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Sarah Knight Dog Training

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Kelowna, BC
Sarah Knight Dog Training

Born & raised in Kelowna BC - Sarah Knight has been working with dogs since 2009 professionally.

11/01/2024

🖤 Relationship First, Relationship Second, Relationship Third 🖤

This is a conversation I have daily—heck often multiple times a day—with clients. Your relationship with your dog is THE MOST important part of training. This relationship, or lack thereof, will be the foundation of your entire training program. Your results with your dog - will be dependent on the work you are willing to put into, not just training, but relationship. Engagement, play, connection, joy, and other relationship-building games etc. should be at the center of your training.

Yes, dog training is nuanced. Yes, there are different styles, methods, theories and concepts. Yes, accountability is a necessary part of the process. And no, it’s not black and white or a quick fix. But when you prioritize building a strong relationship with your dog and examine your beliefs about what that relationship should look like, everything else begins to fall into place.

Many clients start with, “I just want my dog to listen to me because I said so (and the first time).” And hey, don’t we all? But if you’re not willing or able to focus on building a relationship, learning to play and train together, and fostering engagement, I have news for you: you might get that “first-time response,” but it will come at a cost and the cost will be that your relationship is more of a dictatorship than partnership.

If you’re going to pick just one “thing” to “train” today - choose to put that 5 minutes into your relationship with your dog. Everything else will be easier because of it.

Thank you to Things Dog Handlers Say for this reminder this morning 🖤

10/30/2024

🎃 Happy Halloween: Keeping Your Dog Calm on Halloween 🎃

Halloween can be very unsettling and even scary for dogs. It’s a conversation I have regularly with clients surrounding holidays - how to help your dog feel safe and comfortable on holidays such as Halloween 👻

Here are some of my best practices:

1. 👻 Set Up a Safe Space: Designate a quiet room away from the main activity for your dog to relax. If they’re crate-trained, their crate can be a great tool. Cover it with a blanket to create a cozy den-like atmosphere. I put on our pink or brown noise machines and leave them with a special chewy or stuffed toppl. I don’t want my dogs racing to and from the door each time I hear the doorbell ring for many reasons - so a safe space works perfect for us!

2. 🎃 Keep Them Busy with Long-Lasting Chews: Having a Toppl stuffed and frozen with their favourite recipes, a frozen stuffed Kong, or a bully stick can keep your dog entertained and distracted. I also try to make sure I’ve done a great job of meeting their physical needs that day with a good hike, sniffy walk or adventure. This will help them settle more easily.

3. 👻 Try to Reduce Startling Sounds: Doorbells, fireworks, and kids shouting can cause stress. If doorbell sounds get your dog excited or anxious, consider waiting outside to greet trick-or-treaters, or put a sign up letting them know not to ring the bell with a self serve bowl. I try to revisit my 100 doorbell game the weeks leading up to Halloween as well.

4. 🎃 Fireworks Safety: Fireworks can be alarming and unpredictable. Even though it is illegal to set fireworks off in the city of Kelowna - I know I can expect several episodes of fireworks tomorrow night. My dogs don’t mind fireworks but If your dog has had past reactions, consider being sure to walk them earlier in the day to avoid the nighttime fireworks. If going outside - make sure your dogs are in collars with identification attached. We see so many “missing dog” posts every day after fireworks.

5. 👻 Practice some of your training skills. If your dog is at the point in training - where you are ready to practice your door manners, station/place work, or other training goals this might be a good night to get several successful training reps in. But remember we want to practice success and good clean reps! So make sure to set your dog up for a successful training session. (I highly recommend a leash) Please remember that kids in costumes might be very stressful to some dogs and many kids might not like/be scared of dogs.

5. 🎃 Consider Calming Support: Talk to your vet ahead of time about options for extra support, especially if your dog is particularly anxious with loud noises. Many vets offer calming supplements, anxiety wraps, or medications for occasional use that can help keep your dog relaxed throughout Halloween and other stressful days of the year.

**Disclaimer - Most of these suggestions are for pets that don’t struggle with high level anxiety, sound sensitivity or generalized anxiety disorders. Please consult with your veterinarian if your dog requires extra support on days such as Halloween or day to day throughout the year. **

Happy Halloween from Meeko, Rylee & Seeya
🧡 Remember to give your dog a treat from me in exchange for a fun trick 👻 🍬

10/15/2024

🥓🧀 Kibble Scatter Enrichment: Using nature’s greatest snuffle mat as an easy enrichment activity. 🧀🥓

I got asked last week about kibble scatters and thought I would address it here! Are you looking for an easy way to give your dog some mental stimulation and satisfaction with light physical activity? Try a kibble scatter in the yard! This activity has many benefits, whether your dog is full of energy, a senior, or somewhere in between. I use the free kibble samples I receive at shows, or stores as my primary kibble scatter snacks. I probably scatter feed 2x a week!

✨ Natural Snuffle Mat: By scattering kibble or treats in the grass, you’re letting your dog engage in one of their natural instincts—sniffing and foraging. It’s like a nature-made snuffle mat, encouraging calm, focused behavior. A cup or so of kibble will keep my dog busy for 20-30 minutes and they often have a good long nap afterwards! When raising puppies - I regularly feed my puppies a meal a day through scatter feeding!

🧠 Great for Dogs with Arousal Control Issues: If your dog tends to get overly excited or struggles with impulse control, kibble scattering can help. Sniffing slows them down and gives their brain something to focus on, reducing excitement and arousal in a healthy way. This is a great way to help a dog lower their arousal and self regulate! I often end training sessions with a quick scatter feed.

👵🏼 Perfect for Seniors: For our older pups, this is a gentle, low-impact form of enrichment. They get to engage their brain and nose without needing to over-exert themselves. Gentle, subtle movements help them practice control, balance and micro movements which is a great addition to their senior fitness conditioning programs. Meeko especially loves when he gets to do a kibble scatter and I love doing them for him. He is always ready for a snooze afterwards.

🌳 Mental & Physical Exercise: A simple kibble scatter provides mental stimulation and some light physical exercise as your dog moves around to find every piece.

My dogs give kibble scatters 4 paws up! How about yours? Give it a try! Besides we all know we have sample packs of food to use 🙋🏼‍♀️

10/13/2024

🍁🍂🧡 Happy Thanksgiving 🧡🍂🍁
Happy Thanksgiving from Meeko, Rylee & Seeya as well as myself! Mac & Maisie (Left two) joined us for a walk in the crunchy leaves, sunshine and crisp fall day! My dogs are thankful for all things toy related, chuck it balls and yummy chews. I’m thankful for family, friends and an amazing client base that becomes like friends & family. I’m thankful for you! Hoping you find some happiness and joy this Thanksgiving.
🖤 Sarah

10/02/2024

Let’s talk about Flexi Leashes! I know, I know—dog owners all over the internet are clutching their pearls at the mention of them. 😂 And yes, we’ve all seen the memes about tossing them in the garbage etc., but let’s be real—like anything, Flexi leashes have their place *if* used correctly.

Here are a few reasons why Flexis can be awesome in the right context:

1. Freedom in a Controlled Environment: A Flexi leash gives your dog more freedom to sniff and explore, which can be great for walks in open parks, beaches, rest stops or any safe environment where you want your dog to have room to explore, stretch their legs, potty etc but still need control. I use them especially if I’m out of town, camping, on trial sites with no off leash etc! When we travelled to Prince Rupert this summer - man did we use our flexi!

2. Great for dogs who don’t have recalls or off leash privileges. (And I’m not talking about just training issues…) Meeko is almost 14 years old and almost completely deaf! But he still loves his “off leash” hikes. Obviously I cannot and should not let Meeko off a leash 😅. This allows dogs like Meeko to still experience freedom without being a risk to himself. Another example is a rehabbing dog - imagine this - you’re rehabbing a TPLO or any other injury and your dog can finally go on walks but can’t off leash for obvious reasons. How lovely is the little bit of extra freedom for sniffing and gentle pace changes. Our pace is RARELY the perfect pace for our dogs - so a flexi lets them set a comfortable pace for themselves.

3. Perfect for some training exercises! Many of my clients use a flexi leash instead of a long line for puppy recalls, stay exercises, engagement work etc!

But let’s be real—there are some cons, too:

1. Leash Feedback & Control : Flexis don’t give you the same immediate control or ability to deliver feedback as a standard leash. If you’re walking in areas with other dogs or people, that extra distance can make things a bit chaotic. Not to mention the surprise when a squirrel shows up. 🐿️

2. Tangles and Burns; Yep, those infamous Flexi leash burns are *real*—both for humans and dogs! A leash running at high speed across your leg is not fun, and don’t even get me started on the tangled mess if your dog starts wrapping you up like a present.

3. It doesn’t help teach loose leash walking at all 😅: Flexis can encourage pulling especially for dogs that haven’t mastered loose leash walking. We want dogs to understand how to turn off leash pressure and a flexi leash isn’t going to get you much closer to that goal.

4. Inexpensive knock off brands - can snap/ break etc. Make sure you’re using a high quality flexi that is weight rated for your dog.

So, before you join the “Anti-Flexi” meme sharing, burn all the flexi leashes bandwagon (there’s plenty of room on that train! 🚂), consider the *where* and *why* behind using them. In the right environment, they can be a fantastic tool!

What are some of your positive experiences with Flexi leashes?

08/29/2024

🧀🥓 What’s in Your Trainer’s Treat Pouch? 🧀🥩

I get asked multiple times a day about what I’m feeding from my bait bag, so I thought it was about time I provided a more formal answer. And as always, the answer is… it depends 🖤

My treat pouch is filled 90% of the time with a trail mix of brands, flavors, soft food, cheese, crunchy snacks, chicken, liver, high-value reinforcers, and low-value reinforcers. Shopping list ideas below 👇🏼 Please add your favourites below too!

Here’s what determines the contents of my treat pouch:

💛 The dog I’m training—puppy vs. adult, allergy concerns, preferences, etc.

💛 The skill, sport, or game I’m training—what type of treat is easiest to deliver, etc.

💛 The time of year 😅—frozen fingers or gloved hands prefer a certain type of treat. In the summer, I avoid foods that attract wasps 🐝

💛 The surface I’m training on—will I be doing cookie scatters on grass or need a visible treat that shows up on grass? Do I want a treat that rolls?

💛 What I had for dinner 🍽️—if we had a meat protein, I often toss the scraps (if appropriate) into my trail mix of treats.

💛 What’s new in-store, on sale, or something someone convinced me to buy 😂—I’m famous for “oh look, something shiny” and buying the new treat to try!

One thing that I’ve really started doing more of this past year is using whole meal freeze dried raw, baked, or similar model foods as training treats. I find it provides less digestive track upset and if I need to cut calories later from meals I know that I’ve replaced those calories with healthy alternatives.

Here are some of my favourite items I use in my treat pouch these days - this list is always changing and I’m sure I’ve forgotten many of my favourites too.

🧀 Cheese
🥓 Meat Chunks

🌭 Wild Weenies by Stella & Chewy

https://www.homesalive.ca/stella-chewy-s-wild-weenies-bacn-me-crazy-dog-treats.html

🍖Pill Pockets (another local trainer got me on these and I’ve never gone back 😂)

https://www.homesalive.ca/greenies-pill-pockets-real-peanut-butter-90-g-3-2-oz.html

🧆 Smack Dog Food - a crunchy, easy to break food.

https://www.homesalive.ca/smack-very-berry-chicken-crunchy-dehydrated-food.html

🥓 Jays Tiny Bites

https://www.homesalive.ca/jay-s-tiny-bits-training-treats.html

🥩Primal Pronto Bites - a freeze dried raw food - my dogs LOVE THESE!

https://www.homesalive.ca/primal-canine-freeze-dried-raw-pronto-pork-recipe.html

🍖 Ziwi Peaks Food - a soft, FAVOURITE of my dogs air dried food

https://www.homesalive.ca/ziwipeak-air-dried-beef-dog-food.html

🍗 Instinct Freeze Dried Raw - or any other brand that makes freeze dried raw in a pellet form

https://www.homesalive.ca/instinct-raw-longevity-100-freeze-dried-raw-meals-grass-fed-beef-recipe.html

🥓 Pocket Trainers

https://www.homesalive.ca/bixbi-pocket-trainer-salmon-flavour-dog-treats.html

🥩 Vital Pellets - freeze dried raw

https://www.homesalive.ca/vital-essentials-freeze-dried-raw-protein-mix-in-mini-nibs-for-dogs-rabbit.html

You can buy most of these at your local pet store. I find these at Homes Alive Pets and Tail Blazers Kelowna as well as Pet Value stores.

And if you don’t have a Voila Treat Pouch let me point you in the right direction.

Experiment with different options to find what works best for you and your pup!

What’s your dog’s favorite training treat? Let us know in the comments! 🐶

📸 Top Right: Sara Nicole Photography - Okanagan BC

07/28/2024

A wise friend once said “It starts at the door…” when asked about impulse control in day to day life & sport. That gem of a sentence will never leave me 💎

Do you and your dog struggle with impulse control in real-life situations? What happens at your doorway, gate, or car when your dog is REALLY excited about going outside? What about when you're arriving at a hiking trail and about to open the crate in the car? Does your dog forget all their leash skills when you arrive at a hiking trail or beach? What happens when guests arrive and your dog is over-the-top excited to see them?

Teaching impulse control is more than just a training exercise; it’s a way of life that can be both life-saving and relationship-saving for your dog.

Here are some environments and situations where demonstrating impulse control and a calm frame of mind is essential.

💎 Remember, it’s not just about the actual physical behaviour but the dogs mindset & emotions behind it. 💎

1. Doorways:
No one wants to deal with the stress of dogs bolting out the door at every opportunity. Teaching your dog to wait calmly at the door can prevent dangerous situations like running into traffic. It also allows you to calmly leash and or allow house guests in.

2. Indoor Crates:
How dogs enter & exit crates in the home is so important. I want my dog to feel calm and happy about exiting their crate Vs all the emotions and feelings that come with an over aroused barging out the door exit.

3. Car Doors and Car Crates:
- The last thing you want when arriving at a destination such as a hiking trail, beach, or friend's house is a bunch of over-aroused dogs. We all have our “pet peeve thing” and this one is mine. Barking, whining, vocalizing upon arrival to locations results in a reattempt of arriving. It only takes once or twice for dogs to realize screaming in joy because we’ve arrived somewhere is a no fly zone. An inability to arrive / behave calmly makes it a training session and I put together a training plan to help my dog gain confidence in this area. If you let your dog rehearse vocializatiob and over arousal - guess what? They will get really good at exactly that. It also limits their fun. Many dog sports have no barking in car rules. Some hiking trail heads are in quiet neighborhoods etc.

4. Yard Gates:
If your dog rushes through yard gates, it can lead to dangerous situations like running into the street or getting into conflicts with other dogs.

✏️ Best Practices:
- Make impulse control more than a training drill. Make it a way of life.
- Use the Premack Principle when working on these skills.
- Rewards matter, but be careful what you’re accidentally or purposefully rewarding. Dogs are REALLY smart and can reverse shape us to reward a bunch of things we don’t mean to 😜
- If you’re unable to achieve the desired result in a situation, break it down into smaller pieces. It all starts at home long before being taken on the road.

Don’t get me wrong - my dogs live plenty of their life indulging in fun, non regulated fun. Life isn’t one big sit stay exercise. And everyone will focus on what is important to them. For example car manners is really important to me - however my bestie is fine with all sorts of sounds upon arriving to a location 😂 but her dogs demonstrate impulse control in ways that maybe I chose to not focus on. One thing I don’t overly stress about 100% of the time is completely J shaped loose leashes 🤷🏼‍♀️ but to other trainers - that is a must. There is no right /wrong way to tackle this. It’s just about exploring the dogs emotional mindset behind arousal inducing moments in day to day life. Just work on a little bit each day in simple real life ways.

Example today - the puppy featured below spent 2-5 minutes each time we parked working through her feelings of bursting through the crate door. We also tackled her paw slamming to make me open it faster 😂. By the fourth location arrival we had an automatic down being offered. No cookies, no cues - just problem solving. 💁🏼‍♀️

By teaching and reinforcing impulse control, you’re providing your dog with the tools they need to stay safe and calm in important real-life situations. This training is not just about obedience; it's about ensuring their well-being and making impulse control a way of life.

07/15/2024

🛝☀️ Just a heads up—I’ll be on vacation from July 17th to July 27th. During that time, I won’t be able to respond to emails or calls right away, but I’ll get back to you as soon as I can, or when I’m back.

I hope you and your dogs stay cool and comfortable in this summer heat!

Keep up the great work on your training plans.

Look forward to hearing all about your wins when I’m home!

Sarah
L to R
Seeya 🦄, Rylee 🤎, Mac 🍔, Meeko 🧡& Maisie💜

Mac & Maisie came over for a play date to say hi to their besties and I couldn’t resist this photo 🤭

07/09/2024

🥵 It is HOT out there! ☀️
🌞 Here are some of my “Stay Cool” best practices during this Heat Wave: 🌞

With the temperatures in mid/high 30’s, it’s very important to keep our dogs safe, comfortable, and also mentally stimulated & enriched.

Here are some of my best practices & tips to help you and your pups stay cool and chilled out this summer.

1. Early Morning or Late Evening Exercise & Training Sessions: Almost all of my dog’s exercise & training takes place during the cooler parts of the day to avoid the peak heat. This week I’ve exercised/trained the dogs and had them back home in AC by 9/10am. But even still - I have monitored the dogs while out and about. It was 32 by 10:20am today! Any evening yard training starts once our yard is back in shade and the sun is down.

**disclaimer - just because your dog is at a lake, creek, pond - doesn’t mean mid day is safe. Watch for water intoxication etc. There is too much of a good thing. (Even though my goldens would swim for hours if they could)

2. Hydration is Key: Always have fresh, cool water available for your dog! I bring water on hikes or ensure that our hikes involve creeks, ponds or lakes. I also use doggie pools & splash pads in our yard to help keep everyone cool & having fun!

3. Breaks - If I’m training at all 🥵 - I’m sure to find shady spots for training and take frequent breaks to prevent overheating. If I’m training - I’m focused on low exertion training that last 30-90 seconds.

4. Cool Gear - If I’m training I’m making sure my dogs are staying cool! I have cool coats, fans and Aluminet. But I’m just keeping it real here … I’m not training in this heat 🥵 I’m not built for high 30’s.

5. Avoid Hot Surfaces - Hot pavement can burn your dog’s paws. Stick to grass or dirt paths, or use protective booties.

6. Frozen Treats and Toys- I use Toppl’s and frozen food toys for a majority of meals during weather extremes. This helps keep my dogs mentally stimulated and pass time. Plus a nice frozen Toppl in this weather is perfect!

7. Trick Training (or rally, scent work, canine conditioning): Keep your dog’s mind sharp with indoor training sessions. Teach new tricks or reinforce old ones in the comfort of your air-conditioned home. This is when I really buckle down and focus on my canine conditioning programs or my trick training! Do you follow Lisa Petterson - Canine Fitness and Conditioning Coach? She has a bunch of great conditioning programs we do year round!

8. Interactive Toys: Use puzzle toys or treat-dispensing toys to keep your dog entertained and mentally stimulated while indoors.

9. Know the Signs of Heat Stroke: Keep an eye out for excessive panting, drooling, weakness, or confusion. If you notice any of these signs, seek veterinary help immediately.

Let’s keep our training/exercise sessions fun, cool, SHORT and enriching!

Stay safe, everyone! 🐾☀️

06/17/2024

🐶 Let’s talk about food toys such as Toppls, Kongs etc. Have you tried using Toppls and other frozen food toys?

I LOVE using them in my home - especially with puppies. These enrichment toys are fantastic for providing mental exercise and can even help curb some unwanted behaviors caused by boredom/over arousal etc. They are a common solution to the dreaded puppy witching hour 😂

Here are some of the benefits that I’m sure you already know… but just some reminders 🤓

1. Mental Stimulation: Food toys & puzzles challenge your dog to figure out how to get to the tasty meal/treat inside, providing a brain workout for your dog. My dogs often are ready for a content nap after a good frozen Toppl.

2. Extended Feeding Time: These breakfast Toppls took my dogs 50 minutes to work through this morning. Vs their normal. 2-5 minute bowl feed. Win win for me 💪🏼 …But also how great if you’re looking for a way to keep your dog busy while guests visit or you have work to catch up on in the evening.

3. Calming Effect: Licking and chewing are calming behaviours that can help to calm and settle your dog. I love using these in moments where puppies are struggling to control their arousal etc. (AKA witching hour 🧙‍♀️) These are also great for crate training etc!

🍖 If you’ve been around the dog community for any length of time you’ve seen gourmet kongs, toppls and food toys. AND If you’ve been around me for any length of time you likely know I’m no Instagram dog owner. (I’m just jealous of all the Instagram worthy food you/recipe) Sometimes I get overwhelmed by all the options and then just don’t use food toys at all 🤦🏼‍♀️

My best advice: Keep It simple enough that you do it! A basic recipe is better than not doing it at all.

Step 1- Stuff with Food: Fill the Toppl with your dog’s favorite treats, kibble, or a mixture of wet and dry food. I made these last night and while they aren’t “pretty” they were awesome!

My Toppls consisted of :
🥗 Base Layer was Sojo’s blend rehydrated with water. Pro tip: Sojos is 20% off at Homes Alive Pets this month.
🥓 Mid-Layer was Stella & Chewys wet dog food
🥩 Top Layer was kibble pre soaked in goats milk.
I also added their fish oil, h**p oil, supplements etc. And I topped with chicken heart.

Step 2- Freeze It: Pop it in the freezer for a few hours. The cold treat will last longer and provide a refreshing challenge.

Step 3- Supervise and Enjoy: Give it to your dog and watch them enjoy the fun!

🐾 Other fun fillings you may want to try:
🥩 Your dogs raw meal puck
🍗 Freeze Dried Raw Food Rehydrated
🥄 Yogurt
🥜 Peanut butter (xylitol-free)
🐟 Sardines
🎃 Pumpkin
🍌 Dog safe mashed fruits & veggies

But again…. Don’t over complicate it to the point where you do nothing 😉 Just fill & freeze! Making a weeks worth at a time is even more time efficient!

Because I know someone will say it if I don’t … yes I know that enrichment activities don’t replace exercise or training. I am highly aware that dogs need their needs met in many other ways. BUT this is an easy, great way you can provide enrichment and mental stimulation for your dog! AND your dog will thank you 😘

What’s your favourite easy, frozen food toy life hack ?

Happy training! 🐾

WEST PAW

04/24/2024

🌻 Being part of the solution to those with reactive, anxious, dogs in training. 🌻

Today as I walked my dogs I began to approach a man with his dog. I could hear him reassuring his dog so I pulled mine off the trail a good 6-10’ and went to let him pass. You could visibly see the relief as he realized I wouldn’t have to pass him on the trail and that I had control of my dogs. As he passed, he thanked me for understanding and explained that his dog is very worried about dogs. (Sure enough his dog lit up loud as he passed us).

This isn’t an abnormal experience in my day to day walks with my own personal dogs. People thank me ALL the time when I give extra space or help them advocate for their dog. I’ve had folks get emotional because I stepped off the trail so they could work their pattern games as I’ve passed. You can see the relief in their eyes. And more specifically their dog’s body language.

Owning a reactive, worried, anxious dog is hard. It’s a very lonely feeling. It is months or years of work before it begins to feel like it’s a manageable situation. And it feels somewhat like no one is in your corner. It feels alone. It also is filled with embarrassing and frustrating emotions.

Everywhere you walk - you run into off leash dogs or dogs that come rushing in and aren’t under control. “It’s ok he’s friendly” are words that make your heart rate spike. Sometimes just getting from point A to B in daily life is exhausting. And one off leash dog that rushes in can set back weeks of hard work. Passing on leash dogs can be just as hard as the over zealous dog hits the end of their 6’ leash to “say hi”.

…And YES it is the owner of the reactive, worried, anxious dog’s responsibility to keep their dog safe. Yes, it is their responsibility to advocate and work on their dogs emotional response to triggers. Yes - it is not “the worlds problem” that their dog struggles.

BUT - if we all worked together as a community to show support. (Heck this shouldn’t even be considered being extra supportive- it should just be normal day to day behaviour) we can make the community a better place for all of our dogs.

What if we always leashed our dogs or put them into a controlled position to pass?

What if we didn’t let our dogs hit the end of the 6’ leash on the trail as we pass someone struggling ?

What if we stepped off the trail or gave extra space when we saw it needed ?

What if instead of comments like “yikes, you have your hands full” we said “good for you on trying to work through this” or asked them if they are working with a trainer & offered the name of a trainer you knew ? It’s scary the # of folks that respond with a sharp comment to “sorry we don’t say hi” with comments about how the owner is clearly the problem or if the dog can’t say hi they shouldn’t be out in public. I personally get these comments when I sit day train dogs off on the side, or am playing pattern games or advocate for space. So if I’m getting the comments - my clients are too.

What if we as a dog community all played a part in the solution? What if we supported those struggling ? What if we encouraged those doing the hard work ? And what if we empowered those feeling alone that there is help available.

Finally what if instead of viewing our walks through a lens of entitlement (my dog is fine, my dog is friendly, my dog this & my dog that) we tried viewing our walks through a lens of compassion and empathy for others on their journey?

Just my early morning two cents. And a photo of Meeko for the Meeko fans as he is the true embodiment of kind 🧡

03/31/2024

🌸🩷 Happy Easter 🌸🩷
Hopefully the Easter Bunny brought you rest, special treats and special memories this Easter.
Mac & Maisie (two on the left) are pretty sure auntie has gone mad 😂. My 3 are much more used to my shenanigans. Happy Easter Friends.

02/13/2024

📸 Is your dog a sit-stay superstar at home but seem to forget everything once you step outside? Enjoy this outtake of a group “stay” gone “wrong” on one of our adventures this weekend. 🫣 (yes even my dog was naughty 😂 what do you expect when you name your dog “Seeya 👋🏼”) …But Don't worry, with a little patience and practice, you can transfer this essential skill to any environment.

1. Solidify the Basics. Before venturing into public spaces, ensure your dog has mastered the sit-stay skill in various areas of your home with minimal distractions. Don’t forget areas like your driveway, yard and street.

2. Gradual Exposure. Start by introducing your dog to low-distraction public environments, such as quiet parks or empty sidewalks. Reinforce the sit-stay skill in these settings. Remember that success builds success - so aim for a 90% success rate. My dogs highly recommend string cheese 🧀

3. Increase Distractions. Slowly expose your dog to increasingly distracting environments, such as parks with more foot traffic or outdoor coffee shops etc. Use high-value treats or toys to maintain focus and reward successful sit-stays.

4. Consistency is Key. Be consistent with your training cues and expectations across different environments. Practice sit-stays regularly, reinforcing good behavior and gently correcting any lapses. Remember to reward in position, and avoid rewarding any resets. Use your release cue & party before beginning again.

5. Be Patient. Remember, learning takes time, and every dog progresses at their own pace. Stay patient, stay consistent, and celebrate each small victory along the way.

Do you have fun sit stay photos to share? Post them here! 📸

Also I laughed when every dog was sporting a Hurtta from our friends at Homes Alive Pets 😂 . Even the husky is in hurtta!

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Meet Kylie the Kelpie 👋 Look at these RECALLS 💪 More on her soon but I wanted to talk about the IMPORTANCE of paying your dog for recalls. Kylie is a dog with excellent toy drive as you'll see in the video. So if toys are one of her MOST favourite things it makes sense to reward using her favourite "paycheck". 100% of Kylie's recalls looked THIS amazing today. Hard, Fast, Dynamic and they were rewarded with Fun, Dynamic Rewards both tugging and tossed toys. If you've ever hiked with me you'll know that I pay/reward for 100% of my recalls. And the FASTER, more Dynamic the recall - the higher the "paycheck." Dogs that hike with me are never allowed to approach people, dogs or wildlife so having a fast, enthusiastic recall is extremely important to me. And the fastest way to a snappy, dynamic recall? Make it worth their while. Everytime. It made my ENTIRE day when Mary handed me a toy in Kylie's bag. Kylie is super lucky to have a human that understands using the dogs greatest motivator as a reward. If you want help with your recall or your dog doesn't have the skills to safely go on or off leash hiking - let's connect. Dogs want & need adventures 💛 ... and let's be honest you do too. So let's make it enjoyable & safe for both you and your dog.