Digital dogs: finding reliable, accurate and useful information online

Your dog will be healthier and happier if you learn more about dogs.

Hugo, Wombat, Lisa, Abbey and Willie run and play.

The internet is an awesome resource for dog owners – between web sites, Facebook, Twitter and blogs, you can find anything and everything dog-ish. That's the good part. However, because anyone can post their stuff, the difficult part is separating good advice from bad. Here are my favourite go-to sources.

If you're starting with a fresh slate – thinking about getting a new puppy, check out Dr. Ian Dunbar's two free e-books. They're THE BEST! To set your new dog up for success, read both Before you get your puppy and After you get your puppy.

Once you've done your homework and are ready to choose your new puppy, check out the Regina Humane Society, Bright Eyes Dog Rescue and Petfinder. You'll find dogs of all shapes, sizes, ages and breeds – guaranteed there's one out there matching your needs.

If you're having “trouble” with your dog, this one is for you. Sue Ailsby is a local trainer who is known internationally for her effective positive training methods. Her new book is just coming out. A lot of her content is available at her web site. The section I particularly like is an intervention for a “bad dog”. I say it that way because I don't believe there are bad dogs – only dogs who don't yet know what their humans expect of them.

Got a canine medical question, check out the Merck Veterinary Manual. If you're interested in some animal medical world controversy, PetMD is a unique blogging site with posts written by veterinarians. And when you see anything by Dr. Sophie Yin it's going to be good.

Twitter is awesome. I follow some really neat people and stay on top of the breaking canine trends. It's just a little tougher to separate out the good from the bad.

Do you have a favourite online resource? Let us know about it. It might become one of our new favourites too.