Heel.Sit.

07/09/2025

After many months of work and worry, we finally have an indoor dog pool. I've been trying to make this happen for years. While of course, there are risks with dogs and water swimming is also incredible low impact exercise, plus learning to swim is a valuable skill and a great way to build confidence.
This is NOT a splash pool. It is for learning to swim, building confidence, fitness, and rehab. If you're looking for a bigger splash pool we recommend Lucky Dog Acres in Low Moor, Iowa. That is where we go to run and jump and swim. It's a great facility to learn and practice dock diving or just to enjoy the water outdoors.
We still have some kinks to work out, so for now, the pool is only open to boarding and daycare dogs as an add-on service during daycare hours. Megan or I will work to get your dog comfortable getting in and out of the pool and swimming. Once they're comfortable, we have swim games for them to play.
Once we have everything figured out, we will be opening up private sessions for you to come and swim with your dog or even pool rental times. I don't know when exactly that will be, but I'll keep you posted. If everything goes according to plan, the pool will be heated so we can keep swimming through the winter months. 🌊

07/07/2025

The little blue ribbons mean that we had qualifying jump scores, not that we won anything. They are worth celebrating though because I am so lucky to have four dogs that are so happy to play the games I like to play. Sazz is ready to start jumping too but she’s mid heat cycle. Shandy and Saison love swims but not jumps which is cool too. We had a lot of success this weekend at CR Sundogs first event. We spent time with friends. Titles were earned. Personal Bests were reached. AND Mundie managed a walk from the van to the dock without reaction using pattern games. Lately I have been treating management and behavior as its own “sport”. Can we do this everyday activity with little to no stress on the dog or the handler? Was it chaos or did it look easy and feel manageable? Was the management heavy or minimal? (example: Could I hold a conversation or enjoy myself during this activity, or did the dog require all of my attention to get through it without being disruptive to the environment?) This is how I am evaluating every outing with the dogs from hikes to patio hangs. If it is too stressful or chaotic we simply withdraw just like we would from a rally or agility run and go home and problem solve. It’s been going so well and reducing so much stress. Yesterday was the perfect day to apply this philosophy to our sport outings as well and it went swimmingly. To read more about it you can check out our substack.

https://open.substack.com/pub/heelsit/p/pool-side-musings?r=2z3n96&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=true

07/07/2025

We’re off to a great start this week!!

07/06/2025

Luna had a grooming add on today before she goes home. Feeling much better without all that extra hair!

07/06/2025

Someone adopt this handsome guy. We'll give you 50% off your first round of sports foundations or behavior training!

Riley is sporting a stylish bandanna. He is also aspiring to become a cherished companion in your home. He is a 2 1/2 year-old border collie seeking a spacious yard to exercise and play. Border collies are renowned for their exceptional intelligence and abundant energy. If you are seeking a hiking companion, swimming partner, or simply someone to engage in play, Riley would be delighted to join you. To initiate the adoption process, you may submit an application at kingsharvestpetrescue.org for preapproval or visit our facility, open Monday through Saturday from 10 to 5. Feel free to share Riley's profile with friends to aid in his search for a forever home. 

07/04/2025

Late night firework check in. Everyone is well. Things were completely quiet when I went in to check on the dogs. There were some concerned faces but, they might have just been confused to see me back at this late hour. No kennel messes and no excessive panting from anyone. The loud fans were on which always seems to help. This might be the calmest 4th of July boarding group we've ever had.

07/03/2025

Finished off Kolsch's birthday with pup cups at

07/02/2025

Happy 6th Birthday Kolsch! Here's to another year of being the best coffee shop/patio dog and excelling at naps, snacks, and the occasional sport or two.

06/29/2025

We hope everyone had a great weekend because we sure did!

06/27/2025

Very proud moment this morning with Sazz. We went inside to get coffee, and she wasn't embarrassing at all. Sazz is one years old and a bit of a wild child and definitely more opinionated than most.

She didn't drag or pull. She listened. She waited patiently. She got lots of pets and remained very polite. We've been working towards this kind of adventure, and this was a huge win. I feel like I need to make her a BCSD (beginner coffee shop dog) certificate. She did kind of lose it when we saw Brooke. I think she was surprised/relieved to run into someone she knew. And then we even passed the hold the leash and coffee in the same hand on our way back to the car test with flying colors. I love dog sports, but this was just as satisfying.