West Michigan Dog Sports

12/26/2024

Shared from a friend...

12/24/2024

🎄🐾 Happy Holidays from West Michigan Dog Sports! 🐾🎄

May your day be filled with love, light, and lots of tail wags! 🐕✨ We look forward to another year of training, fun, and growth with all of you.

With love,
The West Michigan Dog Sports Team 🎅🏼❤️🎉

12/20/2024

THIS SATURDAY we will be at Fōwling Warehouse Grand Rapids for the Adopt Don't Shop for the Holidays event! 🏈🐶

From 10am-12pm, we will have adorable puppies waiting to go to their new homes! There will be a photographer to catch your first moment with your new family member, as well as an engraver to make your new dog tag right then and there!

We hope to see you there!

12/20/2024

🐶 Our Intro to Nosework class is now full! 🐶

If you'd like to be added to a wait list, let us know!

12/19/2024

Hi there! My name is Puppy (hopefully that's only temporary).

I'm looking for a foster family to stay with, but nobody has applied to love me quite yet! I need a place to sleep and humans to teach me basic obedience skills before I can become a PAWS Assistance Dog one day. Any chance I can come live with you? 💕

Submit an application today by visiting the PAWS website here: bit.ly/PAWSfosterpuppy

12/18/2024

Check out the successes of Harbor Humane

12/18/2024

🐕 The Intro to Rally class is now full! 🐕

We still have space in Foundations for Dog Sports, Intro to Scent Work, Advanced Agility, and Open Floor Time!

Foundations for Dog Sports is focused on teaching basic foundational skills in a way that is fun and engaging for your dog. This will help improve your training and communication with your dog as well as set you up with some basics that are used in a variety of sports. This is ideal for someone who is new to dog sports or who wants a refresher on the basics.

Intro to Scent Work will get your dog started on their sniffing journey by teaching them to find birch, the first scent used in nosework sports. These are the same concepts used to train bomb sniffing and drug detection dogs! Sniffing is also a great activity to help wear out high energy dogs as it uses both the body and the brain together at the same time. Perfect for cold winters when you can't always get outside!

Advanced Agility is for those who are able to perform all obstacles, including weaves, and have experience running full agility courses. Work with an instructor to improve your skills and build confidence with your dog.

Floor Time will have no instructor and, instead, will have a preset course at the Master/Excellent level. Those enrolled will take turns running the course and working on their individual goals with their dog. This is a perfect "class" for those who are experienced and trialing in agility and just need somewhere to keep up on their skills during the winter or want to practice in a new location with different distractions.

12/17/2024

And Cedar Animal Hospital deserves a huge shout out from us, too! Much of our equipment belongs to our board member, Pat Parker, and they've kindly let us store it there since summer classes. Time to get it over to Cedar Sportsplex!

12/17/2024

Some of our board members and volunteers are at Cedar Rock Sportsplex today to load in the agility equipment. Classes will be here before you know it!

Advanced Agility, Floor Time, Sports Foundations, Rally, and Scent Work all have a space or two left if you've been thinking on getting in on the fun.

12/17/2024

Consider helping out this fellow dog sport competitor who has suffered a horrible loss. They have lost their 3 dogs as well as their home. Our hearts go out to them 💔

***UPDATE #2- We have reached our $5,000 goal to put towards the extra me… Elizabeth Beechnau needs your support for House Fire Leaves Liz's Friend Devastated

12/16/2024

What a fun way to spend a day! Check it out for your kids!

Have you signed your kids up for Winter Camp yet? ❄️

On December 23rd, 26th, and 27th, spread the holiday cheer to our shelter animals! We will have crafts, games, guest speakers, and (of course) social time with our animals!

Our next camp runs on December 30th, January 2nd, and 3rd. We will make cookies for the dogs and toys for the cats and help all the animals make their New Year's resolutions!

These Camps run from 9am to 4pm daily and each cost only $50 per day! If you would like to sign up for all six days of camps, registration will only cost $250!

To join the fun winter festivities, register using the link below!
https://form.jotform.com/HSWM/wintercamp

12/16/2024

Looking for some fun over the Holidays!

Need a gift idea for the ice skater or hockey player in your life?! Grab a punch pass from Cedar Rock Sportsplex and save on admission price to our Open Skate, Stick & Puck or Skate Sharpening!
We now offer the option to keep your punch passes at the Sportsplex! Now you don't have to worry if it's in the other car or you left it on your kitchen counter or it got destroyed in your bag, we've got you covered 😉

12/14/2024

Thought I would share this with others.

🎶 The weather outside is frightful, but in your home, it's so delightful! 🎶

With the cold, snowy weather coming in, we wanted to share with you some pet safety tips for colder weather that will keep your pet's warm, safe and happy! 🐾

COLD WEATHER SAFETY TIPS:
- If it's too cold for you, it's too cold for them - Keep your pets indoors!
- Check their paws after they go outside or on walks for salt or cold weather injury
- Know your pet's limits outdoors
- Bundle up if your pet is outdoors - pet sweaters and coats will help keep them warm during walks or outdoor potty breaks
- Protect their paws - booties help keep their paws safe
- Outside potty trips should be quick and monitored
- Thoroughly clean up any antifreeze spills, it is HIGHLY poisonous to our furry friends
- Take extra care of their skin and coat during the drier months
- Avoid walking on frozen water or ice
- Provide a warm space for them indoors
- Make sure they are well fed
- Watch for signs of hypothermia
- Be prepared in case of bad weather - always have enough food, water and medications in case of emergency

Remember, keeping your pets safe and comfortable in cold weather is essential to their health and happiness. If it's too cold for you, it's too cold for them! Let's stay safe this winter season. ☃️

12/14/2024

Thinking of bringing home a new family member for the holidays? Check out this amazing adoption event!

We're also laughing so much at the ad 🤣 I promise it's worth a watch!

12/10/2024

The Pointer is the ultimate expression of canine power and grace. The breed's name is its job description: Pointers point game birds, and they have been pointing for centuries.

Why do you love the breed?

12/09/2024

Check out bissel partner rescues! Some of these dogs will be coming here to our area and are in need of a loving home.

12/07/2024

Just sharing this again since we have received more registration forms for these classes. We've also updated the form to make it more obvious these classes are full. If you want to be added to the waitlist, let us know! We'll contact those on the waitlist first if anyone needs to drop out.

If you're looking for agility, there's still room in our Foundations for Dog Sports class. If you're new to dog sports this class will include basic handling and training skills that will be valuable not only for agility, but any dog sport you may decide to move on to. There's also room in our Advance class and there's space in the Open Floor Time. If you've got an experienced dog, both of these are great options since you can practice in a new environment around distractions and keep your skills sharp over winter.

If you're open to something other than agility, our Rally and Scent Work classes have space which are both great ways to have fun and tire out active dogs during the winter! Scent work can help your dog put their brain to use and helps tire them out even when they're cooped up inside. Rally will teach and reinforce good obedience skills and teamwork between you and your dog. Many of the skills translate well into other dog sports or even just being a more well behaved and engaged companion out on walks. These are both beginner classes and are heavily focused on introducing the sports in a positive way that means your dog will have lots of fun!

12/05/2024

We really can't thank you enough for your support! And a massive thank you to out matching donor who will double your donations. It really means a lot to use and it will make a huge difference.