two puppies playing

Select your new dog with your lifestyle and living situation in mind. In addition to your new family member's personality, consider its temperament, size, and coat as well. Some breeds have traits that may be objectionable in certain circumstances, such as hyper excitability or a tendency to bark. Your veterinarian is a valuable resource and should be consulted before you acquire a pet of any kind.

Breed Selection

There are two types of dogs--purebred and mixed breed. The 124 recognized breeds are grouped into seven categories: hound, working, terrier, toy, sporting, non-sporting, and herding. There are thousands of mixed-breed combinations. Each purebred or mixed-breed dog has a unique personality. Dogs originally bred for a specific purpose tend to retain these characteristics. These dogs may require additional training and patience. Selecting a specific breed does not guarantee a particular behavior, but choosing offspring from animals with desirable temperaments does increase one's chances of getting the best pet. Mixed breeds can be as beautiful, intelligent, loving, and companionable as purebreds.Veterinarians, breed-specific books (usually available at libraries and pet stores), and dog shows are excellent sources of information about individual breed characteristics and needs.

Friend or Protector?

Most dogs, even tiny ones, bark when strangers approach their home or yard. This bark is usually enough to deter intruders. A pet should not be trained as an attack dog. Attack-trained dogs require special handling and knowledge to prevent accidental injury to people, including members of your own family.

  • Selecting a Puppy or Older Dog

    Selecting A Puppy A new puppy can be a terrific addition to a family, but with the fun comes responsibility for its care and well-being. Consider and prepare for your puppy's needs before you adopt! Pick a puppy that is active, friendly, and inquisitive. Avoid the one that appears to be afraid of everything

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Office Hours

We are open the Second and Fourth Saturdays of each month

Monday:

7:30am

6pm

Tuesday:

7:30am

6pm

Wednesday:

7:30am

6pm

Thursday:

7:30am

6pm

Friday:

7:30am

6pm

Saturday:

7:30am

11am

Sunday:

Closed

Closed

Testimonials

Read What Our Clients Say

  • "We would not have our beautiful girl if it weren't for the loving staff at Forest Oaks. If we still lived in NC, we wouldn't go anywhere else."
    - Lenora Metz
  • "I bring all my babies, both past and present here. They truly care about our animals and are good people. A good vet is priceless!!"
    - Tracey Shrouder
  • "Dr. Kleisch and his staff are the best. We had multiple visits to other vets for one of our dogs. He handled the skin problem in one visit. All our pups go there now. Nice and reasonable."
    - Martha Honus