25-year-old Luc Mbabazi is what you’d call a typical dog lover. He loves hanging around dogs and can even cancel any plan just to play with or take care of them. His love for dogs goes way back. He recalls vividly when he was young, they used to have monkeys and dogs at their home. Later on, people approached him with hopes of finding dogs for them to buy, a thing he did with ease. “I started selling dogs in 2015 after graduating from high school. It started as a hobby but I quickly realised how much money I was making, which is why I decided to turn it into a fulltime business. Selling dogs is profitable as Rwanda has many foreigners who visit and love dogs,” he says. Mbabazi is currently nurturing and selling a variety of dog breeds such as German Shepherd, Maltese, Chihuahua, Rottweiler, Saint Bernard and Boerboel. He looks after the dogs in Kiyovu, Rebero and Kinyinya and they go for about $200 to $1000 each. In a month, he can sell about three dogs or more. He currently has 20 dogs, adults and puppies. When asked how gainful the dog business can be, he says that many people have an improper habit of assuming they understand dogs because they have lived with them at one point. But living with them doesn’t mean you to understand them fully. He notes that it’s easy to get caught up in the day-to-day demands of clients’ needs, but if you don’t work on the business itself, it won’t grow. For him, operating a dog business is not easy at all, first you need to know your clients and what breeds they love. Then find a smart business plan plus a nice location to board, groom or train the dogs. He says that you can’t rear dogs without expertise as training is very necessary to the dogs’ lives for numerous reasons. For instance, it provides mental stimulation which helps to keep the dog happy, however, if combined with morning exercise, the dog will be mentally and physically tired thus more likely to sleep during the day. Mbabazi says that although the business is profitable, you need to invest enough money in it, especially for food, health, training, and vaccination. Mbabazi is still learning to interact appropriately with other dogs. He explains that puppies need to be immunised starting from six to eight weeks of age, and they require booster shots until they are about 16 weeks old. He says that although puppies are cute, they come with a whole lot of issues that have to be handled with perpetual patience—that’s why adopting a dog from a shelter is a better idea than buying a puppy. When it comes to medical emergencies, Mbabazi points out that the vital thing to remember is to simply stay calm. If you panic, you will just make the dog nervous as well. “There are a number of things you can do during a dog emergency at home before taking it to the vet. If your dog is bleeding excessively, you will need to apply pressure to the injury while you’re still at home. Just be careful, as this may make your dog bite you. “If you think your dog may be choking, try to stay calm and call your local veterinarian right away,” he says. For dogs’ proper healthcare, Mbabazi says, adults should have a complete veterinary examination at least once a year. Puppies need veterinary visits usually every three to four weeks until they are about four months old. “Because you’re more familiar with your dog than anyone else, you should watch it carefully for subtle signs of illness that another person or even a veterinarian may miss. General signs of illness include a lack of appetite or decreased activity.” He further notes that you can tell a dog is sick when it has excessive thirst and frequent urination, sneezing, panting, runny eyes and nose or other flu-like symptoms, as this may be a sign of respiratory problems, as are gasping or shortness of breath. You can contact Mbabazi on 0789772170
