Urban K 9

08/26/2024

Always read the small print 😂

08/20/2024

We have just sent out our newsletter to all the dogs that have graduated training classes or lesson for additional training dates for the month of August!

IF you have done training with us before and have not received the newsletter let me know and I will make sure it is sent to you.

I would love to see you at the classes🐶

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08/12/2024

Yes. Dogs are for life. Puppies will stress you out 1000%. Think they will grow out of it....probably not without training.

Invest time researching breed and the source you get your dog from before you get a dog from either a responsible breeder or rescue. Then start training the dog the minute it comes home and continue training until the end of time.

08/10/2024

That is a good relationship

08/09/2024

Do you know who owns your vet clinic? We do have a few in our area that are owned by big corporations 🧐



https://www.rollingstone.com/politics/politics-news/elizabeth-warren-targets-private-equity-firm-veterinary-offices-1235075465/?fbclid=IwY2xjawEiUF5leHRuA2FlbQIxMQABHSqOeKFWsqc-KHWFB38iifJM34sLaUw3w3UqnalWYu0er6UDBLRSq_ez5g_aem_YA5fznQHDzawkhSfRCvHTw

Elizabeth Warren says private equity takeovers of veterinary practices are harming “veterinarians and customers alike.”

08/06/2024

WUNDERball is not just another fetch toy for your dog;
- it's an crafted by hand from 100% natural latex rubber,
-virtually indestructible ball
-offers an unpredictable bounce that keeps dogs engaged and excited.
-It cleans teeth, floats, and is safe for your pup and the planet as well.

Whether your pet loves to play in the park, the pool, the backyard, the lake, or indoors, WUNDERball provides mentally stimulating fun and exercise.

They are also on sale this month 15% off 🤩

07/29/2024

Works well when you yell it like a crazy person to anyone that comes within 5 feet 😆. Dog training works well on humans too 😁

07/29/2024

Group Class start date has changed to Aug 13. 😊

That means no homework August long weekend and Sept Long weekend your dog will be so full of knowledge and new skills you will impress all your friends and family 😁

07/27/2024

One way to not have people touch your dog while out and about. 😁

07/25/2024

Fun Dog Fact 🐶

07/22/2024

Would you like your dog to behave when you go out in public or when you have company over? We can help you have a well mannered dog that you can take anywhere.

Your dog will learn to walk nice on leash, sit, stay, come when called, how to be safely off leash, how to be calm, socialization and a lot more.

This classs is great for dogs of all ages

This is the Last Group class starting next week! These are the last classes before fall!

Daytime and Evening Classes.

07/18/2024

We have to teach and guide our dogs so they are all around good dogs. Change doesn't come from being comfortable.

07/17/2024

Best to go for a walk early in the AM or stay on. the grass. It is way too hot to be walking dogs this in this heat.

07/12/2024

Emergency vet is in kelowna if a snake bite happens. Put the number in your phone so you have it handy

Rattlesnake Bite Treatment facts:

Last year Fairfield saw 14 patients from May-September with Rattlesnake bites which required antivenin treatment.

By end of June last year, Fairfield had treated 3 patients for rattlesnake bites. So far in 2023 we have already treated 4 pets for rattlesnake bites, and it’s not quite June yet. Two of this year’s cases were from Kalamalka Lake Park in Vernon, one was from Wildhorse Canyon in Okanagan Mountain Park, and one was from Okanagan Falls.

Last year, 60% of cases were seen in August and September. In contrast, in 2021 we saw a similar number of cases, but 80% of them were in May and June.

Each year is different, but we are always prepared. While Fairfield does have a limited supply of antivenin, this is because we are only able to order a set amount at a time due to strict import regulations. We always plan ahead and do not anticipate running out.

If your pet is bitten by a rattlesnake, return to your vehicle, call us, and proceed to Fairfield calmly and safely. The rattlesnakes in the Okanagan are different from those in California, Arizona, and Colorado. Their venom is not nearly as toxic, and their bites are treated effectively with antivenin.

Fun fact: the antivenin we use neutralizes the effects of venom of all North American pit vipers including: cottonmouths, water moccasins, copperheads, AND rattlesnakes.

07/10/2024

Very good read. Tire the mind and the body will follow. 😊

https://www.facebook.com/100057846151656/posts/898708638734000/?mibextid=rS40aB7S9Ucbxw6v

IT'S TRAINING TIP TUESDAY!

I heard the phrase yet again today: “A tired dog is a good dog!” This week’s TTT begs to differ.

Here’s an action pic of my best boy, Fox, working out on his treadmill. I am decidedly NOT trying to “tire him out”.

I’ve met with so many dog owners who are advised by family, friends and other dog professionals that their dog’s issues could be resolved simply by giving the dog more “exercise”. These issues might be destructive behavior, dog selectiveness, even aggression towards humans, but whatever the sin, “exercise” seems to always be the all-purpose penance. I’m pretty sure that this belief system became prevalent when a famous TV trainer promoted the mantra of “Exercise, Discipline, Affection” and everyone just heard the first and last words while ignoring the second one: like eating a sandwich made of just bread after removing the meat in the middle. It echoed through the Dogosphere, with daycares everywhere proclaiming that “a tired dog is a good dog!”.

A more accurate statement might be that “a tired dog is a -tired- dog, and that means he might be slightly less of a pain in the ass when you pick him up after your day job” but that doesn’t fit well on a business logo.

There is so much emphasis on physical exercise for dogs that it sometimes sounds as though owners are conditioning Olympic athletes rather than trying to give their dogs a little fun. I see potential clients who routinely run, swim and hike with dogs who drag them when on leash and run off on them when off leash. Dogs who spend every weekday going crazy at a daycare and every weekend running themselves silly on a beach. They’ve consulted wishful-thinking trainers who try to solve issues of overarousal by creating a -different- type of overarousal (no, Mrs. Smith, simply whipping a flirt pole around in the living room is -not- going to teach your out of control Patterdale Terrier to stop jumping on guests). The dogs are constantly in motion, always being stimulated until they finally collapse at the end of the day and the owner sighs in relief that he has successfully "tired his dog out".
I have two problems with this:
1. Is energy such an enemy that we have to squeeze every last little bit out of the dog as though he's a tube of toothpaste? Shouldn't a dog's level of energy act more analog (a dial) and less digital (a switch)?
2. -Did- the owner actually succeed in "tiring his dog out"?

The first issue is easy to understand: dogs, especially big powerful dogs like the Dobes, GSDs and Corsos we see so frequently here, can be rather a "lot" when they are revving high. Trainers often encourage lots of exercise to help curtail behavior problems like anxiety and destructiveness in the house. And some of that may even help a tiny bit. But expecting your dog to be a slightly more interesting houseplant indoors while encouraging him to go full tilt wildman outdoors can be counterproductive. After all, if you teach him that everywhere outside of your house is his world in which to run, play, and chase constantly, without a corresponding level of actual training you are setting him up to ignore you in that environment. How many of you have a dog whose recall command is OK in the living room but virtually nonexistent when he's cut loose in the woods? No surprise there, after all: outdoors is HIS world, remember? You and he are operating on the “ON/OFF switch” model but I bet he doesn’t even have that great of an “OFF” switch when you really need it. Sure, he's getting “exercise” but he’s also learning that the expression of his energy is completely independent of you and that the faster and crazier he goes, the less influence you actually have over him.

But at least you “tired him out”, right?

I’ve got bad news for you, kid.

Why does someone go to the gym?
To get fit.
To build stamina.
To become stronger.

Wait a minute: you mean you don't go to the gym to -get tired-?

Think about how you feel after a jog or a workout, rather than exhausted, you may feel energized. You may want to cool off and rest briefly, but the big picture will show that you will have a higher threshold for the exertion each time you do it. This is what we do with our dogs when their main source of exertion is physical. They may be tired in the immediate aftermath of the exercise, but they usually keep requiring more of it to get less tired. Meanwhile, they become physiologically addicted to mindless play, independent of their humans.

Now think about how you feel after completing a more "mental" task: studying for an exam, doing your taxes, taking a piano lesson. It can even be something more recreational: doing a crossword puzzle, creating a piece of art, building a model. You don't feel "exhausted", but you probably feel -sated-. As a musician, after I work on learning a new piece of music I tend to want some downtime. Maybe TV, maybe listening to a podcast, maybe even just doing a low-key chore.

Most humans consider it a healthy lifestyle if there is a nice balance of both physical exercise and mental exercise. A day in which I go for a long, brisk walk -and- finish up a behavior consult report -and- pick up my bass guitar is a very satisfying one indeed. Our dogs need that same balance.

In addition to the playdates and freeform running around that he gets, what sort of tasks are you giving your dog’s brain to tackle? Asking for "micro obedience" around the house, teaching him a trick that morphs into a useful behavior, turning your long walks into intermittent periods of heel and sit and down, all of these are things that will help your dog "tire out" in a healthy way. Rather than flattened out from physical exhaustion, he can be settled and calm while still being present as a family member.

None if this is advice to stop exercising your dog, but it is a chance for you to think about ways to get that mind of his just as conditioned as his body.

So why is Fox on a treadmill? Like his owner, Fox is getting older. My own restricted mobility makes jogging with him impossible. But he is still very fit as a six year old Doberman and I want to keep him that way. Because I expect him to perform athletically in the training we do, he needs to have very good stamina. I am not exercising him to make him tired, I’m literally doing the opposite! Earlier in the day Fox and I were working on some obedience stuff: not only the usual brief positional drills but also some “extracurricular” retrieves and directionals. That was his “brain workout”. I can attest that when Fox steps off of his treadmill after twenty minutes or so, he is decidedly -not- tired and will often jump back on and wait for me to start it up again. But after our training sessions, he is usually much more laid back and content to just chill out in the office. I try not to anthropomorphize but he definitely seems like he feels accomplished after we spend time working on skills.

Provide that mix of both physical and mental exercise for your dog and watch him become something way better than “tired”, watch him become -balanced-. And a balanced dog really IS a good dog.

See you next week, and Happy Training!

07/09/2024

During a heat warning, it's crucial to limit your dog's time outside to ensure their safety and well-being. The exact duration depends on several factors, including the dog's breed, age, health, and the severity of the heat warning.

07/09/2024

Summer is here!!! With the extreme hot temperatures 💥 please keep a eye on your pets for signs of overheating.

07/09/2024

that is love 😍

07/06/2024

Last week we had a visit from the very sweet Ruby. 😍

# Visla

07/05/2024

What a handsome boy 😍

07/05/2024

And they called it puppy love 😁

07/02/2024

Always make sure who the experts are 😆

06/27/2024

New product Kurgo seat covers!!! All kinds of designs bucket seat, hammock, covers for the cargo area. They are waterproof and stain resistant.

06/22/2024

One of our favourite toys to play fetch with. Dogs love the way they roll and go wonky when thrown and full to run around with them with no worries about a slippery slimy ball getting stuck in the dogs throat.😁

06/21/2024

Did you know? A dog’s sense of smell is 40 times better than ours!

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06/19/2024

DIY grooming at home? Here are our Favourite grooming tools to keep your dog looking great between professional sessions. Love furminator brushes cuts down on all the hair floating around and nail clippers are nice and make trimming nails easy!

06/18/2024

Lucky dogs have no rights about car rides gone wrong, or pictures taken while they are sleeping 😆

06/16/2024

Happy Fathers Day to all the Dads! Hope you have a great day