Hear that, residents of Waterdown, Hamilton and, dare we say, Niagara region? Ren's Pets heeded your suggestions for the location of a new store and, voila - here we are!

We opened our Waterdown depot (har har) on September 7th, 2012 at 100 Dundas Road East in the Walmart plaza, just a hop, skip and a jump away from Clappisons Corners.

"We're so excited to open this new location," says our V.P of Sales and Operations, Scott Arsenault. "Ren's has grown exponentially in the last few years, and we're taking it to the next level. We listened to our customers and chose scenic Waterdown for our next store".

Both long-term and new customers of Ren's knows that we offer something special that sets us apart from our biggest competitors - We're 100% homegrown. We've sprouted from humble beginnings as a feed mill in Oakville, opening in 1974, to Canada's largest independent pet retailer. With the addition of Waterdown, our company has grown to well over 100 employees, 4 stores, an impressive head office in Guelph and a truly phenomenal ecommerce business that spans the Atlantic to the Pacific. It's something owner Colin Job dreamed of. "Everyone has a legacy", says Colin, son of founders Ren and Sharon. "I'm proud to continue what my father started in 1974. My goal is to continue that legacy by offering the best prices and best selection, guaranteed".

The new location is a bit different than the other 3 stores, as it's found in a plaza building. But customers can expect exactly what they're used to - 6,500 square foot facility with every type of food, toy and treat imaginable, as well as our usual display of groomer and breeder necessities.

"It's funny," continues Colin, "the bigger we get, the smaller we act. Carry-outs and other old-fashioned perks add a touch of class to the experience our customers have when they shop with us".

So, come check our new location out! We'll greet you with a smile, give your pet a treat (should you bring them) and shower you with the upper class service you deserve. But really, did you expect anything else? Of course not, you know us & we know you!

We're Ren's - no one can copy our culture.

Stay tuned - we'll have details for our Grand Opening in the coming weeks!

Photo Credit: Denali Summer 2012 Photo Contest

As the situation for pure bred dogs begins to change, as well as a shift in the economy, how do you make the decision when and if to breed a litter?

As bitches age and bloodlines come to an end, this decision becomes more and more difficult. You may find yourself asking, "What am I  going to do with an entire litter of puppies if I don't have buyers?"

With less common breeds sometimes battling it out, popular crossbred counterparts can be a very real problem.  Standard poodles were always fairly easy to find homes for and there was a demand. Now, I hear from some breeders, who in the past always had waiting lists, end up with puppies 3 or 4 months old and no buyers.

So how do we keep the sport of purebred dogs alive, support our hobby and continue these bloodlines?

I don't breed very often. Time and space has always been a factor for me. I am faced with the end of my original line; a 6 year old bitch and another bitch that is 4. Both bitches have had a single litter.  The older of the two didn't have a litter until she was 4, even though we bred her a number of times.

So, I am faced with this decision - do I breed both of them when they come in season? More questions plagued me - How do breeders make the decision to breed when your entire breed is as uncommon as a smooth collie?  If you are a purebred breeder of a breed that is commonly crossed, how do you sell puppies?  Do you wait until you have a waiting list?  Do you take deposits?  Do you advertise before you breed?  How do you advertise when you have puppies?  Is your breed sold primarily through word of mouth?

I considered my last experience. Last year, we had a litter of rough and smooth puppies.  I probably could have sold 10 rough puppies to the one smooth I had to place. We had the smooth until she we 11 months old.  Due to this, I have made the decision to breed both rough bitches.  I can't afford to not have a litter from the 6 year old and in order to continue moving forward in my line, I will breed the 4 year old then place her in a home.

So 2 litters it will be.  I can tell you this - we will certainly go through lots of Simple Solution Pee Pads, Cleaner & Potty Training Aid, and be seriously sleep deprived...but trust me, that puppy breath will make it well worth it!

One of the hardest things you will ever do as a breeder is to make the decision to place an adult dog. Placing puppies is one thing, but after caring for puppies for 8 weeks, most breeders including myself, are happy to see them go. At about the 7 week stage, you are beyond tired and you beg for the day people come to get their puppy. After cleaning up poo for the 20th time that day, you are past the point of “tired” and have had enough “puppy”...until the next time of course!

Placing an adult is a very different experience. You have either had the dog since you had the litter they were born into, or maybe you bought the dog as a puppy. So you've raised them, named them, maybe shown them and even bred them. Now it’s time to find this dog a home.… How do you pick the right family? How to find the right family, the right person, someone that is going to know that she likes her chin scratched or that she is going to try and chase bicycles when you go for a walk? Things you know – wisdom you can pass on. It’s tough!

How, as breeders, do you pick owners for your adults? Do you take a different approach and “place” adults? Some breeders feel that they "owe" it to their dogs to keep them forever. I think for the most part placing them to have a family where they are the only dog is fair. I somehow feel that I owe it to them to not have to share my attention with 8 others. So, as hard as it is to let go of that furry friend I know so well, it's the right choice to make.

And, if you're like me, it allows some openings for new youngsters, so that I can once again torture myself with sleep deprivation and clean up pee & poo for the 21st time that day...