PuptodateDogs

01/17/2024

Being able to read body language in your pets is super important, folks!

10/28/2023

It's been a long time since I've posted on social media! Things have been busy (yay!) but when you're a one woman team, some things fall to the wayside. *Ahem* social media🤪

I've never done an introduction post on here so I thought it might be time!

My name is Cailin, and I'm a multi-certified dog trainer based in Victoria BC, but I do online consulting worldwide.

I focus in reactivity, separation anxiety (certified through ) life skills, and puppies.

My goal as a trainer is to set you and your dog up for success now and into the future, so you don't need me forever. I only use force free methods in training and am proud to do so.

My clients and their dogs truly mean so much to me, and I'm so happy that many of my clients continually update me on their progress once we're done training together. More updates please!!🫶🏼

Outside of dog training, I also work as a Registered Massage Therapist! This career was my first passion before dog training. Weirdly enough, so many of the skills transfer between these two jobs. Compassion, empathy, and understanding are huge components to both of these careers. Being an RMT makes me a better dog trainer, and vice versa.

In my free time, I love spending time with my own two amazing pups, Basil and Rue, as well as my wonderful fiancé (gettin hitched next year!😳) who is dog dad extraordinare. We spend a lot of our time camping, snowboarding (our fave), and being outside together.

Thank you to everyone who has trusted me with your dogs. This work can be hard, and exhausting, but I've had the pleasure of having such amazing clients. I truly love all of your dogs, and they are all like fur nieces and nephews to me 🧡

07/15/2023

Doing photos with your dogs, but not worrying if they're "perfect".

I love all of these because it captures my relationship with my dogs sooo well.

My main priority has always been making sure my dogs feel safe, loved, and are having fun.

Squishy faces, looking at the treats and not the camera, just doing what we do best by being silly. I just loooove it.

Thank you for these and for embracing whatever my dogs felt like doing during the photo session🥹

02/16/2023

Struggling with recall? Set you and your dog up for success with this checklist!

✅ 30-50ft leash
• A long leash will ensure safety as you work on your recall cue.

✅ High value reinforcement
• Think wet, stinky food like hot dogs, cheese, or a squeeze pouch with wet food in it. The wetter/stinkier, the higher the value. Reward your dog EVERY time.
• If you have a play/toy motivated dog, try tug or fetch as a reward.

✅ Game of tug or sniffing beforehand
• If you have a dog who loses interest in recall quickly to go sniff or to zoom around, they may do better with some play or "find-it" treat scatters before you practice to get their inital excitement out.

✅ Strategic cue timing
• One of the biggest mistakes I see with recall is overusing the recall cue.
• When you decide to call your dog, look at the big picture. When was the last time you recalled them? What did you recall them from?
• A good way to assess if your dog will be able to recall is calling their name. Did they look at you? Try your recall then.
• If your dog is sniffing or doing something exciting, that's probably not a good time to recall them unless you deem it absolutely necessary.

If you're struggling with recall, reach out to a qualified force free trainer for support. Behaviour is nuanced and an extra pair of eyes can always be helpful! 🙏

02/07/2023

It's never too late to start "that thing" you wanted to work on with your dog.

I get it, training can feel daunting.

Getting from point A-B is harder than it seems sometimes.

The list of things you want to work on with your dog is endless.

My advice is to pick ONE thing you want to work on this month. Or maybe the next 6 months. Or year. Whatever floats your boat.

One goal may seem easy to one, but daunting to the next.

Take your large goal and split it up into easy, attainable steps you can do daily.

Trying to muzzle train? Today, mark and reward for your dog looking at the muzzle.

Trying to work on co-op care? Instead of looking at the big picture, pick your start button to train. Maybe it's a chin rest or laying on their side.

& remember, you don't need to train for hours every day. Take your timer, set 5 minutes, train until the timer goes off.
..and if you miss your training session, be easy on yourself. We all have a lot going on in our lives and it's easy to be hard on ourselves. It's never too late to start. ♥️


[ID: a muted colour wavy retro rainbow design with alternating sage green, dark green, and cream colours is in the bottom right hand corner on a light coloured background. Text wraps around the design and says "its never too late to start". At the top of the page says ""]

01/26/2023

Tips for your new puppy:

1. Focus on building your relationship, not obedience.
• You have a puppy, a baby! Spend your time together building a solid foundation of trust, love, and safety. The technical stuff can come later.

2. Socialize early. Teach your dog that watching the world pass by = great things!
• Socialization is more than just playing and meeting dogs. It's watching dogs play without needing to be in the action, watching cars, people, dogs go past the window. It's learning to be calm in the chaos of the world!

3. Make sure they get lots of quality rest (18-20hrs/day).
• Puppies need a lot of rest. It's up to us to help them wind down during the day so they don't overdo it.

4. Hire a qualified force free trainer ASAP when issues come up.
• Don't wait to see if they'll "grow out of it". They won't.

5. Set them up for success & find humour in the moments "things go wrong".
• Management is a puppy's best friend. Sometimes management fails, and in those moments try to laugh it off. Your puppy is not trying to test you, they're just living their best life 😂 and yes, everyone goes through the "witching hour(s)".

Most importantly HAVE FUN! You'll sit there waiting for them to grow up, and once they're grown up you'll wish for the puppy days back. So enjoy it while you can♥️

01/06/2023

We have 2 spots left in this class!

I had a few people message me about later on dates, if you'd like to join a class later in this year please send me a message.

Our classes are positive reinforcement and force-free. These classes are 45-50minutes long and run at the same time each week for 5 weeks. We go over basic dog body language, marker training, basic skills, greetings, and loose-leash walking. Classes will be hosted at A Pet’s Life in Victoria. Must...

12/15/2022

Yay Rani!♥️

💚❤️We have the absolute best news to share just in time for the holidays!!!! ❤️💚

Sweet Rani has found her home with the best forever mom of her very own❤️❤️

Rani entered RDDR care at the beginning of February. We had so many ups and downs with her medical and behavioral issues that it took a little bit longer to find that perfect home that understood our special girl like we did. She tried out a few humans and their homes leading up to it, but always made her way back to her foster home. Rani made incredible strides in trusting people during our time together and her skin looks 100 times better than it did.

When Rani’s new mom approached us to learn more about Rani it just seemed like fate. She had been watching Rani since the beginning but just wasn’t quite ready for a dog at the time. Fast forward 6 months, and the stars aligned ❤️

Jenna and Rani, we wish you the greatest life together. Jenna, thank you for your patience, understanding, and willingness to work with this spunky sassy pup and for appreciating her for all of her quirks.

Rani’s journey continues with a training plan with PuptodateDogs and ongoing specialist appointments to get her allergies fully sorted which RDDR will continue to support!
Fun fact: Rani is allergic to humans!!! 🤣

Have the best life Rani, Nan, Nan bread, crazy girl, possum. We look forward to watching your progress!

Thank you Charlotte for checking in and assisting with knowledge for this girls skin issues!
Kabul Small Animal Rescue

Mission Possible Adoptions

12/08/2022

Our first all age basic manners class of the new year!

Our classes use positive reinforcement and are force-free. These classes are 45-50 minutes long and run at the same time each week for 5 weeks.

We go over dog body language, marker training, basic skills, engagement, and loose-leash walking.

Classes will be hosted at A Pet's Life.

Sign up here:

Our classes are positive reinforcement and force-free. These classes are 45-50minutes long and run at the same time each week for 5 weeks. We go over basic dog body language, marker training, basic skills, greetings, and loose-leash walking. Classes will be hosted at A Pet’s Life in Victoria. Must...

11/25/2022

Big appreciation for Miss Bailey. ♥️

I've been working with Bailey (+ her two siblings) & her guardian for quite a bit now.

Bailey can be reactive to people and dogs.

She barked at me and I only got within about 10ft of her our first session.

Bailey comes from an aversive background (spray bottles and pet corrector). She wasn't shut down, but she was definitely anxious when we started working together. She was afraid of making mistakes.

How we helped Bailey:
• consistency
• encouragement
• enrichment that's just right for her
• slow introductions to dog neutral dogs

Bailey has come a long way. She no longer barks at people she sees on the street. When she pulls on the lead to dogs, it's now because she wants to say hi. We still have a ways to go but I'm so so proud of this dog & her human.

But, my favourite part about working with Bailey and her human, is watching her personality come out.

She's not afraid to make mistakes because of the punishment that might come after.

She's confident in trying new things, in meeting new dogs (her circle grows bigger almost every month!)

& her human reports she's a lot more cuddly as well 😜

These are all things I love about force free training. The bond you get with your animal. The relationship you build. The connection between human and dog.🪄

11/20/2022

Yes to all of this! I love your "naughty" dogs 😊♥️

I love your naughty dog.

Your dog that jumps on me.

Your dog that shoves his whole face in my treat pouch.

Your dog that barks and paws at me for attention, and your dog that steals my hat out of my pocket.

Even your dog that thinks tables are for standing on.

You know why?

Your naughty dog is still brave enough, confident enough, to try something new.
To say “hey, I wonder how this will work” and just go for it.

I see dogs all the time who are apprehensive about trying new things, who lack the desire to try something new. Some dogs come by this behavior due to their anxious genetics or lack of socialization, but some of them become this way because they’ve been punished over and over again for trying new stuff. They jump on a guest, they get “no” shouted at them along with a collar correction. They grab something off the counter, they get the item forcibly removed while they’re yelled at.

Eventually, they stop trying new behavior because it comes with such a history of punishment, and from the outside it looks like “oh good, they’ve learned”. Until you try to teach these dogs to do something brand new. You try to lure them into a position, and they’re hesitant to follow the treat (what if that gets me yelled at? Is this a set up?) You ask your dog to interact with a new person and they hesitate, knowing that the last new person they “interacted with” resulted in them getting physically corrected.

A naughty dog who is willing to do new things is a dog that hasn’t been punished to the point of suppressing their behavior. Punishment can be tempting to use because it stops the dog in the moment, but in some dogs it will suppress ALL behavior somewhat, making your dog hesitant to try new things in your presence, even things completely unrelated to what they’ve been punished for in the past.

I get that as a dog trainer it’s my job to help teach people’s dogs to stop jumping, counter surfing, barking, etc. But there are ways to do that while preserving a dog’s confidence and willingness to try new things. I’m not interested in a mindlessly compliant and obedient dog that got that way by squashing their confidence through heavy use of punishment. I want your naughty dog to learn new behaviors that replace those old “bad” ones using fun stuff like food, toys, and praise, so that when the time comes to learn something new your “naughty” dog is still brave enough to try those new things!

So please don’t apologize to me for your naughty dog. I love to see it!

11/20/2022

🙏

11/19/2022

Woooohoooo officially a SAPT 🙏

I am very very excited to announce I'm now offering separation anxiety training. Email me at [email protected] to set up a consultation.

Separation anxiety training is done completely over zoom, so feel free to reach out no matter where you are in the world.

[ID: a certificate badge on a sage green background. The cert reads "certified SA PRO TRAINER. Cailin Cooke Cert. SAPT. At the bottom of the image there is black text that says "" end ID]

10/09/2022

Those falling leaves can be a great tool for training your dog!

Leaves can be a big distraction to dogs, especially if they're young and haven't experienced leaves yet. (Especially those pesky flying leaves!)

If your dog has taken an interest in leaves, you can use them in your training, for example with:
• Recall
• Leash walking
• Leave it

Remember to start in small increments, setting your dog up for success every time.

For example, you could practice your engagement & loose leash walking by starting far enough from the leaf piles so your dog can still meet the LLW criteria. Get closer and closer, making sure to take it slow.

Leave a comment down below if you'd like to see examples of training around leaves! 🍂

in pinned comment.

10/06/2022

Rani is looking for a foster!! ⬇️

10/04/2022

10/03/2022

Miss Rude Rani (we love her) is looking for her furever home, still. If you like/can handle a bit of rudeness, maybe Rani is for you!

Rooting for you, Rani ♥️

Rani the Rude

Trust us, we get it. She’s that incredible mix of adorable & weird looking. She looks like a possum, her belly is pink & she’s got the cutest floofy strut you have ever seen. When she play bows & makes her funny faces, your heart melts. She’s just weird looking enough that you’re convinced she’s a dog you’ll adore every minute of everyday, like some kind of Cottonelle commercial moment.

But behind those cute button eyes & package of floof, is a miniature naughty monster waiting to pounce.

Rani the Rude will steal your heart & she’ll drive you up the wall.

So we are transparently sharing 4 reasons you shouldn't even think about adopting her:

#1 You love dogs so much, you already have dogs at home.

Keep shopping. Rani will be nice to your dog for just long enough that you’ll let your guard down. She’ll play with them. You’ll have several “awwww” moments. Then in a fit of RUDE she will throw herself at him or her in some ridiculous display of snarling awfulness. Your dog will not like this, trust us. Neither will your cat or pet gopher.

#2 You love dog parks or you live in an "OMG there’s dogs everywhere" zone

See above. Rani is not picky - she’ll happily do this to your neighbourhood dogs or new humans too (she needs careful introductions). Keep shopping.

#3 You like dogs who will share.

Give her a giant meaty bone - you’re not getting that thing back, trust us. Oh she’s small but she’s mighty. She will not share. She won’t take off your finger but she’ll make you think she will.

#4 You live in a condo or apartment.

Between the shared hallways with the aforementioned dogs and people, & the shared walls, vocal, chatty Rani really needs a space where she can be free to be herself.

If you’re still reading, hey what the heck, you may just be her person. If you’ve got a wacky sense of humour, don’t take yourself too seriously & appreciate a solid dose of sassitude, Rani will shower you with wiggly cuddles & love. And she’ll drive you crazy. But hey all good dogs do.

Read more about Rani at www.rosierdays.com/adoptables

10/03/2022

Check-up appointments are essential.

Your vet is the only person who is legally allowed to diagnose and medically, or surgically, manage your dog. In order for your dog to receive the best care possible, it is really helpful for all professionals involved in your dog’s care to communicate.

09/30/2022

The next time you’re in your dog’s mouth (you do brush his or her teeth, right?) notice the bump on the roof of his mouth just behind the two front middle teeth? It’s called the ‘incisive papilla,” and near the center of it is a hole that leads to a duct that leads to the “Jacobson’s organ.” The Jacobson’s organ is a very cool thing. Put in “See Spot Run” terms, it allows your dog to literally taste the air by combining taste and smell.

Dogs use their Jacobson’s organ to experience sexual markers (pheromones) left behind by other dogs via urine, or when coming across the scent of a bitch in season. While dogs don’t have a Flehmen response seen in many other animals (throwing back the head, and raising or curling the upper lip which helps open the entry slits into Jacobson’s Organ), dogs will “chatter their teeth” instead. A dog might hold his mouth in a quasi-open position that looks a little like a grin, or he might even lick the air. And you thought he was just happy to see you.

One theory holds that the Jacobson’s Organ could account for a dog’s ability to identify and recognize other animals and people. It’s also believed that it’s this organ that enhances a newborn’s ability to find its mother.

Image found on Pinterest (without the arrow) and happily credited upon receipt of information

09/26/2022

Basic Manners class registration is open! 🐾

Classes will be held Wednesdays starting Oct 12th at 5:45pm, run for an hour, and will be hosted at . They run every week for 5 weeks. Cost is $250 + gst. 4 spots available.

This class is *all ages* over 18wks but dogs must have first and second set of vaccines to participate as well as bordatella.

Please email [email protected] for more information & to sign up, or visit the link in the description or my bio! Hope to see you there 🐶

https://app.squarespacescheduling.com/schedule.php?owner=26048159&appointmentType=37365404

[ID: sage green background with a white puppy pasted on top. Text reads: Victoria, bc. Basic Manners. Register now! Wednesdays starting Oct 12th. 5:45pm. Emphasis on leash walking, engagement, recall. Life dogs *any* age over 18wks. Link in description to sign up or Email [email protected] for booking link. END ID]

Schedule your appointment online PuptodateDogs

09/25/2022

09/22/2022

Hey, you!

Emotionally taxed working on your furry friend's reactivity, leash walking, recall, etc?

It's okay to take training breaks.

Training can be exhausting.

As much as we love our dogs, and we are force free, it's normal to get frustrated, annoyed, or whatever other feeling you're having. All normal human emotions.

Our dogs have off days, as do we. Sometimes the training we want isn't happening that day, week, month.

If you're struggling with having the capacity to work on leash walking, take a break from the shorter leash neighbourhood walks and take your dog out on a long leash sniff in an open field.

Recall is draining you? Once again, utilize your long leash, go to less busy areas, and let your dog do their thing where you don't have to worry about recalling as much.

Reactivity training leaves you emotionally exhausted? Avoid your triggers (I understand this isn't always possible), focus on management, or maybe just play in the backyard and do at home games instead (mental stimulation is great at keeping your dogs needs met!).

The human end of the leash matters too. Make sure you're taking care of yourself, too. Finding community & having likeminded folks around you may be important to you as well.

Training our dogs can be hard. You don't need to be working on every single thing every single day. Instagram has that beautiful side of showing perfectly trained dogs, perfect training scenarios, blah blah blah you get it. Remember there's lots of work that go on behind the scenes you don't always see.

You're doing amazing- remember that!

[ID: a blurred photo of Basil with his paws up on the balcony railing. On top is a reminder notification in sage green saying "its okay to take training breaks!"]

09/14/2022

We got a new logo!

PuptodateDogs is nearing its 1 year birthday...

The old logo was made by yours truly, (hands up if you have NO graphic design experience, ayyy 🙋🏻‍♀️)

Truly grateful for everyone who has supported this one woman show thus far. Starting a new business is never easy, but especially during a pandemic, & with no business expertise behind me. So many blips, things I could have done a lot easier... the list goes on.

If I could tell 10yr old me that I would be working with dogs running my own business, she absolutely wouldn't believe it, and tell me the only way I could work with animals is to be a vet... (this is what I used to tell myself) 😂.

Thank you for growing with me, I can't wait to see what's in store for PuptodateDogs in the future. 🥰

07/18/2022

Love this.

06/23/2022

Jasper, Charlie, and Bailey are all killing it with their private lessons. is a great guardian and I've especially loved seeing Bailey progress from barking at me the first session, to running up to greet me and give me face kisses. I'm super proud of this team!

[ID: 3 dogs lay down in the grass. From L to R: Jasper, 4yrs, (tan & white pittie mix) wears a black harness and red leash. Charlie, 5mo, (white & tan JRT mix) wears a blue harness and green leash. Bailey, 2.5yrs, (black & white with speckled paws border collie mix) wears a neon harness, with a yellow bandana and leash that say "nervous". End ID]

06/07/2022

More puppy class availability! 🐾

Puppy class registration is open for summer.

2 sets of classes will be held starting Friday June 24th & Wednesday June 29th at 5:45pm, run for an hour, and will be hosted at . They run every week for 6 weeks. Friday class will skip Canada day so will run for 7 weeks. Cost is $250. 6 spots available.

Classes are taught by and .

Pups must have first and second set of vaccines to participate, and up to 5mo old.

https://app.squarespacescheduling.com/schedule.php?owner=26048159&appointmentType=category:Puppy

Please email [email protected] for more information or use the link to sign up! Hope to see you there 🐶

[ID: sage green background with a blue Merle puppy pasted on top. Text reads: Victoria, bc. Puppy class. Register now! Starting friday June 24th & Wednesday June 29th. 5:45pm. Basic manners (sit, stay, down, etc), greetings, loose leash walking, & more! Email [email protected] for more information /END ID]

Schedule your appointment online PuptodateDogs

06/01/2022

ADOPTABLE CASSIE!

Please help me in sharing this beautiful girl. I have had the pleasure of working with her and her very very dedicated foster! This sweet bean would love a doggy friend to romp around with and to increase her confidence levels inside the house. Please reach out to myself or if you have any questions!

FROM THE RESCUE:

"Beautiful and adventurous Cassie is looking for a foster to adopt home to welcome her. Cassie is a young dog who comes to us from Afghanistan. Her past is quite unknown, but we do know she was rescued with her mom and brother. Cassie enjoys daily outings in the forest or leashed walks around her neighborhood. She LOVES the beach and playing fetch. In the house, Cassie is content to snuggle on the couch and play with her toys. She would love a dog pal to play with.

Cassie has insecurities around new people and really struggles unless in the presence of other dogs. We have tested her in many scenarios, and she seems to do better with strangers should she have some confident and friendly dog support that shows her it is ok.
Cassie is crate-trained, housebroken, and muzzle trained.
​
Cassie and her foster to adopt home will have continued support from our team and a trainer we partner with to ensure everyone is set up for success!
​
Do you have the right set up for this beautiful girl?
She will need a home with a dog pal
A home without shared hallways
A human willing to work on her fear reactivity with RDDR and our trainers, always using modern reward based methods"

[ID: 1: Cassie, a tan/white coloured mongrel dog with pointy ears and a blue collar look towards the camera. She looks like she's smiling. She sits on a mossy rock by the ocean. 2: Cassie is sitting the same as the first picture but sitting on the left side of the screen instead. 3: alt text avail]

05/27/2022

I am very very very excited about this new client! Not only is this cute pup the son of some of my good friends, he's also my dog Basil's half nephew!!!

Tutshi (too-shy) (named after a Yukon landmark) is going to be having regular sessions working on all things puppy!

He has some pretty great guardians who are very committed to his socialization, training, and more.

Happy to be your Auntie, Tutshi! 💕✨

[Alt text available]

04/22/2022

Puppy class registration is open! 🐾

Classes will be held Wednesdays at 5:45pm, run for an hour, and will be hosted at . They run every week for 6 weeks. Cost is $250. 6 spots available.

Classes are taught by myself and .

Pups must have first and second set of vaccines to participate!

SIGN UP HERE: https://app.squarespacescheduling.com/schedule.php?owner=26048159&appointmentType=32737420

*if there is enough interest we will open more classes

[ID: sage green background with a white puppy pasted on top. Text reads: Victoria, bc. Puppy class. Register now! Wednesdays starting May 18. 5:45pm. Basic obedience, greetings, loose leash walking, & more! Email [email protected] END ID]

Schedule your appointment online PuptodateDogs