FIKAdogs

16/08/2024

Fall puppy foundations will be at the in Washburn! Super excited!

16/08/2024

Super excited about the new Dogsenter opening up in Washburn. It's where we'll be teaching our Fall Puppy Foundations class!

Dogsenter will open in Washburn on August 26th and will be the all inclusive dog shop for dog owners.

01/08/2024

Science is so cool!

One in four Labrador retrievers carries a gene that tricks their brain into thinking they’re starving

29/07/2024

THIS!

Training Tip Thursday

Let's call it exposure...
Dog Owners are concerned about ensuring their dog is well socialized but what is actual socialization?

Socialization is neutrality!

This means not getting so excited they cannot follow simple directions, or so scared they are trying to hide or reactive.

Take your dog places and have them just relax beside you and take in the environment. Exposure helps develop neutrality.

28/07/2024

Bernie and Shadow would like to petition the Olympics committee to add mixed doubles napping 😴

16/07/2024

Hahaha 😂

12/07/2024

15/06/2024

Some recent puppies we’ve worked with 1:1 with them and their humans ❤️ we just love their sweet faces! Realizing now they both have blue harnesses too.

21/05/2024

Hahaha, yes, this! Absolutely ALL OF THIS!

**** WHAT TO EXPECT WHEN BRINGING A PUPPY HOME ****

1 - You will get frustrated. You'll likely get VERY frustrated. If you don't you're a much more patient person than me. It's okay to get annoyed and frustrated. It's not easy. Don't expect them to change overnight or even after a week. Manage the environment as best you can whilst they are so young. It does get much easier. it just takes time.

2 - There will be s**t on the floor at some stage. They're very young and very small. They have small insides. They will s**t and p**s a lot. Do your best you can to toilet train them by taking them out regualrly but just remember mistakes happen. Nobody is it blame, just clean it up and keep taking them out regularly. It will get easier.

3 - You'll probably get a lot less sleep the first few weeks. Puppies make noise and change can be scary. Expect them to be unsettled through the night for a couple of nights. Just be there with them. Don't put them in the garage, put them next to your bed and let them know your close if they get upset. Creating a secure puppy starts with making them feel secure.

4 - They are a puppy, but they are an individual. They will come pre-programmed with likes, dislikes, fears and desires. They're not all the same. Just because you have a friend that has a dog that loves everyone, doesn't mean your dog will love everyone. No matter how much you expose them. Accept what your dog wants and likes to do. Work with that, not against it.

5 - You'll confabulate about what they are doing. Confabulation is when you come to a conclusion without any evidence. A very common thing we get is - "my puppy is barking and lunging when on lead because they are trying to protect me". This is false in every single case we've seen. I cannot recommend enough that getting a dog trainer to help you BEFORE problems arise is one of the most crucial things any new puppy owner should invest in. Get help now. You want to think 'This is pretty easy I don't think we need them anymore'. But the reason things are easy, is because you have a trainer to help you. Keep them even when things go well. They'll tell you when you're ready to get at it on your own.

6 - If you leave things lying about, then it's fair game for them to chew. Clean up you messy people! You need to get more organised otherwise you'll have shoes and socks with holes all through them.

7 - If you they have access to the whole house they will explore the whole house. That's not an issue for an adjusted dog, but for a puppy that means every room will likely have a p**p, p*e or a chewed something in the room. Shut doors or restrict access how you want to.

8 - Things will take longer than you expect them to. It's very odd how we accept and understand that human children take years to be 'toilet trained' and yet we get annoyed if our puppies aren't within a couple of weeks. Training takes times. We call it dog training, not dog trained. Not only does it take time, it's ongoing and should last their whole lives.

9 - Puppies get sick and vet visits aren't free. Have an money set aside for any sudden vet visits you might need to make.

10 - Expect Chaos. Expect the worst and hope for the best. That's the only thing that gets us through all our foster pups. When you expect things to go bad but they go well it's a pleasant surprise and helps us stay sane. Embrace the chaos and have fun. Things do get better and easier.

www.Thinkdog.nz

19/05/2024

Super interesting listen! We’re really enjoying the content from the .

‎Show The Functional Breeding Podcast, Ep Dan O'Neill, MVB, PhD, FRCVS: VetCompass and Inherited Disease - May 6, 2024

16/05/2024

Because in order to grow the skills needed to be a calm, patient demo dog for FIKAdog classes you need to take a class with someone else…thanks for having us Cathy and Chequamegon Area Dog Training!!

27/04/2024

When we welcome dogs into our lives, we often treat them as part of the family, showering them with affection and cuddles. However, what many of us don't realise is that our well-intentioned hugs might not be as comforting to our canine friends as we think. This blog explores the importance of under...

21/04/2024

So true!

18/04/2024

Yes!

Some dogs adjust to new homes rapidly, others take time. Please when adopting realize they need time, in most cases.

15/04/2024

Tell me how tall your dog is without telling me how tall your dog is! 😂

12/04/2024

Love framing these as "Success Stations"

We're seeing a bit of a "baby boom"👶 here with our Synergy clients (congrats to all of you!), so it seems only fitting to squeeze this baby in😉

Setting dogs up for success when experiencing big changes in the home will help you relax and find confidence in yourself learning to manage life with a dog and a newborn.

PLUS this infographic can be used for many other situations and changes in the home too😃

10/04/2024

Worth 5 mins of your time if you live with dogs and kids!

06/04/2024

27/03/2024

Novelty Path! Such a great thing to do with puppies. THIS is socialization too!

25/03/2024

Local folks looking for pet portraits!

As many of you know, we had to say goodbye to our beloved doggie Lucy girl last week. She was our best girl, the sweetest soul, the truest friend and we love and miss her so much. Lucy was a part of our family for the past 11 and a half years. She was a rescue dog that we got when she was just a few months old. She has been an amazing companion, best big sister to our boys and the goodest good girl.
In her honor, I'm offering a discount on my pet portrait mini sessions for $60 and a portion of the session fee will be donated to the Chequamegon Humane Association for their amazing work. These mini sessions can be just your pet(s) or you with your pet(s). They can be done either outdoors or inside with a backdrop. I love all animals, so whatever pet you have I'm happy to photograph! I'm only offering the discounted rate through April 10th, but you can purchase your session now and schedule it for anytime through this fall.
I am so grateful for everyone's patience, kindness and support. I have the best clients and friends. Until we meet again Lucy, we love you little girl.

23/03/2024

Happy from our pups to yours!

22/03/2024

The Power of Play is REAL, ya'll! Great free online course here:

The four biggest benefits of playing tug How play can be an outlet for your dog’s natural urges The link between tug and bond

18/03/2024

Going for the mad-Professor look these days 😂🐩❤️

14/03/2024

Always fun to graduate a batch of FIKAfoundation puppies 🐶 next in-person puppy class starts May 1! Stay tuned for more details.