Ruff Relationships

29/01/2025

The most fascinating and at the same time heartbreaking thing I have confronted on this trip to India is the juxtaposition of the risk assessment, conflict resolution, stress resilience and stress recovery behavior in the street dogs, while at home we are building protocol after protocol to support our dogs to cope, to navigate social interaction and to manage conflict. It is not unlike the crisis our youth are facing as we over work to keep them comfortable and protected from risk, adversity and conflict in their relationships and the natural environment, robbing them of opportunities to develop experience, confidence, judgement and coping skills, while at the same time over exposing them to an influx of overstumulation and too much, too soon inputs in our manufactured world.

17/01/2025

I am so excited to be joining an incredible group of dog professionals at the LEGS in Motion Conference 2025. This year's theme is At Home in the World. Who doesn't need that right now?! Registration link in comments 💕

10/10/2024

Looking forward to joining the Golden Dog Community to chat about mental healthiness and stress resilience for animal caregivers tonight!

03/07/2024

🌟 Exciting news, Family Dog Mediation Friends! 🌟 Justine Chater Schuurmans and I are thrilled to launch the Human & Family L.E.G.S. Support community! Join us for an industry-first experience where Certified and Licensed FDMs come together to focus on human wellbeing and mental healthiness. 🌍💖

Each month, we'll dive into practical tools and strategies to help you thrive in your work and integrate Human L.E.G.S. into your individual, family and group programs. Our first theme is "Burnout and Boundaries". Huge gratitude to Kim Brophey for her visionary leadership and helping to create a space where this is possible!

Ready to join? Check out our post in the L.E.G.S. course group or send me a message for details.

13/06/2024

The Dog Pro community has been so kind and generous in supporting our journey with Cooper. I'm grateful to have been able to pay that forward tonight by bringing Staying Well in the Work: Mental Healthiness and Stress Resilience for Dog Pros to the Aggression in Dogs Mentorship Students. Michael Shikashio thank you for championing human wellness in your community 👏

25/05/2024

Thank you Calgary Humane Society for hosting Emotional First Aid for Animal Caregivers. The growing recognition of the impact of working in high stress, trauma exposed environments on animal care professionals will directly benefit the animals in their care 👏

10/05/2024

Thank you Michael Shikashio for the opportunity to work with your Aggression in Dogs students in this VIP Mentor Session. I was so impressed with the quality of questions and with the openness to integrating this information into practice for the betterment of both ends of the leash. Looking forward to coming back in June to chat about Mental Healthiness and Stress Resilience for Dog Pros!

24/04/2024

Calgary and Area friends, join me on Friday May 24 at Calgary Humane Society for Emotional First Aid for Animal Caregivers
https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/emotional-first-aid-for-animal-caregivers-tickets-837806881937?aff=oddtdtcreator

This workshop is designed for caregivers, dog pros and volunteers who experience chronic stress while caregiving for complex companion animals

Learn the in's and out's of working and living with complex companion animals

18/04/2024

A huge thank you to Cochrane & Area Humane Society for booking a Rescue the Rescuer workshop for your staff. When shelter and rescue organizations prioritize the well-being of their staff, both the workplace culture and the animals in their care benefit 💕🐾

11/04/2024

Spring has finally spung in Calgary and it's peopley outside! We're using scatter feeding to help Cooper experience the joy of neighbors at play after a quiet winter. Volume up, this is magically uneventful 💕🐾

31/03/2024

Happy Easter 🐇. He's not ready to go pro just yet, but he's a keen searcher Woofton Dog Training 🥚

26/03/2024

A huge thank you to Cindy Peacock - Animal Trainer, Halo Husky Haven and Chasin Tails for hosting Rescue the Rescuer last night. I am so appreciative of your commitment to supporting wellness in the shelter and rescue sector. I'm looking forward to continuing the conversation here and in the Family Dog Mediation Outreach and Support Facebook group https://www.facebook.com/groups/225015786575105/. If you love huskies, check out ARF Alberta - Animal Rescue Foundation's Leo. He's currently in foster and awaiting adoption https://arf.ab.ca/animal/5690m-leo/

23/03/2024

Happy National Puppy Day from Cooper and Conway!

16/03/2024

Nothing says, "I'm a committed dog professional" quite like dropping off your dirty laundry with a client so their dog can learn your smell. This is Cooper's village - welcome Melissa 💕🐾

12/03/2024

I had the opportunity to take two of our ARF Alberta - Animal Rescue Foundation residents- Sheba and Thumper- out for a sniffari at Play Unleashed with my friend Carrie Karpoff today. It's hard to say whose mental health benefited more. There is nothing better for the heart than seeing dogs sniffing in an enriched environment 💕🐾 https://arf.ab.ca/animal/5507m-thumper/
https://arf.ab.ca/animal/5254f-sheba/

11/03/2024

Looking forward to supporting Halo Husky Haven on March 25. If you're a dog pro, rescue staff or volunteer, or a caregiver to a complex companion animal this workshop is for you!

Chasin' Tails Dog Care Center is hosting Marlene O'Neill Laberge in a Paw-some workshop! visit https://www.chasin-tails.ca/events to sign up! 100% of the proceeds go directly to us to help as many huskies as we can🐾💙

01/03/2024

One of the most amazing things about the LEGS in Motion Conference was the opportunity to see what other Family Dog Mediators are building. If you are a parent balancing the needs of kids and dogs, want to improve your children's ability to connect with your family dog in a safe and enriching way, or are a dog pro looking for a framework for supporting busy families, Justine Chater Schuurmans' DIAL Method is for you.

Justine has built an affordable, engaging and practical step-by-step program that will create a safer and more harmonious home environment for the entire family.

I had an opportunity to preview these modules with my 13 year old and we were both blown away!

In just 40mins, you'll be entertained while getting the VITAL info you need to know to take life with your family dog to a WHOLE other level.