Connected Canine

Connected Canine Connected Canine is here to help you build a relationship of trust and respect with your dog

When it comes to caring for animals, owner Linda Watson has learned from the best. She has worked with dog behaviorist Cesar Millan — better known as the 'Dog Whisperer'. Following his expertise, Linda now resides in Sooke BC and works with animals throughout the Greater Victoria area. She is the proud owner of two rescue dogs that initially struggled adapting to being on-leash, but are now both t

hriving and enjoying pack walks everyday. Send a message and let Linda know how she can help with dog care services that include training, walking, and proper socialization for both pet and owner.

🚨 OUR MINDS ARE BLOWN 🚨 We had a wonderful member of our community make a VERY substantial donation towards Andy's surge...
02/04/2025

🚨 OUR MINDS ARE BLOWN 🚨

We had a wonderful member of our community make a VERY substantial donation towards Andy's surgery! The kindness and generousity you have shown is overwhelming.

We are still collecting empties and looking to raise another $1000.

THANK YOU SOOKE!

Positive reinforcement is awesome - it should be an important part of ANY training or teaching approach! However, is tha...
02/04/2025

Positive reinforcement is awesome - it should be an important part of ANY training or teaching approach! However, is that the whole conversation? Should we really just reward the good and ignore the bad?

And when that doesn't work, does that mean there is no hope? Does it mean that no matter how hard you try, if purely positive training can't resolve the problem, that's it?

Does that mean a life of being put in the back yard or a crate for a rowdy dog?
Does that mean having to re-home or get rid of your dog?
Does that mean euthanasia is the only other option?

OR can we have a conversation about having a conversation with our dogs that lets us not only tell them what we like, but also address and correct what we don't, or let our dog know that something is inappropriate?

What if rewarding the sit still doesn't stop the jumping? What if ignoring the bouncy and turning your back only gets you scratched up even more?

What if rewarding the quiet still doesn't stop the barking?

What if rewarding your dog under threshold is hard, because your dog is rarely ever under threshold in every day life?

What if no matter how tasty the treat is, the thing that your dog is chasing is more rewarding and of value to them than what you have when you say "come"?

What if the instructions to "stop walking when your dog pulls" mean you can't get anywhere or much exercise for your dog because they continue to pull, over and over, anyway?

What if someone told you to put down your dog, because a methodology of "never say no" said your dog was too far gone?

If you're trying so hard with your dog in one style of training - if you're frustrated - if you're scared - if you're ready to give up - please know there are other methods, techniques, tools, and approaches out there.

I believe that NO ONE gets a dog with the intention to become frustrated, discouraged, and defeated when the training style they are dedicating themselves to isn't working. No one who loves their dog and has dedicated so much time, effort, emotion, and heart wants to give them up or (worst case scenario) put them down...but when folks are told that they have no other options or a different training style is going to "make things worse or ruin their dog" folks feel like they have no hope.

Positive reinforcement is amazing and should be part of every training program - but it's only part of the conversation. There's 4 quadrants of learning - let's use them all.

Patrick Swayze once said: "They told me my house smelled like dogs, and I asked them: Do you know what a dog smells like...
02/01/2025

Patrick Swayze once said: "They told me my house smelled like dogs, and I asked them: Do you know what a dog smells like? It smells like gratitude, loyalty, nobility, affection, pure and unconditional love. And despite everything they’ve been through, they don’t smell like resentment. So, I feel blessed that my house smells like dogs."

MEET MY PACK! Daisy... My 3rd rescue. I was still living in Ontario when I saw her picture come up on a local rescue sit...
01/28/2025

MEET MY PACK!

Daisy... My 3rd rescue. I was still living in Ontario when I saw her picture come up on a local rescue site. I'm not sure if you are familiar with BSL or breed specific legislation but pitbulls are a banned breed in Ontario.
I had already listed my house and my business and knew that I was moving home to BC so I reached out to my sister to see if she could Foster Daisy for the few months in between my arrival home.
Daisy is pretty much the reason I started my own rescue. I am so sick and tired of rescues lying to people just to turn a quick buck.
You see, the rescue said a lot of things about Daisy. They minimized the severity of her condition, which is called mega esophagus and they outright lied about her disposition.
The picture of the bite was the very first day she was in my care. We had had an amazing day with seven dogs in the house.
I always tell people not to punish the growl. If your dog growls it is your dog's way of communicating or telling you that they're uncomfortable in a certain situation.
Daisy never growled. There was absolutely no indication that she was going to go after my sister's dog who, was actually three times her size.
Instinctually I put my hand in between when I saw Daisy lunging towards Meeka and I got bit.
I got bit very very badly.
The nerves and tendons were severed and my right hand has never been the same.
I reached out to the rescue and the only thing the guy had to say was "so you want me to come pick her up?".
My answer was unequivocally absolutely not! I told him he would never see this dog again.
Had he adopted Daisy to a home where a smaller dog or a child could have been injured or worse Daisy would have been put down.
I can't even think about it!
This is why I believe that rescues are responsible for rehabilitating dogs before they adopt them out and this should be a no-brainer.
Sadly that's not the case.
Again I put in the work with Daisy and she is now my little Pitbull ambassador. She can go anywhere with me. We go to trade shows, breweries, restaurants etc.
I was invited to write a chapter for a friend's book. The book is called Bella's Dash. My chapter, of course, was Daisy's Purpose.
No matter the struggles you have with your dog, just know that they are here to teach us. And they are the best teachers.

MEET MY PACK!Everyone say hi to Bella. Bella is, without a question, my soul dog.She's literally me, in a dog.I had had ...
01/23/2025

MEET MY PACK!

Everyone say hi to Bella.
Bella is, without a question, my soul dog.
She's literally me, in a dog.
I had had Hunter for about 9 months when a rescue just north of where I owned my gym was opening their doors.
This place was a place like no other;
A 51 acre dog and horse sanctuary.
I had seen Bella's photo on their page before they opened their doors and fell in love with her.
I wasn't 100% sure I was ready for a second dog so I filled out a volunteer application to volunteer at the rescue and my friend and I drove up there the very first day they opened.
I was literally there 15 minutes after the gates opened and someone else was already out walking Bella.
I asked if, when they brought her back, might I have an opportunity to take her for a walk?
The people that were there before me fell in love with her and while they did allow me to take her for a walk, that family was already filling out the adoption paperwork.
I didn't go home. I went to a local cafe and had lunch hoping that they would still call me back and say that they chose me.
I got the call. They chose the other family.
I went home disappointed but happy for Bella that she had found her forever home.
Or DID she?
I got a phone call from the adoption coordinator the very next day asking if I was still interested in Bella.
Of course I was!
Apparently Bella had attacked the other dog in their house and the family immediately returned her.
Like, they didn't even give her a chance to get settled or figure out what was causing her to behave that way?
Bella had been a stray for a long time in Northern Quebec. She was having no part of being leashed, having any type of rules or boundaries or being told what to do by me!
The first night in the house she paced and paced and paced. I bought a bed for her and brought it to my room which was hardwood floors. Finally I got tired of her pacing and I told her to come up on the bed because I needed to sleep.
This dog put her front legs over me and peed on me. Legitimately telling me to go f*** myself basically.
Okay. Okay Bella I see you.
Got up the next morning and prepared breakfast for both Hunter and Bella. Given I didn't know what had caused her to attack the dog in the first house I put Bella's bowl down at one end of the kitchen and Hunter's bowl at the other end. I stood in the middle.
Bella looked at her food. Looked up at Hunter's food.
And like cujo she was across the kitchen before I could do anything and she was on top of Hunter.
This is when I first learned what resource guarding was.
And I sought out professional help.
Caesar often says you don't always get the dog you want but you always, always get the dog you need.
It was actually Bella that led me to go train with Cesar myself.
The trainer we were working with had trained with him and through our work together he said that he thought I would do really well if I ever decided to work with dogs as a career.
Fast forward to today, Hunter and Bella are inseparable. And Bella, as wild as she was when she first came to me, is now my training dog. She's the dog I bring with me to help other dogs basically learn how to dog.
People talk about soulmates. I don't know about all that but I know she is definitely my soul dog.

MEET MY PACK!I think it's time to meet my pack. Let's start with my OG, Hunter.This handsome fellow is Hunter. This dog ...
01/19/2025

MEET MY PACK!

I think it's time to meet my pack.
Let's start with my OG, Hunter.

This handsome fellow is Hunter. This dog literally changed the trajectory of my life.
Having worked in criminal law for 11 years I was completely burnt out.
One of my favorite stress relievers during that time was kickboxing. Kickboxing ultimately led me to Krav Maga but that's another story for another day!
Condensed version of the story, I left my career to open my own kickboxing gym.
I felt like this was a really good time for me to get a dog. I had a husky Shepherd growing up and wanted another one.
I applied to every rescue that I knew of and nobody would give me a dog. Why? Because I was honest on my application. I did not have a fenced yard and I was self-employed.
This never made sense to me? Who cares if I have a fenced yard if I'm going to take my dog hiking everyday? Who cares if I'm self-employed as long as I'm able to give this dog what it needs?
So super frustrating!
I finally found a rescue here in BC that would allow me to adopt out of province. I was living in Toronto at the time.
So I flew out here and did a two-week Foster to adopt with Hunter. The first photo is Hunter's intake photo at the San Bernardino shelter in California where he was picked up as a stray. This shelter is what's known as a "high kill" shelter.
It still hurts my heart to see that photo.
Hunter was, for all intents and purposes, an incredibly easy dog. He had his challenges, for sure, but they were all manageable.
Which led me to think that this whole rescue thing was a breeze!!! Until I got Bella!
Stay tuned for THAT story! Lol

Today was Day 1 of our 8 week Basics to Achieving Balance program. What a good looking group! Stay tuned for updates. Th...
01/11/2025

Today was Day 1 of our 8 week Basics to Achieving Balance program. What a good looking group!

Stay tuned for updates. These dogs are going to ROCK their training!

BASICS TO ACHIEVING BALANCE starts THIS SATURDAY, January 11! The 11 am time slot is SOLD OUT, but there are still 2 sp...
01/08/2025

BASICS TO ACHIEVING BALANCE starts THIS SATURDAY, January 11!
The 11 am time slot is SOLD OUT, but there are still 2 spaces for the 10 am class.

Registration closes tomorrow, Thursday January 9th at 9 pm.

PM for details or to register!

We are ONE WEEK AWAY from our next round of Basics to Achieving Balance!Classes run every Saturday starting January 11 f...
01/04/2025

We are ONE WEEK AWAY from our next round of Basics to Achieving Balance!

Classes run every Saturday starting January 11 for 8 consecutive weeks. There are still a handful of spaces left.

PM for details or to register 🐾

Annnnd we are doing it again! The next round of Basics to Achieving Balance starts January 11.There is only one space le...
01/03/2025

Annnnd we are doing it again! The next round of Basics to Achieving Balance starts January 11.
There is only one space left for the 11 am session. The 10 am session still has 3 spaces. Do not wait; these classes will fill up quickly.

PM for details or to register

MEET THE PACK! Say hi to Hobbs! This handsome fella graduated our Take The Lead program earlier this year. He is current...
01/02/2025

MEET THE PACK! Say hi to Hobbs! This handsome fella graduated our Take The Lead program earlier this year. He is currently hanging out with us while his folks seek out some fun in the sun.
Whether you are looking for one on one coaching, group training, or pet sitting, we've got you covered!

From our pack to yours, we wish you all the best for 2025. It's been busy over here during the holidays, and we are so g...
01/02/2025

From our pack to yours, we wish you all the best for 2025. It's been busy over here during the holidays, and we are so grateful to each and every one of you for trusting us with the care of your beloved family members.

We are back to work January 6th, and look forward to seeing all our wonderful clients again!

THANK YOU 😊 🙏 🐕

Our next round of Basics to Achieving Balance starts Jan 11! There are 2 sessions, a 10 am and an 11 am every Saturday f...
12/19/2024

Our next round of Basics to Achieving Balance starts Jan 11!
There are 2 sessions, a 10 am and an 11 am every Saturday for 8 consecutive weeks.

*the 11 am is almost sold out*

PM for details!

*** Gift certificates available for Christmas 🎄 ✨️ 🎅 ***

There is ONE space left for tomorrow's class!"THIS SATURDAY AT 10 AM! THIS WILL BE OUR LAST GROUP CLASS OF 2024!!!*** TH...
12/04/2024

There is ONE space left for tomorrow's class!"

THIS SATURDAY AT 10 AM! THIS WILL BE OUR LAST GROUP CLASS OF 2024!!!

*** THIS CLASS IS ALREADY 50% SOLD OUT***

UPCOMING GROUP CLASS:

TOPIC: ON LEASH REACTIVITY

DATE: DECEMBER 7, 2024

LOCATION: TBA

TIME: 10 AM

COST: $65

SPACE IS LIMITED. PM TO REGISTER

Holy smokes! It's December already! Time is flying by!Please note there will be NO PACK WALKS from December 20-Januuary ...
12/02/2024

Holy smokes! It's December already!
Time is flying by!
Please note there will be NO PACK WALKS from December 20-Januuary 3 inclusive.

Have yourselves a safe and happy holiday season ❄️

BASICS TO ACHIEVING BALANCE:REGISTRATION IS OPEN!NEXT SESSION STARTS JANUARY 11THHere it is folks! Welcome to Basics to ...
11/30/2024

BASICS TO ACHIEVING BALANCE:
REGISTRATION IS OPEN!

NEXT SESSION STARTS JANUARY 11TH

Here it is folks! Welcome to Basics to Achieving Balance, an 8 week course designed to teach you how to be the best pack leader you can be for your dog. Let's be honest every dog wants to please. There is not a dog out there that doesn't love to hear the words good boy or good girl. Most often it is we as humans that are not clear in our direction or really understanding how to ask our dogs for what we want.
There will be two classes this time around, to make sure we can accommodate everyone. Classes will run at 10 am, and 11 am for 8 consecutive weeks.

You have the option to sign up for either time slot.

During these eight weeks we will be working on creating a bond of trust and respect between you and your dog. You will learn proper leash handling skills, how to keep your dogs full attention in both calm and distracting environments, socialization, recall, and so much more.

Classes will run rain or shine and space is very limited to ensure maximum safety and enjoyment for all participants.

PM for more details.

We look forward to helping you achieve balance and harmony with your four-legged best friend!

Address

Sooke, BC

Telephone

+17785871387

Website

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Videos

Confidence building with Alfie!!! So super proud of these two! Our next group training programs start April 8th and are filling up quickly. PM for more info or to register

Happy Saturday! Just a quick little Journey update! This may not look like much, but this is a mega big deal! Not only is Journey walking on a loose leash; it's a SLIP LEAD! If you have been following Journey's story, you would know that Journey was severely abused, so going anywhere near his head or trying to put anything over his head was a big trigger for him. Sure we could use a little more work on focus but we will take the small victories! Way to go Journey Boy! If you would like to sponsor Journey or Gus you can send an e-transfer to [email protected] We have some exciting news about Gus that we will share with you very soon so please stay tuned!

Such a goober ❤️😜🐶

Don't just talk the talk. WALK THE WALK!

Happy National Puppy Day from all of us at Connected Canine... And also from Gus! Gus had a pretty rough start. He's still very much a puppy! It was suggested by another so-called trainer that he be euthanized at just 10 months old. We are so grateful he found his way to us. He's an absolute star and a favorite at doggy daycare. All of the staff absolutely adore him. He is still looking for his forever home and he has worked so hard! Being a working breed he will definitely need a home who understands his breed and resource guarding behaviors but he has come such a long way and I couldn't be more proud of him! Stay tuned for updates and if you would like to donate or sponsor Gus you can email [email protected]. Happy National puppy day!!!

Sulu ❤️❤️❤️ ... Despite everything you went through ... You are still here standing strong. You are a shining example of resilience! Folks please stand with Sulu and I and help Marley's Mutts Dog Rescue get these wonderful human rescuers and deserving dogs OUT of Afghanistan

Guess who's back for boarding?!?!? That's right! My best girl Bailey! We both enjoyed an awesome swim at the river this afternoon! Absolutely adore this girl!

Calm confident energy! So proud of Allie! She's been apprenticing with us for 3 weeks and she is owning it! don't be fooled by how nicely these dogs are walking with her! We are in the middle of town with traffic, noises, other dogs, and believe me when I tell you one of the dogs she is walking is only just now learning how to be calm. You'd never know that they knew any other way by watching this video. Great job Allie!

Fuego and Rosie enjoying some fun playtime on the way to AND from our walk today! Fuego's older brother was having none of it! He stayed up front with me 🥰

Four years ago.... 4 years ago I was at the DPC. Many of you may or may not know this but Cesar actually meditates daily. Part of our curriculum included daily meditation. At first I was like why are we meditating I came here to learn about dogs! Little did I know how important practices like yoga and meditation actually are. You see, a dog will not follow an unstable energy or an unstable leader. So while I do train dogs I also offer human coaching because it begins with us. We really need to learn to stop blaming the dog and have a look at ourselves. Thursday mornings have become my absolute favorite time. I get up early light my candles lay out my mat and enjoy a 60-minute slow flow practice right in my own living room. Tell me, what are you doing to honour yourself? What are you doing to keep yourself happy and balanced? If you want a happy balanced dog it all starts with you.

Good bubs! Patsy is still a pup so working on her impulse control 🤣

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