Thumbs Up Dog Training

03/12/2025

Love this fiesty girly 😍


Success does not come over night and it does not come from the few hours you spend with a trainer. A trainer is not going to fix your dog, they will give you tools, guidance and support and then it’s up to the owner to put the work in. There will be ups and downs along the way, and your expectations and goals may need shifting. With patience, practice and consistency (both inside the home and out in the world) you will start to see the shift and you will be able to look back and feel so proud of how far you have come.

Today was Bella’s most successful session yet. She still struggles with dog reactivity and stranger danger in close proximity. Today during our park session she was able to stay focused on her owner and didn’t lose her marbles when I chatted with three different dog owners with their dogs close by. She held place and engaged with her owner instead of reacting to the dogs. We have conditioned her to an e collar which has helped immensely at keeping her calm and teaching her clear boundaries and expectations. We also used plenty of treats and affection when she made good decisions. This hasn’t been an easy process and still a work in progress but looking back to a few months ago puts a HUGE smile on my face knowing how much happier, safer she feels. The relationship, trust and understanding between her and owner has improved tremendously and it’s all because he has stayed committed and continues to put in the work between sessions.

Super proud 🥹👏

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❤️

03/08/2025

I love nothing more than parading with my dog clan 😍

Showing the public that a big pack of dogs can calmly and respectfully coexist out in the busy world!

We had fun walking by the ocean, jumping on obstacle’s, and weaving around one another. At the same time being aware of our surroundings and yielding and showing respect to other pedestrians. The world needs more owners like the wonderful ones I’m blessed to work with ❤️

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01/08/2025

Tuesday morning crew + Ruby 😍

This group wins 🥇 for best walkers 🔥

Such a pleasure to walk with them 😃

Way to go Finlay, Sammie, Jupiter, Tiggy and Blue, you pups make my job so easy 👏🥹🐶❤️

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01/07/2025

Monday mornings with Lula and the pack 💕🐶

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01/02/2025

Happy 2025 🥳

Look at all these amazing students keeping their focus even with a loud dog park behind them👏

What a great group to kick off the new year!
Alfred, Perry, Captain Charlie Pickles and Marty! 😍🐶

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🐾

12/24/2024

Thats a wrap for my packwalks of 2024!

and will be working tomorrow for the last official day of the 2024!

Thank you to all of our amazing clients both humans and dogs for another year of doing what we love most. I know I speak for all of us when I say we truly have the best job in the world!

Wishing everyone a VERY MERRY Christmas and HAPPY New Year ❤️❤️❤️

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#2024

12/17/2024

Who doesn’t love a truck full of soggy dogs 😍

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12/15/2024

Yesterday marked the last training walk of 2024 ❤️

We welcomed 4 new dogs to the walk, and they were so amazing you would never guess it was their first walk!

Well done Luna the Wolfhound and Barkley the Frenchie 👏

Big thanks to everyone who came and made it such a fabulous last walk of the year! Love you all ❤️

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#2024

11/05/2024

Just a wee bit windy today 💨😂🐶

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💨

10/29/2024

10/24/2024

This is what dreams are made of 😍

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✨The littles ✨
Riga
Richie
Luna and Dante
Alfred
Blue
Pax
Fry 🍟
Charlie Pickles 🥒

10/09/2024

Adding new dogs to the pack makes me so happy!! The amount of trust they give on their first day is truly humbling. I do my best to guide and support them, the first half of the walk is usually overwhelming and then there’s a beautiful shift half way through. The power of the pack always prevails.
The goal here at Thumbs Up is simple, to provide our dogs with safety, enjoyment, and fulfillment to make their day better, and to improve their lives longterm ❤️
What you give to dogs is always returned x million! 🐶

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09/30/2024

🩵🐚 OSKALA 🐚🩵

This wild child was recently adopted by my awesome clients (formerly Oskar and Cali’s humans). A strong willed and spirited girl, the universe sent her to the most understanding and supportive home and I am grateful to help guide them on this journey with her!

Yesterday’s session was one I will never forget. It taught me to think outside the box in high intensity moments, to maintain patience and work ethic, and to never give up on a dog 🐶

The goal was to get her in the crate so they could start using it to have more success at home. She was formerly using a crate in foster but something happened along the way and she learned the stronger she fought she could avoid going in the crate. I have never worked so hard and struggled so much to get a dog in a crate. Her resistance and fight was next level INTENSE. She was ready to do absolutely anything to not step in the crate. When her frustration and intensity escalated, I would put her to work on some of the advanced Jentle Method steps. I wanted her to understand that I was not going to force her in, but I was not giving up either, and not going in the crate meant more work for her. At one point I was almost ready to give up, I was sweating and badly scratched, nothing was working. I knew I needed to try something else, that’s when it clicked, I could back her up into the crate, just like a horse into the trailer. It wasn’t pretty but after a few moments she was able to take a few steps backwards into the crate and we finally could close the door. I repeated the process a few more times, until It was smooth enough for the owners to try. Then the most AMAZING thing happened. The owner took the leash and Oskala walked in on her own and lay down 🤯🙌

Beyond proud of Oskala!!! She overcame so much, she trusted and surrendered to the process, and found herself in a more enjoyable state of mind. AND she went home and got in her crate with little fuss ❤️👏😍

09/16/2024

What an epic weekend!

My first solo trip as a mom felt strange leaving this time, but was such a good little getaway. On Friday we drove to Cannon beach (missed sunset by 30 mins) but still caught the last of the light and Toothless had a blast running the beach which made it all worth it!

Saturday morning we were scooped up by Zoe and Monster .ca and headed to Scappoose for a session with ! Toothless and I learned a lot and are excited to go home and get to work. There is always much work to do, dog training is a lifestyle and never ends 🙏❤️

Very excited for next weekend when Oregon Tails arrives in Victoria for a 3 day workshop at the Saanich Fairgrounds. I will just be observing this time but really pumped for will be working with his dog Rubie 👍

Here are my favourite pictures of Toothie this weekend, he was such a good boy, and I will cherish these memories forever 🖤

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09/08/2024

Alfred, Toothless, and Peregrine… the dogs of Thumbs Up 🐶❤️ Love my pack 😍🐶

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08/23/2024

The Friday crew hits it out of the park for excellent behaviour today 👏❤️🙌🐶👍

Proud of Teddy for his first calm truck ride in the back with the pack. He carried on his good behaviour with superb leash walking and no reactivity to the dogs we passed ⭐️

Proud of all the dogs for trusting me to guide them past two strange off leash dogs playing. I knew they could do it and trusted my instincts, they followed my lead with no steps out of line! That is what powerful positive intentions can lead to 💛💛💛

As the fall approaches ( favourite season 🍂) I’m eagerly waiting to get out into nature with more pups and do what I do best 🐕🌲💁‍♀️🐩

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08/13/2024

It’s always a good day for a pack walk 🐶❤️

Thanks for making my day Finn, Tala, Loki, Jake, Benny, Cali, Hugo, and the boys! ❤️👍

08/09/2024

Doing what I love and loving what I do 😍

This pack is just so so good I trusted them to navigate amongst the tourists down town on the harbour! I felt as though I was with celebrities with the amount of photos people were taking. Always love showing off just how calm and well behaved a pack of dogs can be 🙏💃🏻🐶

This fall I will be returning to what I love most and that’s being with the pack. You will see me out there a few more times a week and I can’t wait 🤩

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