Realistic, Relatable look at life with multiple
Oscar and I are excited to announce that we are part of the 2024 Running Collective
I've been wearing Brooks for at least 7 years because Nova ate a pair when she was a pup. π€£
We're excited for the opportunity to be ambassadors for Brooks and excited to bring some attention to cani-cross and other dog powered sports.
If you've ever had questions about cani cross feel free to ask!
When do you put away your Christmas decorations?
If my husband had his way it would probably be boxing day. I'm definitely a mid January type of person.
I just love the lights on dark days, but I will admit it feels fresh putting them away and starting over.
We put ours away this weekend and refreshed our regular decor a bit with a new rug from
What are your goals for 2024?
These are my top "dog related goals"
Previously my job really inhibited me being consistent with my dogs -walking, running, training, attending competitions etc. So I think once that changes, then alot of the other things will come naturally.
A photo of zoomy Clara to say that she is officially adopted. She was our shortest foster at just 7 days!
I haven't been posting much, I'm in a bit of an odd place right now. I have a few reels in process with some explanations, but now I've caught the flu and have no voice to do the voiceovers π
Anyways, Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, Happy new year π
An official introduction post for our newest foster dog.
This is Clara!
Shes 9 months old and a newfie/Saint Bernard mix.
Shes a pretty nervous gal and has clearly never been allowed inside before, but she's learning that it's not such a scary thing.
Shes an absolute goofball and a wiggle butt who has no idea how big her body is lol.
We had the entire month of November without any snowfall, which is just wild for living in Alberta.
I also haven't pulled out my camera or even taken my dogs out since we've moved, so here is a throwback to this time last year.
My husky is certainly unimpressed with "winter" so far this year, although my short haired dog is still living her best life without having to wear her onesie everytime she goes outside!
Has your fall/winter weather been typical or are you still snow-less like us?
My face when I see all the companies advertising amazing black Friday deals, but I just bought a house and have $1.37 left in my bank account.
Jokes. Sort of lol. I know buying a house seems like a pretty far off dream for most people, and it's tough. Curious if anyone would be interested in knowing what it takes to buy and house, and how it all works. This is my third house, and I've learned something new everytime!
Like did you know if you put 20% down on a house your interest rate will be higher than if you put 5% down? Because you don't have to pay mortgage insurance, so the loan is considered "less secure" if you put over 20% down.
**this is for in Canada/Alberta. Every country and even province/state will have slight differences**
I just love seeing photos of him run π€©
I think I've convinced my husband to build a doggy treadmill for Oscar to run in when I don't have time to take him out π€
Photos by
I love this photo because to somebody who doesn't know, it probably looks like "big bro" Oscar has got Nova's back.
In reality, its more likely hes hiding behind her for protection π
Oscar is the one who runs away from everything scary, and Nova is the one who runs towards it barking. She's definitely the one that an intruder should be wary of.
Is your dog a fight, flight, or fawn kinda dog?
Oscar is 100% flight and Nova is a solid mix of fawn and fight.
Each new race we do brings interesting new challenges and environments.
Day one of the run a way dryland race was extremely foggy with very limited visibility.
Asking a dog to run full sp*ed pulling a bike in a new place when they can't see more than 8 feet ahead of them is a big ask, but Oscar did really well!
And it made for some super neat photos π
Hi everyone! This is Oscar my 6 year old siberian husky.
I have entered him in a dirty dog contest and he is doing pretty well but we need some help.
He needs to get a dental and tooth extraction done. our vet funds are short as our old lady husky had cancer and got put down last year and our other pup had tplo surgery.
The first prize is $1000 and it would make a huge difference for us π
If you could please take 1 second and vote for us using the link below, we would be eternally grateful for your help. You can vote once a day, it doesn't cost anything, you don't even need to sign up for emails. Just scroll down and click on his picture and hit vote!
https://cont.st/dihtSV_cEqABp
Thank you all SO So much!
Ps you could also add your own messy husky entry using the links and it would help us as well π
So Oscar and I have our first bikejoring race this weekend and tomorrow morning there is a 99% chance of heavy rain all morning. π
Help. Lol. Any advice so that we don't both end up like soggy drowned rats?
This was not in the plans ππ¬
I haven't posted because I didn't want to jynx it. But Aries has officially been adopted! π₯Ί
Sweet boy was with our rescue for nearly 200 days, and in some sort of shelter situation from the time he was a pup.
My heart is so happy, I was starting to worry that he might have to stay with us long term (he's a sweet boy so I wouldn't have minded, lol)
A throwback racing photo with a funny/gross story about Novas first time racing.
Nova has always been an awesome travel dog, so I wasn't too worried about it. And she did great her first time in the semi, traveled well.
When we got to where we were going for the night we ate dinner, fed Nova, let her out to p*e and got into bed.
A few hours later Nova was whiney and restless. I assumed it was because we were sleeping in a smaller bed and different bed than she was used to and told her to go back to sleep.
A few hours later she wakes me up whining again, and as I'm half awake trying to figure out what she needs, she's standing on top of me in bed.
And goes p*e.
Literally on top of me, in the middle of the bed π
Apparently going on the floor wasn't an option.
So I jump out of bed and let her out of the trailer, my husband still sleeping in bed oblivious to what just happened.
We didn't have any spare bed that weekend - so I put down a some towels changed my clothes and tried to fit on half a double bed with my husband and my dog π
I cleaned myself and everything else up in the morning and learned a valuable lesson about listening to Nova.
She hasn't done that since lol.
And as long as I listen to her and give her enough p*e breaks she's the best little travel/race track dog
A philosophy I live by, which is something I learned through my dogs and their sports, and lots of therapy is:
If the destination and journey towards reaching a goal doesn't make you as happy as you think you'll be when you reach that goal... It's probably not worth pursuing.
Which is a weird way of saying - enjoy the process.
I've been thinking about his after a scent work competition with Nova thos weekend. We only passed 1 out of 3 components. It's our third time competing at the excellent level and we'll still haven't gotten a title.
BUT. I came out of that trial so happy and satisfied, Nova worked SO hard and she had so much fun, we didn't pass but we made some huge improvements from our last trial, and the judge even told us we have improved so much as a team, and we worked very well togethe π₯Ί.
We both enjoy training, and we go to a class every week. We conquer fun challenges and are always learning new things.
I do want our excellent title. I also eventually would love to get a championship title or two.
But if we don't ever get that rosette, or win those titles, that's okay!
We won't let it ruin our fun, and you'll never find me thinking it "wasn't worth it" just because we didn't reach that goal.
Just enjoy a big smiley boy with nothing to say but when the heck is this heat wave going to end!?
Just your friendly Friday morning reminder that on this page we believe in evidence based practices.
On this page we trust in science.
Hi! π I'm Emily, and I have a biochemistry degree and work as a process chemist.
I also used to work at the national center for animal disease doing prion research.
I'm not saying these things to show that I know more than you, or to prove I'm more educated.
I'm saying these things because in that time I have learned that I know VERY little. And that science is complicated and nuanced.
And the people who write papers have probably worked their whole lives studying that information.
The thing is, with a biochemistry degree, I'm barely even qualified to read an determine if a scientific study is of good quality.
So around here, we trust experts, we trust evidence, and we don't encourage making claims that don't have research to back it up.
This goes for animal training, animal nutrition, supplements, health, behaviour, vaccinations, and medications and a whole lot more.
I welcome an honest open discussion, I don't welcome anti-science, and you will be blocked if you promote it on my page or in my comments. I love to be proved wrong - with data to back it up, not opinions and anecdotes.
If you ever have questions about the scientific method, how to read a study, or good accounts to follow that promote science info, or anything of that manner, my dms are open.
I have puppy fever, but also don't have puppy fever because they are SO much effort.
I really want a sport dog, and I really want to try raising another puppy from the start with all the knowledge I've gained in dog behavior over the last 6 years.
I know so much more about socialization, training, conditioning, etc.
My dogs are amazing dogs, but I find myself wondering how it would go if I could do it all over again.
And how well a dog would do in sports, if they were exposed at a younger age.
I don't know, just thinking and rambling. I didn't start scent work until Nova was ~3 and didn't start bikejoring with Oscar until last year.
An Aries photo just to remind you all he's still here, and still waiting for his forever home!
Fostering is such a neat process, because I get to meet so many different dogs, who all have such different personalities.
It also makes me infinitely grateful for my own dogs. It really makes me see how mature and adaptable they are. And makes me appreciative that they are "fully trained". They have good recall, they know drop it and leave it, they don't try to dash out the door when it opens, they don't try to steal food. I know these are all products of hundreds of hours of training put in, but it's just nice to reflect on, especially on days when I get frustrated with them.
I'm not saying any of the foster dogs are completely wild, but most have not lived a life with any structure, boundaries, or rules, and it takes time and patience for them to learn.
Whats your favorite behavior that your dog's do automatically?
Let's talk about heart dogs or soul dogs.
Someone asked a few weeks ago, if your current dog is your heart dog, and how do you know they are?
My answer is that Nova 100% is my heart dog, and it's for a combination of reasons.
Partly because of how we bonded and connected, how we are so in tune with each other.
But also partly because of when she came into my life and the things we have been through together.
No other dog will have been by my side through hospitalizations, mental and physical health issues, graduating university, getting married, getting my first real job. From the points where I needed to go to the pet food bank to feed her. To being in a position where I can afford to spoil her with toys and treats.
The last part is the learning we did together. I knew very little about dog training and behavior when I got Nova, I didn't know about dog sports, or what enrichment was. Yet, she has never not trusted me. She is absolutely always willing to try what I ask of her.
I love my other dogs, and all the fosters I've had, but the connection and mutual understanding has never been the same.
I'm certain I will have other dogs that I bond with, and that fit as perfectly into my life as she did, but they will never be her.
Is your dog your heart dog? How do you know?
I spent years struggling with Novas allergies. And spent several thousand dollars on vets. Here's what I learned throughout that.
I would love to share what I know to save people from the years of struggle and heartache we went though.
If you have any questions please ask!
Oscar would just like everyone to know that it's a hard job being a race track dog.
Also, the he definitely wasn't digging any holes π€«
We finally had a cooler morning this morning so time for a bike ride it was!
I absolutely adore watching Oscar run, he loves it, and actually listens to me the entire time. If you know about our relationship I've often been frustrated -because husky lol. But I've learned he can and will listen and learn what I'm asking him, we just hadn't found the right sport.
Oscar was pretty slow today, we did about 3km and then made our way back, we finished just as a seniors hiking club was starting out on the trail, so good timing π
He is absolutely nailing his directional cues, and I can even see him turn his ears back to me when we approach a turn, or cross pathway!
I actually remembered to bring my 360 camera so I'll make a video of it as well this time. This trailing may be one of our new favorites.
Just my beautiful little flower pup.
Today is my Friday, and were headed back to the West coast to Washington this weekend for some more racing with the pups.
I love getting to spend time with them and we usually manage to find the time to go on a few little adventures and walks with them during race weekends.
Oscar has finally picked up some good travelling habits from Nova and is getting to be very good in the truck and the trailer.
ID: a medium sized brown dog, lays on her side in a field surrounded by small white and yellow wildflowers. Her mouth is open and her tongue hanging out. The sun shines through some trees in the background.
I got a new bike for my birthday - with disc brakes, because I've nearly worn through the brake pads on my old bike in like 6 bikejoring sessions with Oscar. My husband also made me a bike antenna so I can retire the pool noodle, lol.
So it was only fitting we got up nice and early to go for a bike ride this morning on a trail we've never done.
I've walked the trail plenty, and it's usually quite busy, but at 8 am on a Monday, we only encountered 1 other dog and one jogger.
It's tough finding hood close by trails for bikejoring. You want them to be dirt or grassy, ideally a single narrower pathway. A loop is always nice. But the main thing is there needs to be room to pass by others or pull off the trail, and it needs to be a less trafficked trail so your not having to pull over every 2 minutes to let people by.
For us, we typically just go early in the morning, so it's cooler and less busy.
But we will definitely be riding this one again, Oscar did absolutely amazing!
He still tends to start getting fatigued at the 2.5 to 3k mark, so we are going to keep working on his endurance, as we entered a race for October, and the distance is 4.8k
Adoptions are so slow they're basically non existent right now.
I think we all saw this coming with the "covid puppy boom" those Covid puppies are now a few years old, many of them are struggling with separation anxiety, people are back at work and travelling and sports and busy with their kids.
And their dogs are being surrendered.
Don't get me wrong, I do think surrendering a dog is sometimes the best choice.
But there are so many rescue dogs right now, and so few homes.
Dogs without any behavioral issues are going several months before being adopted.
Dogs with behaviour issues are not being adopted, and unfortunately euthanized.
The partner rescue we work with in the US has been over capacity for more than a year now.
They have nowhere to send the dogs - all the rescues are full and seeing few adoption applications come in.
Aries is a 1 year old husky mix, he is friendly, he's great with other dogs, loves kids, I'm told he does well with cats as well.
He's all round a good boy who would be the perfect addition to nearly any house hold. He is an energetic boy, but is totally happy with a walk and some play time in the yard. Then he's down for cuddles and a movie.
Yet, he hasn't had a single adoption application...
I'm totally happy having him around until he finds a home - but that means more dogs getting turned away because of lack of foster homes.
It's hard sometimes, it's really hard.
I know im newer to the foster dog world, but the state it's in just breaks my heart.
May photo dump featuring a very busy month.
Aries (our 2nd foster dog) joined us at the beginning of May! He's such a fun happy guy and is fitting in very nicely!
Nova had 2 scent detection competitions!
Oscar and Nova got to hang our at the lake house and with dog grandma for the weekend for one of the scent work trials.
We took the dogs for their first Race weekend of the year - and went all the way to Roseburg Oregon (like a 14.5 hour drive π
)
They were awesome. We learned Oscar just needs a little bit more length on his tie out line to feel safe at the race track and he did absolutely amazing.
We've done lots of walks and training and photos!
We can spend a lot of time focused on if our dogs are listening to us.ππΌ
In our relationship with dogs, it is vital to prioritize listening to them rather than solely focusing on how much they listen to us.
Dogs communicate through various channels, including body language, vocalizations, and behavior, providing us with valuable insights into their needs, emotions, and overall well-being.
By actively listening to our dogs, we can better understand their preferences, fears, and discomfort, allowing us to respond appropriately and create a safe and supportive environment for them.
This approach fosters trust, strengthens the human-dog bond, and enables us to address any underlying issues that may affect their behavior.
By placing emphasis on listening, we can establish a harmonious partnership based on empathy and understanding ultimately enhancing the overall quality of life for both our dogs - and us!
Share the ways you make sure you are listening to your dog!
Coaldale, AB
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It's been a very weird few weeks here trying to readjust to a new normal. I'm really hoping I can find a job that allows me to spend more time with my dogs and work less. I have an interview today, so wish me luck π€ #unemployed #dogmom #lifewithdogs #dogwalking #dogsports
Sometimes when making content with dogs they create their own scripts. We were gΔ±fted all 5 flavors of @smackpetfood dehydrated raw food, we use their food regularly as a training treat, but haven't tried the Carribean Salmon Fushion flavor until today. Both Nova and Oscar loved it. We love supporting local, Canadian made companies. And we love finding healthy nutritious treats to use when we train, that are also high value to the dogs, because we do so much training. If you want to purchase your own smack food we would appreciate you using our code MUTTHOUSE it gets you 15% off and we get a share of the profits π #lifewithdogs #funnydogreel #healthydogtreats #dehydrateddogfood #smackpetfood #dogs #ourmutthouse
I could tell you, but I'd rather just show you. Emma was the most stereotypical husky. She used to get groomed 2-3 times a year and the last time she got groomed the groomer told me she had done so well! I asked if she didn't get screamed at the entire time, but she still screamed, just stood nicely in the tub while screaming. I loved her to bits and miss her, but still would not recommend a husky to most people. #husky #siberianhusky #lifewithdogs #dogs #funnydogreels Bathing a siberian husky
If you've never seen it, now you have! Novas original "Find my phone" video #dogtricks #dogtaining #servicedog #servicedogtraining #smartdog
Nova "Find my phone" video was our start to a social media account for the dogs! And I got ALOT of comments worried about her breaking my phone. In 6 years she hasn't even cracked or scratched a screen. BUT We didn't start learning retreivals with a fragile item until she was much more comfortable and confident holding different types of items. I still have that pink bag from the 2nd 2 clips and at this point it's barely a bag anymore lol. You'll also see in the middle 2 clips that she is not gentle, she's clumsy, she drops the bag several times. This is because she was still a little puppy and this was new to her. (She was 4.5 months in the first video and 7 or 8 in the 2nd) All this I guess to say is if you want to teach you're dog to find your phone - teach them a solid retrieval with a non fragile item 1st. Once you are confident in their ability to pick up and not drop a variety of different items, then give it a try with an old phone! #dogtricks #dogtraining #servicedogtraining
Let's start normalizing actual normal homes. And stop normalizing people being house poor and barely able to afford their mortgages Here is my 90 year old 830 Sq ft house. It's not perfect, but we make it work. But I can give you a full house tour in 30 seconds π It's never going to be the type of house that you see as inspo on social media, but that's okay π€·ββοΈ we are very happy and comfortable where we are! #normalhouse #smallhouse #normalizenormalhouses #ourmutthouse #lifewithdogs
Oh Nova π sometimes there's inadvertent distractions when doing scent detection. I let her sniff the bed/toys because sometimes the people setting the hides are tricky like that. I'm just impressed with her double toy steal lol. She did go on to actually find the hides π #scentdetection #funnydogs #troublemaker #scentworktraining #workingdogs
This one might get a little *spicy* So I'm going to preface with this - sometimes I walk my dog on retractable leashes. I walk them on retractable leashes in less busy situations, like our regular neighborhood walks. I would never walk a dog on a retractable leash in a busy or populated area. I would never walk a reactive dog, or dog with poor recall on a retractable leash. There are people who are adamantly against them in every situation, which I disagree with. I do agree that they are often misused, and can be dangerous if misused. I would also highly recommend using the tape style ones vs. The cord style ones. The absolute bare minimum before using a flexi lead? Solid recall. Ideally your dog would also know cues like wait, stop, heel, etc. #dogtraining #dogwalking #positivereinforcement #recall #smartdogs
Dog tricks can be about so much more than just being cute tricks. They can be practical. Like this "Find my phone" trick Nova knows #dogtricks #dogreels #cutedogs #dogtraining #servicedog #positivereinforcement
Our race trip to Oregon and back through last week was over 3000 miles. So I've been thinking about how much of a Rockstar Nova is with traveling. She's been to 12 US states at this point in her life, and I'm sure there will be more! Oscar only started coming racing with us last June after Emma passed, so he's still got some catching up to do, but he is also becoming an awesome race track and travel dog, too! We decided this coming up weekend that we would leave the dogs at home, and it's the very first time I am going racing without her coming along. Lol. I'm going to have separation anxiety for sure! #adventure #adventuredog #travellingwithdogs #racetrackdogs #dogtraining #sprintcar #racecar #positivereinforcement #traveldog
Remember that social media is a highlight reel, people are not often sharing the frustrations and struggles of dog ownership. So here was my "sh*tty dog guardian" moment from the other week. Feel free to share any of your recent moments as well. We went for a run the next day and both of us were much happier. Featuring older footage of a POV of a typical walk for Oscar. It was filmed using an @insta360 cam attached to his harness, VD: various clips of a black and white siberian husky with a red harness on a walk, the camera is attached to his harness and gives his perspective. He's walking on a sidewalk, sniffing trees, etc. #husky #siberianhusky #forcefreedogguardian Realistic dog ownership, dog training mistakes,
Trust me when I say Oscar makes it look easy. But remember, he was literally bred for this, it's in his genes. I've also trained with him a lot! While I do occasionally run with Nova and the foster dogs... it is not nearly the same. So, if your dog looks like Aries when you run, that's okay π€·ββοΈ Oscar and I did 2k in 10 min 11 sec. Aries and I did 2k in like 18 minutes. Ps. This was the point I got to with him before we ever hopped on a bike together, probably more for my confidence than anything else Our gear: Harness, bungee line and canicross belt - @nahaksports Shoes - @brooksrunningca @brooksrunning #canicross #urbanmushing #sleddog #siberianhusky #husky #huskymix #purposebreddog #dogswithjobs #dogsports #dogsofalberta
If you saw Nova how old would you think she is? I'm genuinely curious, because I've been asked if she's over 6 months, and asked if she's a senior dog within weeks of each other. I think I can understand why, but curious as to how old you would think she is, and why you think that! #puppy #seniordog
Hopefully this saves my really plant lol. Thanks @homesalivepets and @zippypaws I couldn't pass this one up πβοΈ #monstera #lifewithdogs #huskymix #funnydogreels
I don't make Nova do tricks she doesn't like doing π€·ββοΈ Because that wouldn't be fun for either of us. For some reason people love asking if she can fetch a beer from the fridge. The answer is yes she can, but she doesn't like it, so I don't make her do it. We do tricks mainly for enrichment and bonding between the 2 of us, not so I can make her do unnecessary things for me. What is the trick your dog dislikes the most? #trickdog #tricktraining #dogtraining #dogswithjobs #smartdog #smartpuppy #forcefree #forcefreedogtraining #positivereinforcement #cutedogreels
I had to see if the barbie AI filter would work on the dogs, I'm both intrigued and terrified π¨ π #measabarbie #dogs #barbiedog
Whats the weirdest item you see making up the thing? My personal favorite is the "clothing optional" sign lol What better way to really see what the thing is like than a little tour!? I'll be honest this was one of the first videos I filmed using my @insta360 and its taken me so long to post it because I haven't had enough memory on my phone (The 360 videos take up so much space, but they are worth it!) π I bought myself a tablet as a birthday present so I can use it to edit photos and videos more easily. So far I'm pretty happy! Enjoy this little adventure with my dogs, and I! #thething #yql #lethbridge #adventureswithdogs #husky #insta360 #urbanlegend #lifewithdogs #dogsofinstagram #dogsofcanada #albertadogs #uleth #positivereinforcement #dailydog #dogreels #instadogs #huskyworld
What else would you add to this list? I started deep diving into dog behaviour, training and cognition when I decided to start training Nova as a service dog. I still made so many mistakes over the years with her and with my other dogs. I thought training a dog should just come naturally, and that people should just "know" what to do and how to communicate with dogs, but boy was I wrong. 5+ years of heavily devoting myself to being that best I van be for my dogs and there is still so much that I don't know, and that's okay. What I do know now is when and who to reach out to for help when I don't understand. I know now that dogs do not perceive the world at all in the same way humans do, I know now that we need to teach dogs how to coexist with us, other dogs and other humans. I know we need to set reasonable expectations, because after all they are still dogs. I've had a few comments saying "how can you give training advice when your dogs misbehave?" But here's the thing - my dogs bark, and dig, and occasionally makes messes and chew things they shouldn't. But also - I recognize that is 100% my fault. Either my dogs are bored, or anxious, or I haven't taught them what I want in a situation. #dogtraining #forcefreetraining #positivereinforcement #husky #huskymix #fosterdog #dogreel
To the people who tell me they wouldn't be able to foster a dog because it would be too hard to let them go. I don't do it because the joy and happiness far outweighs any of the sadness. As the old saying of you can't have the rainbow without the rain. It is hard to let them go, and that's part of the beauty of it. I made this when we got our new foster Aries, but the thing is we would t be able to keep fostering dogs if we kept them. So they get to go to their forever home, and we get to help another dog. #fosterdog #animalrescue #dogrescue Fostering, foster dogs, how to foster a dog
This is part 2 of our practice search. This was a mock trial set up, with unknown number of hides and unknown location. See part one for more details. #scentwork #scentdetection #nosework #sdda #workingdog #dogswithjobs
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