À La Carte Dog Services

26/04/2022

Spring is almost here !!!
Nelson and Nate love finding the few remaining patches of snow to roll in 😂

19/11/2021

this is Maddie
one of the sweetest, smartest and funniest dog I’ve ever met
every time I’d pick her up for our hikes, she’d give me a kiss in the car
if that ain’t love, I don’t know what is ♥️

18/11/2021

first snow hike of the season with sweet

04/11/2021

maybe she’s born with it, maybe it’s maple leaves !

22/10/2021

✨DOGS✨

getting to take your dogs out on adventures got me smiling!

05/10/2021

✨confidence building✨

these exercises come in all shape and forms, but the main goal is to help your dog realize THEY GOT THIS!

work as a team, guide your dog and watch him/her overcome challenges.

On this day, Nelson and I went to an empty park. He often dislikes going up on things, so i found a few things for him to go up on and turned it into a game. There was no pressure for him to do, but I guided and encouraged him. He ended up running from one play spot to another, jumping up and posing. Good boy award goes to 💛

28/07/2021

Beach days ☀️

Tips to going to the beach with your dog:

1. Make sure the beach allows dogs
2. Exercise & play with your dog. Watch out water consumption and fatigue (especially if your dog is a fetching fan)
3. Provide a safe place they can use to rest. Bring a cot, a blanket, somewhere they can lay on (preferably in the shade)
4. If the beach is empty, you can even pull out a chew for them. I would not recommend doing this if there’s other dogs as it will increase the risks of conflicts.

Have fun & enjoy these beautiful summer days

28/06/2021

How to keep your dog cool on hot days:

• provide fresh water
• avoid taking your pup on walks during the warmest parts of the day
• if possible, try to stay in shaded areas when walking your dog
• make sure there is shade available for your dog when staying outdoors
• air conditioning and/or fans while indoors
• beware of hot sidewalks, streets, sand, etc. If your bare feet cannot handle the heat, your dogs paws won’t like it either
• cooling shirts can help by keeping their core cold
• swimming & playing in water are GREAT summer activities (DO NOT leave your dog unsupervised around any body of water)

I hope this helps! Let me know if you have any questions.
Comment garder votre chien au frais pédants des journées très chaudes:

• lui fournir de l’eau fraîche
• éviter d’emmener votre chien en promenade pendant les parties les plus chaudes de la journée
• si possible, essayer de rester dans les zones ombragées quand vous promenez votre chien
• Assurez-vous qu’il y a de l’ombre pour votre chien lorsque vous restez à l’extérieur
• air conditionné et/ou ventilateurs pendant que vous êtes à l’intérieur
• méfiez-vous des trottoirs chauds, des rues, du sable, etc. Si vos pieds nus ne supportent pas la chaleur, vos chiens n’aimeront pas non plus
• les chemises de refroidissement peuvent aider
• nager et jouer dans l’eau sont de GRANDES activités estivales (NE PAS laisser votre chien sans surveillance autour de l’eau)

J’espère que cela aide! Faites-moi savoir si vous avez des questions.

04/06/2021

Watching dogs have fun is fascinating and adorable! Look at the pure joy on her face ☀️

11/05/2021

Scarlette se joint à nous!!!
Elle est prête pour nos aventures 🌿
Scarlette is joining the ALC fam and is READY for more adventures 🌿

07/05/2021

Nelson says “HELLO WEEKEND” ☀️💛
Any plans ?
Nelson dit “BONJOUR LE WEEKEND” ☀️💛
Avez-vous des plans?

03/05/2021

My favorite activity with your dogs has to be our 2-3 hour trail outings!

The dogs get to sniff around, explore the woods, and depending on the weather, play in the mud, snow or water!
Mon activité préférée avec vos chiens est probablement nos sorties de 2-3 heures!

Les chiens sont tellement heureux.. ils explorent les bois et, selon la saison, jouent dans la boue, la neige ou l’eau!

#

31/03/2021

PUZZLES, BRAIN GAMES & OTHER ENRICHMENT ACTIVITIES

I am sure you have heard of these before, but what are they and why are they important?

As we know, it’s important to keep your dogs exercised and this includes exercising their mind! Puzzles and brain games truly enrich your dog’s life. They usually provide a mix of searching, sniffing and licking! They prevent boredom and keeps them busy in a safe way. They provide a challenge that will end up increasing their confidence once they learn the new skill and solve the challenge. They can also be used to slow down fast eaters! (The puzzles in the photo can all be used to feed snacks or meals.)

Let’s discuss the different puzzles in this photo from left to right:
• Orange Licki Mat:�I recommend putting ingredients such as a raw banana, peanut butter, kefir or even canned pumpkin and freezing it.�Once it is frozen, offer it to your dog to sniff and lick.�(also great for raw feeders)

• puzzles:�There are many puzzle options and a variety of ways to use them! They are also dishwasher safe, which is fantastic.

• Snuffle Mat:�This can be purchased or DIY’ed at home with a rubber sink mat and felt.�Wonderful for nose work!�Hide kibbles or treats in the various fleece strips and watch your dog sniff for them.

• Dehydrated Chew (this one is from ):�(Stay away from Rawhides and Cooked Bones as they are NOT safe options)�Keep an eye on your dog while they are in chewing paradise!

• :�Very similar to West Paws puzzles.�My go to recipe is frozen greek yogurt and blueberries !

• puzzles:�Outward Hound offers a variety of puzzles with different difficulty levels. Check them out for lots of fun challenges!��There are also a variety of puzzles that you can make from things laying around in your house. Would you be interested in seeing some of those ?

23/03/2021

Spring is here.
Mud season is here.

This time of year,
Our cars are sand pits.
Our clothes are covered with paw prints.
and we enjoy spending every possible minute outside.

PS: your dog will most likely get dirty on our hikes, BUT do not fear! I always have either a towel or dog wipes in my car. I’ll give them a quick wash before they go inside.

Le printemps est là. La saison de la boue est là.

Pendant cette période de l’année,
Nos voitures sont remplies de sable.
Vos vêtements sont couverts d’empreintes de pattes.
Et nous aimons passer le plus de temps possible à l’extérieur.

PS : votre chien sera probablement sale après nos randonnées, MAIS n’ayez pas peur! J’ai toujours une serviette ou des lingettes pour chiens dans ma voiture. Je vais le laver rapidement avant qu’il retourne à la maison.

20/03/2021

Meet Nelson! 🐶
He is a brave and sweet boy. Looking forward to more hikes and activities with him.

Voici Nelson ! 🐶
Il est courageux et si gentil. J’ai hâte de faire d’autres randonnées et activités avec lui.

18/03/2021

Which dog are you today? 🐶
I think I’m a 4 and 7 🤣

Quel chien êtes-vous aujourd’hui? 🐶
Je crois être un mix de 4 et 7 🤣

05/03/2021

Happy birthday to a very special boy!!! 🥳🥳🥳

Your eye patch stole my heart. Your friendship with my boy brings me much joy. I love my little Dunkaroo!

I am so grateful my work allows me to meet such wonderful dogs that fill my heart. Thank you.

17/02/2021

It looks like the stuffed animals are having a meeting and made sure sleepy Nate was included 🤣🐶

On dirait que les toutous sont entrain d’avoir une rencontre et ils se sont assurés d’inclure Nate 🐶🤣

02/02/2021

What exercises have you been doing this winter to keep you and your pup busy and healthy?

Quels exercises faites-vous cet hiver pour garder vous et votre chien en bonne santé?

02/01/2021

Happy New Year ✨

Let’s start 2021 right! Please give your pups an extra treat from me 🐶
Bonne Année ✨

Commençons l’année 2021 en beauté et s’il vous plaît donnez un extra biscuits à vos chiens 🐶

28/12/2020

Happy Holidays ✨

Joyeuses Fêtes ✨

27/11/2020

Duncan was getting bored of the group training exercise 🤣

Daycare will not be offered until further notice. Unfortunately, we no longer have the facility for it. On the bright side, this means additional hiking slots.

Duncan commençait à s’ennuyer de l’exercice de groupe.

Malheureusement, notre service de garderie pour chien ferme pour un bout de temps. Ceci veux aussi dire que je vais être disponible plus souvent pour le service de randonnées!

03/11/2020

Missing these girls a little extra today

26/10/2020

Today was our last day open in Ontario 🐶 A new adventure is starting for À La Carte and we’re hoping you will tag along.

Thank you to every single one of our clients. Your pups hold a very special spot in my heart ♥️ Photos, videos and updates are more than welcomed; they will make my day 🥰

I am aiming to use this platform more often to keep in touch, educate on as well as discuss a broad range of dog related topics.

Lots of love,
Laura and Nate

21/10/2020

Sweet Bailey is ready for Halloween !

Celebrating Halloween won’t be the same this year, but our dogs look so cute in Halloween gear!

Please don’t forget to keep the candy and chocolate away from your furry kids. If trick or treating ends up happening, please keep your pup in mind. Some dogs get anxious with knocking on the front door, provide them a safe place to relax in. Also be careful with opening and closing the door, maybe consider keeping your dog away from the entrance.

Have fun and please send us any and all cute photos of your pup with Halloween gear!
🍁

11/10/2020

Happy Thanksgiving 💛🍂

I am incredibly thankful for all of you and your sweet pups.

26/09/2020

À La Carte Dog Services will be relocating to Quebec City in November.

We are planning to post in English & French as well as to start offering Zoom training classes later on.

Thank you for the support, we appreciate you!

23/09/2020

Im not sure when or how this started but this is my little routine with Maddie ().

When I get in the car, I take off my mask, ask for a kiss, snap a photo and give her a treato. She’s such a sweet girl ♥️
Swipe to the end for a photo of Mads absolutely done with me 🤣

22/09/2020

Did you know our little business has a second branch?

For the last almost two years, I’ve taken photos of my dog and of client dogs whenever possible. I love bringing a smile to my clients’ faces when sharing photos of their pup on our hikes or while boarding. Many commented on how I should pursue this on the side. Then, with COVID, I needed to find ways to not only evolve my business to succeed in the new norm, but I also needed to use my creative mind.

So here is the not so official announcement of our other account . Within the next week, I’ll also have our website launch!!!

I like keeping things organized so I figured I should keep it separate from the À La Carte website.

Thank you for your constant support and for helping me run full speed towards what passionates me: dogs, nature and photography. This wouldn’t be possible without you.

22/09/2020

Wish you could enjoy your walks but your dog keeps pulling? You’ve tried a few different things but nothing seems to work ? I can help!

I offer private lessons And/or you can add training on my hiking services. A big factor of loose leash is consistency, which I provide on my walks whether it be one on one or group walks.

I know leash walking can be difficult to attain, but with my help, you and your dog will succeed!!! 🐶

26/08/2020

There’s nothing better than seeing our relationship grow and his confidence increase. Of course with this, his behaviour improves as well! What a good boy.

12/08/2020

Is there a better way to spend a hot summer day ?
These daycare pups love the water and as a result, we’ve been spending lots of time on this secluded beach. Look at those happy tails!!! Yes, I’m having an absolute blast as well.

09/07/2020

We have all heard of the traveling pants, but what about the traveling wet dog bandana ?!
This is a trick I use with my hiking dogs (and my personal dog) on hot summer days! I drench a bandana in cold water and put it on the pup! As the bandana sits on their chest, it helps them cool off a little bit.

Please keep your dog’s safety in mind during these incredibly warm days! Dogs are more sensitive to heat than us.

Stay cool & hydrated !
@ Milton, Ontario

01/07/2020

HAPPY CANADA DAY 🇨🇦
We hope you have a wonderful Canada Day. That being said, this Holiday is quite scary for many pets. Fireworks can cause a significant amount of anxiety.

The last slide of this album includes a few tips that you may find helpful on this holiday (credits to thatpetplace.com).
We are all set up for tonight with a comfy & safe dog bed for each pup and a few Kongs from in the freezer. I also like to turn up the volume of a relaxing playlist.

Please stay safe and help your pups get through tonight!
@ Guelph, Ontario

17/06/2020

Happy belated first birthday to sweet Nala Beans!
This girl has come so far in her training. I cannot believe she is ONE already.
Photo taken by me,
@ Guelph, Ontario

12/06/2020

Pool days & furry friends make for the PERFECT day!!!
As it continues to get warmer outside, it’s important to keep our dogs happy & comfortable by helping them adjust to summer!

Here are a few things you can do to help your pup & lower the risk of heat stroke:

- avoid taking your pup on walks during the warmest parts of the day
- make sure they have fresh water to drink
- try to stay in shaded areas or make sure there is shade available for your dog
- air conditioning and/or fans while indoors
- beware of hot sidewalks, streets, sand, etc. If your bare feet cannot handle the heat, your dogs paws won’t like it either
- swimming & playing on water are GREAT summer activities (DO NOT leave your dog unsupervised around any body of water)

I will be making a few other posts on this topic soon! Have a great weekend everyone 😊
@ Guelph, Ontario

10/06/2020

Pupsicle type of day!!! ☀️🍧

Our day of playing in the kiddy pool, games with furry friends and forest walks was made better with an extra yummy treat this afternoon!!!

19/05/2020

I am happy to announce that starting today, Tuesday May 19th, I will be reopening my hiking and daily care services for one day each per week 🐶

Hiking Services will be available either on Tuesdays or Thursdays each week 🌳

Daily Care Services will be available on Wednesdays for up to 10 hours each week 💕

Cleaning procedures have been put in place in order to assure everyone’s safety 🧽

In the following weeks, I am hoping to be able to open other days of the week. DM me for more information 😊

18/05/2020