All tools
Every decision tool on AllDogSays — 32in all, grouped by what you’re trying to figure out. Each one answers for your dog and shows its sources.
Before You Get a Dog
3 toolsShould You Get a DogAn honest readiness check — time, alone-hours, space, and family fit — that gives you a framework instead of a moral lecture.Puppy or AdultWhether a puppy or an adult dog fits you better — with the honest truth that shelter temperament labels don't predict how a dog behaves at home.Vetting a BreederHow to find a responsible breeder and spot a puppy mill — health testing, meeting the parents, and why never before 8 weeks.
New Dog & First Weeks
2 toolsPuppy
3 toolsPuppy Vaccination & Socialization CalendarA birth-date calendar for the core series and the socialization window — with the safe activities for this week.Puppy ExerciseWhat's safe for a growing puppy — by activity type, size, and growth-plate status. Not the debunked '5 minutes per month'.Growth TransitionsWhen to switch from puppy to adult food by size, and how spay/neuter timing interacts with joint risk — the evidence, framed as a vet conversation.
Food & Nutrition
6 toolsFeeding AmountHow much to feed your dog, in cups of your actual food — from resting energy, life stage, and body condition, not the bag chart.Treat BudgetHow many treats fit in the 10% rule — computed from your dog's daily calories, never a fixed table.Food SuitabilityWhether an everyday food is okay and how much fits the 10% rule. Toxic or risky foods are handed straight to poison-control guidance — never a 'safe amount'.Feeding FrequencyHow many meals a day for your dog's age — twice daily for adults, more for puppies — plus the honest once-vs-twice debate and the bloat-risk exception.Food Transition PlanA day-by-day plan to switch your dog's food without stomach upset — the 25/50/75/100% schedule, with the red flags that mean stop and call a vet.Food FormatDry vs wet vs raw vs home-cooked — what “complete and balanced” means, the real risks of raw and homemade, and why grain-free/DCM is unresolved.
Health & Safety
2 toolsBehavior & Training
2 toolsAdding a Second DogWhether — and how — to add a second dog: which sex/age combinations get along, the littermate-syndrome debate, and a safe introduction.Living With Two DogsFeeding two dogs without theft, introducing a newcomer, and walking the pair — plus an honest line on when fighting needs a behaviorist, not another home fix.
Exercise & Weather
2 toolsGrooming & Daily Care
3 toolsGrooming FrequencyA bathing / nail / dental / ear schedule for your dog's coat — with the honest dental minimum and no shave-down myths.Alone-Time LimitHow long your dog can reasonably be left alone, by age — with the honest caveat that it's a rule of thumb, and that distress when alone is a behavior issue, not a schedule one.Matting: Brush or ShaveWhen a matted coat can be brushed out and when it has to be clipped — a neutral severity standard, so you and the groomer aren't guessing.
Travel & Life Changes
4 toolsTravel & Life-Change PrepGetting a dog ready for the car, a move, or boarding — crash-tested restraint, motion sickness, and the vaccine timing to book before boarding.Flying With Your DogCabin vs cargo, flat-faced-breed embargoes, temperature limits, and crate rules — so you know if your dog can fly before you book.Crossing the US–Canada BorderWhat your dog needs to cross the US–Canada border in each direction — including the 2024 CDC rule and the day-trip trap that catches puppies.Boarding vs SitterBoarding, a sitter, or daycare — the health risks of group settings, the vaccines to book first, and how to vet a facility.
Costs & Services
3 toolsCost of OwnershipWhat a dog realistically costs per year and in the first year, by size and country — showing both the basic and fuller-care figures because the sources genuinely disagree.Service CostsRough price ranges for boarding, grooming, and daycare by your dog's size and coat — from cost aggregators, so shown as estimates with the commercial source disclosed.Pet InsuranceWhether pet insurance is worth it, what it covers and excludes, and why buying before conditions develop matters — grounded in the model regulations.