Rochester Canine Academy

06/20/2025

Heads up Folks!!

🚨🚨🚨 𝐋𝐞𝐩𝐭𝐨𝐬𝐩𝐢𝐫𝐨𝐬𝐢𝐬 𝐀𝐥𝐞𝐫𝐭! 🚨🚨🚨
​
𝗜𝗺𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗮𝗻𝘁 𝗜𝗻𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗣𝗲𝘁 𝗢𝘄𝗻𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗶𝗻 𝗢𝘂𝗿 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗺𝘂𝗻𝗶𝘁𝘆
​
In the wake of the recent flooding and ongoing wet weather, there have been confirmed cases of Leptospirosis in our area. This serious bacterial disease can affect dogs, wildlife, and even humans — and we want to help you keep your pets safe.
​
🔬 𝙒𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙞𝙨 𝙇𝙚𝙥𝙩𝙤𝙨𝙥𝙞𝙧𝙤𝙨𝙞𝙨?
Leptospirosis is a bacterial infection that can cause severe illness, including liver and kidney failure.
​
💧It is commonly spread through contaminated water (like puddles and floodwater) and urine from rodents such as rats and mice.
​
💧While cats can contract it, this is extremely rare. Dogs are the most vulnerable.
​
💧It is also zoonotic, meaning it can spread to humans — particularly risky for children, the elderly, or anyone immunocompromised.
​
⚠️ 𝗦𝗶𝗴𝗻𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝗟𝗲𝗽𝘁𝗼𝘀𝗽𝗶𝗿𝗼𝘀𝗶𝘀 𝗶𝗻 𝗗𝗼𝗴𝘀:
Symptoms can be vague but may include:
• Fever
• Vomiting and diarrhoea
• Lethargy
• Loss of appetite
• Jaundice (yellowing of gums or eyes)
• Increased drinking and urination
​
𝘐𝘧 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘥𝘰𝘨 𝘪𝘴 𝘴𝘩𝘰𝘸𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢𝘯𝘺 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘴𝘦 𝘴𝘪𝘨𝘯𝘴, 𝘱𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘴𝘦 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘵𝘢𝘤𝘵 𝘶𝘴 𝘪𝘮𝘮𝘦𝘥𝘪𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘭𝘺.
​
✅ 𝗛𝗼𝘄 𝘁𝗼 𝗛𝗲𝗹𝗽 𝗣𝗿𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗜𝘁:
• Avoid letting pets drink from puddles or play in flood water
• Prevent dogs from consuming deceased rodents
• Wash paws after wet walks
• Ensure your dog is up to date with their Leptospirosis vaccine
​
📞 𝙏𝙤 𝙗𝙤𝙤𝙠 𝙖 𝙇𝙚𝙥𝙩𝙤𝙨𝙥𝙞𝙧𝙤𝙨𝙞𝙨 𝙫𝙖𝙘𝙘𝙞𝙣𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣 𝙤𝙧 𝙘𝙝𝙚𝙘𝙠 𝙮𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝙙𝙤𝙜’𝙨 𝙫𝙖𝙘𝙘𝙞𝙣𝙚 𝙨𝙩𝙖𝙩𝙪𝙨, 𝙘𝙖𝙡𝙡 𝙪𝙨 𝙤𝙣 02 4982 9899 𝙤𝙧 𝙗𝙤𝙤𝙠 𝙤𝙣𝙡𝙞𝙣𝙚 𝙖𝙩 𝙣𝙤𝙖𝙝𝙨𝙖𝙧𝙠𝙫𝙚𝙩.𝙘𝙤𝙢.𝙖𝙪
​
(Note: There is currently no Leptospirosis vaccine available for cats.)
​
Let’s work together to keep our pets and families safe 💛
​

06/20/2025

06/18/2025

06/09/2025

Little dogs aren’t aggressive.
They’re disrespected.
Let’s get that straight real quick ✨

I love all dogs — big, small, floofy, lanky — but the little ones? They get the short end of the stick. Literally and figuratively.

Most people will take them to a cutesy puppy class and then… that’s it. No further training, no mental enrichment, no exposure, just vibes. And suddenly that sweet little dog is barking all day in the backyard, lunging on walks, spinning in circles — and somehow they’re the problem? Please.

Let’s talk about how often they’re completely disrespected:
▪︎ Dog parks, where bigger dogs roll them like a chew toy: “They’ll work it out!” — Sure, right after your 30kg dog breaks their spine.
▪︎ Cafes, where strangers reach in and get offended when they don’t want to be touched: “Oh, they’re not very social are they?”
▪︎ Markets, where on-lead dogs barrel into them and they react — and suddenly it’s “small dog syndrome.” 🙄

Newsflash: your little dog isn’t broken. They’re overwhelmed, untrained, and ignored.
But when you actually respect them? When you train them? When you advocate for them?

💎They’re absolute gems.
Clever. Loving. Hilarious. Easy to take places. A joy to live with.

So no, they’re not as****es.
They’re just waiting for someone to treat them like a real dog.

05/22/2025

Good Morning,
As we approach the holiday weekend we will have alternate hours. We will be closed Monday May 26th for the holiday and reopen Tuesday morning at 8am for regular business hours following. If your pet is in need of immediate medical attention please reference the list below with multiple emergency/urgent care numbers.
*Please note urgent care hours may differ based on the upcoming holiday-it is best to give any of these places a call before showing up with your pet*
If you have any non urgent questions, concerns or need med refills during this time you can leave us a message on our voicemail (585)270-5600 or send us an email at [email protected] and we will get back to you as soon as possible.
We hope everyone enjoys their long weekend!
- New Hope Veterinary Wellness team

05/19/2025

ROCHESTER, N.Y. – If you need to vaccinate a dog or a cat, Lollypop Farm will be providing free vaccinations for cats and dogs Tuesday. Lollypop Farm says vaccines will be available while supplies last and will be offered on a first-come, first-serve basis. Along with vaccines, they will also have...

05/13/2025

04/26/2025

Yes, Your Dog's Breed DOES Matter - Here's Why

I've noticed a concerning trend in dog training circles lately: "Breed doesn't matter. Talking about breed traits is just stereotyping. All dogs are individuals."

While this sounds enlightened and progressive, it's dangerously misleading.

Of course every dog is an individual with their own personality. But pretending that centuries of selective breeding hasn't created meaningful differences between dog breeds isn't progressive - it's ignoring reality.

No other species on earth has been so deliberately diversified by humans. We've spent many hundreds of years selectively breeding dogs for specific traits, behaviors, and abilities to perform vastly different jobs.

And those genetics matter.

Stand a Pug next to a Belgian Malinois. Look at their physical appearance, energy level, and behavior. They're so different it's hard to believe they're the same species. Acknowledging this isn't stereotyping - it's observation.

More than half the training issues I've seen in my career could have been prevented or significantly minimized if owners had carefully considered what kind of dog they were getting.

When someone living in a small city apartment brings home a Husky bred for running miles pulling sleds in cold climates, then wonders why the dog is struggling... that's not the dog's fault. That's a mismatch of genetics and lifestyle.

When a family wants a bombproof social dog for their busy household with many visitors, but chooses a breed selectively bred for guardian tendencies - that's setting everyone up for unnecessary challenges.

Acknowledging breed tendencies isn't limiting your dog. It's seeing them for who they are - and part of who they are is their genetics.

If you have a herding breed, you should expect to work more on motion sensitivity and chase behaviors - these traits are foundational to what makes them excel at herding.

If you have a terrier, you should anticipate certain natural tendencies toward prey drive and digging.

If you have a guardian breed, their natural wariness of strangers isn't a "training failure" - it's part of what made them excellent at their historical job.

Individual personality and environment will certainly influence how these traits express themselves, but the underlying genetic predispositions are real.

All dogs need social time, enrichment, and novelty. They need daily exercise and training. But how MUCH exercise, what TYPE of training, and which specific activities will fulfill them best is significantly influenced by breed.

Respecting breed tendencies isn't stereotyping - it's setting your dog up for success by understanding and honoring who they are.


Happy (Breed-Specific) Training!