Dog agility, obedience, and puppy training
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Happy International Dog Day!
Things have been incredibly busy on a personal level this summer while I raised an incredible litter of Toller puppies. This did unfortunately also mean classes took a break for a while. Thank you to our wonderful clients for your patience and understanding!
Pictured here is Mesa (mom) and our "keeper" puppy Rise. ♡ ~ Veronica
Pretty girl Charlie at agility class tonight.
WATER INTOXICATION
Working Dog Magazine
Wet but Wary: How to Safeguard Your Dog from Water Intoxication
As many dog lovers know, water activities can be both fun and beneficial for our canine companions. From swimming in lakes to participating in dock diving events, these activities offer excellent exercise opportunities and are a wonderful way for our dogs to cool down, especially during the warmer months. However, there’s a lesser-known risk associated with dogs and water activities: water intoxication.
Water intoxication, or hyponatremia, occurs when dogs ingest excessive amounts of water in a short period of time. This sudden influx of water can drastically reduce sodium levels, which disrupts electrolyte balance and can lead to serious, even fatal, health issues.
Signs of Water Intoxication
Recognizing the early signs of water intoxication can be crucial for the timely treatment of this condition. In severe cases, it can lead to seizures, coma, and even death.
Symptoms often include:
Lethargy or Tiredness: Dogs may appear unusually tired or sluggish after playing in the water.
Unsteady Movements: Affected dogs might seem uncoordinated or unstable on their feet.
Confusion or Disorientation: Dogs might show signs of confusion or diminished alertness, failing to respond to normal commands.
Nausea and Vomiting: These are common as the body reacts to electrolyte imbalance.
Glazed Eyes and Drooling: These can be indicative of neurological effects due to swelling in the brain.
Preventative Measures
To prevent water intoxication, consider the following guidelines:
Monitor Water Play: Keep an eye on how much water your dog might be swallowing during play, especially when they fetch toys from the water or snap at water streams from hoses.
Choose Appropriate Toys: Opt for toys that don’t force your dog to keep their mouth wide open while swimming. Toys that are smaller and allow your dog to close their mouth more fully can reduce the amount of water ingested.
Breaks are Important: Regular breaks during water play can help manage the amount of water your dog ingests at one time.
Know Your Dog’s Swimming Style: Dogs that keep their heads low to the water or those that are vigorous swimmers might ingest more water. Adjust playtime accordingly. Sometimes using a life jacket can help get their head higher out of the water.
Immediate Response to Symptoms: If you observe any signs of water intoxication, it is critical to seek veterinary care immediately. Quick and aggressive treatment is essential to manage this condition.
Awareness and Education
Educating yourself and others about the risks of water intoxication is vital. Many dog owners are unaware of this danger until it’s too late. If you’re a dog trainer or canine business owner, sharing information about water intoxication can be an invaluable part of your client education efforts.
Water activities with dogs can be safe and enjoyable when proper precautions are taken. By being aware of the risks and knowing how to mitigate them, you can ensure many more fun-filled days with your canine companion. 🐾
By Erica Boling, PhD
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A reminder that this is the Victoria Day long weekend (also known as "May 2-4") and fireworks are likely to happen.
If you have a sound phobic pet please keep them safe.
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Billie is one of the happiest Labs you could ever meet with a *very* wiggly bum. Tonight she came to agility class wearing a belly dance hip scarf and it was adorable!
(No, she did not wear it while actually running agility)
Oakley was stylin' in his Rex Specs heading to agility class tonight.
If you hang around the conformation rings in Ontario you'll have seen this handsome boy before. Lupin was the #1 Flatcoat in Canada in 2020, 2021 and 2023.
Yesterday he proved that he is more than just a handsome face by earning his first agility title (Jumps and Tunnels) at the CKC trial in Barrie ON.
Congratulations to Lupin as well as to his handler Dale and owner Leanne.
Congratulations to Deacon (and Don) on earning your CKC Excellent Jumpers with Weaves title yesterday. Well done!
Congratulations to Lupin, Aerial and Mesa on a great day at the CKC agility trial in Barrie ON today.
Lupin qualified all 3 of his runs and is well on his way to his first agility title.
Aerial earned her AGN (Agility Novice) and JT (Jumps and Tunnels) titles today.
Mesa earned her AGN (Agility Novice) title today.
Great work everyone!
https://news.ontario.ca/en/release/1003929/ontario-cracking-down-on-puppy-mills
Ontario Cracking Down on Puppy Mills | Ontario Newsroom
Tonight we had a pair of "Beanie Babies" and a peacock come to agility class.
Today was a very good day for this mother / daughter team at the CKC Rally trial in Barrie ON.
Mesa earned her Advanced Rally title and Aerial earned her Novice Rally title.
Great work girls!
Some of our adorable agility clients this week. Everyone is happy to be under the dome and out of the rain.
We are now back in the Dome for agility classes for the winter.
See you there!
Prep work was done at the winter Dome today. Classes will move in a couple weeks.
Thank you Denise, Nancy, Houri, and Tom for your help today.
We gave away 2 new "Q balls" this week.
As many of you may already know, when our students earn their first competitive qualifying run (aka "Q") we give them a Q Ball.
Aerial the Toller actually earned hers in August (sorry for the delay!) and Lupin the Flattie earned his last weekend.
Congratulations to these wonderful dogs and their people.
This was a great weekend for siblings Nori and Mesa.
On Saturday at the CKC agility trial Nori earned his Jumps and Tunnels title.
On Sunday at the CARO rally trial Mesa earned her Advanced Rally title.
A group from Zephyr Canines had a great day at the Ontario County Kennel Club CKC agility trial today.
Nori and Cloud both earned their Jumps and Tunnels (JT) title.
We are proud of each and every one of you for your comraderie, great attitudes, and obvious love for your dogs.
Left to right: Lupin, Aerial, Nori, Billie, Bostyn and Cloud.
If you are expecting an email reply from us but have not seen anything please check your junk mail. We are aware that unfortunately some spam filters junk us even if we are directly replying to your original email. 😞
Do you have a well-mannered dog that you have been thinking of trying agility with? We will be starting a new beginner class soon so please reach out via email if you are interested. [email protected]
Don't worry, if you are already on our waiting list you will be hearing from us very soon.
Congratulations to Lupin and his human Leanne on winning BIS (Best In Show) yesterday at the Kawartha Kennel Club show in Norwood ON! He won over 228 other dogs for this honour.
Not only is he handsome, he is also an absolute sweetheart and we adore him.
Our website is currently under construction. It may disappear for a while, but will return. 🐾
It was tough going to a dog event only 4 days after losing Drumlin, but Mesa and I needed to do something constructive together.
Today we went to the Peterborough and District Obedience Club trial and Mesa earned her first Q (qualifying score) in Pre-Novice obedience.
It is with incredibly heavy hearts that we share the sad news that yesterday our boy Drumlin passed away. He was a joy to live with as well as to train and compete with. His loss will be felt deeply.
Drumlin. September 17, 2011 – May 10, 2023
UKC CH / CKC GCH AGMCH Lochnquay's Little Drummer Boy VB THD CGN NTD RA AGMX2S AGMJV2 XPS JTEV NS ATCH C-ATCH
Drumlin was my heart-boy. We had so many wonderful adventures together. The part of the breed standard that says “may be somewhat reserved with strangers” never applied to him. I always said that if you met Drumlin you were his best friend for life. He was the best snuggler and truly loved to cuddle. I called him my “eternal puppy” due to his joy of life and sweet silly nature. Unfortunately over the past few months his health declined and I had to make the decision to allow him to pass.
He was an incredible Therapy Dog and was very loved by his friends he visited. He thought everyone adored him and would “sing” to people to get them to come over to say hello.
He sired 17 wonderful puppies and his legacy lives on through them and his grand puppies.
In his 11 2/3 years he earned 64 titles in Agility, Rally, Therapy Dog, Conformation, Tricks, Sprinter, Dock Diving, and more. He was (in my opinion) the perfect example of a versatile Toller. He was my partner in all of this. We were always a team both through our struggles, and through our successes.
His noteable achievements included:
Ranked in the top 3 Tollers in CKC agility four years in a row including two of those years as #1 Toller in Canada. (2015-2018)
Ranked #6 UKC Toller conformation (2013)
Ranked #5 CKC Rally dog (2014)
I can’t begin to express how much this dog means to me. The only thing he couldn’t do was live long enough.
I will miss him forever. - Veronica
It is a beautiful day for agility under the Dome. ♡
Tonight we had a "Junior Handler In Training". Six month old Cooper came to his aunts agility class. He had big smiles watching the dogs run. ♡
(Posted with parental permission)
Today we received Mesa's title certificate for her CARO Rally title earned in December 2022.
She earned her Novice title *Magna Cum Laude*
This means her average of her 3 qualifying scores was between 190 and 200. (Hers was 193)
Curious about our agility classes?
Check out some of our students on our Youtube page.
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Our clients become like family to us.
Recently a client we hadn't seen in 4 years reached out to us. Their dog Chaser was nearing end-of-life and they wanted to bring her for a visit one last time. Needless to say we made that happen.
It was lovely to see her again and give her an opportunity to visit at the agility building one last time.
On December 22nd at 15 3/4 years of age Chaser passed away peacefully at home with her family by her side.
Thank you for allowing us to be part of her final days. Rest in peace sweet girl.
~ Veronica and Dale
Congratulations to Mesa on earning her CARO Rally Novice title yesterday.
Uxbridge, ON
L0E1T0
| Monday | 9am - 3pm |
| Tuesday | 4pm - 10pm |
| Wednesday | 4pm - 10pm |
| Thursday | 4pm - 10pm |
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Northequest Canine Sport & Training Facility
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