can always add those cute baskets or even the extra cart.

Weather

The weather was a challenge for us, because we arrive in Vancouver in December, so it was not only cold, but rainy and snowy. It was the first time our dogs knew snow.

Temperatures went from 6 or 7 degrees to minus 1.

For our little ones, which are the oldest (both are 12 years old) was pretty hard so, the first thing we had to do was to buy some winter clothing for them.

• We bought some waterproof coats
• Rain boots, at first, we weren’t sure to get them, but they were so handful specially on rainy and snowy days, because sometimes in the city they put a blue powder for the snow in the sidewalk that actually burn your dog’s paws. So never let your dog step in that powder.

Maïa (the youngest and strongest of all) got adapted quickly, she actually loved snow! She only had to wear her coat and boots a couple of times or when we noticed there was salt or the blue powder on the streets.

For Pelusa and Gru things went a little harsh, we tried not to be outside for long periods of time as they are old and way more delicate. We gave the 3 of them vitamin c just in case, and because they weren’t used to the weather and they got cold pretty fast.

But after winter was over, things got so much better. You can still have some rainy days, but so much less than before, and the weather is warmer. It’s the perfect time to go to the dog parks, walk around the city or beach and enjoy.

Pet-Friendly Parks

There’s a lot of pet-friendly areas for your dogs. There’s even a lot of activities like hiking where you can take your dog with you, so don’t let some difficulties stop you from having fun with you best friend. Here are some of my favorite parks and places to hang out with my pets.

Off-leash Areas

My favorite off-leash area is Trout Lake (John Hendry Park). This place is just beautiful! Not only for your dog, but for people as well. I love this place.

Here you can find more off-leash parks near your area. I love Cooper’s Park as well.

Dog-Friendly Restaurant

Most of the restaurants in Vancouver have an terrace or area to be with your dog, but here you can find other places where you actually can get inside with your furry pal.

Having a dog in Vancouver can be a challenge, but there’s always a way to make this happen.

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