The Dog Man Barrie

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The Dog Man Barrie Learn to talk the talk and walk the walk with Luke the Dog Man.

The before, during, and after of a successful adventure
08/03/2025

The before, during, and after of a successful adventure

This weekend we FINALLY got Smores’ DNA test results back from Embark. We were told she was a Collie/Mastiff/Shepherd/Re...
09/02/2025

This weekend we FINALLY got Smores’ DNA test results back from Embark. We were told she was a Collie/Mastiff/Shepherd/Retriever, but she is so unique we had to know exactly what was going on under the hood.
We had a small celebration for Smores because we were so excited to find out exactly what makes her her.
As it turns out, the rescue was mostly right, but instead of Mastiff she has Cattle Dog in her! That also means that all of her dominant breeds are high drive working dogs! No wonder she is such a rocket.
Would you have guessed any of these breeds? We definitely thought there would be hound of some sort based on how powerful her sniffer is.

Yesterday Smores went to for the first time to live her best extrovert life. She had a blast but we haven’t stopped get...
06/02/2025

Yesterday Smores went to for the first time to live her best extrovert life. She had a blast but we haven’t stopped getting funny looks from her for leaving her alone there for 5 hours 😅

Upon closer examination, yup. Definitely a good dog right here
24/01/2025

Upon closer examination, yup. Definitely a good dog right here

Frigid weather out there again! Walks will be shorter for dogs (and people) who can’t handle the cold. Make sure you’re ...
21/01/2025

Frigid weather out there again! Walks will be shorter for dogs (and people) who can’t handle the cold. Make sure you’re always prepared for the weather. Boots, paw balms, coats and sweaters can be super important to keep your dog safe and happy out there. Anything is better than nothing as well!
Keep in mind dogs can be just as susceptible to frost bite as we are, so always monitor for signs of them being cold in weather like this. Ears, eyes, nose, and paw pads can all become frost bitten!
Stay warm out there!

Photo dump from the past week and a bit! The dogs are unsurprisingly good again this year.
11/01/2025

Photo dump from the past week and a bit! The dogs are unsurprisingly good again this year.

Starting 2025 with a snowy hike in the woods!Smores is still a bit nervous when in new environments, but with a bit of t...
01/01/2025

Starting 2025 with a snowy hike in the woods!
Smores is still a bit nervous when in new environments, but with a bit of time and a fist full of treats she was zooming through the trails in no time!

Happy New Year to all the dog people out there!This year has been one of the hardest years for me, so I want to give an ...
01/01/2025

Happy New Year to all the dog people out there!
This year has been one of the hardest years for me, so I want to give an extra special thank you to all of you who showed support one way or another, whether it be my regulars, my sometimers, the once in a blue moons, or even just anyone who has liked a photo here or there.
Here are some of my favourite photos from this year to celebrate. Here is to another year full of love for our furry friends, facing new challenges head on, and seeing how Smores continues to grow and learn!

Smores was out with a few more dogs this week! Lui and Louisx got a friend for their walks, and my parents’ dog Blue got...
19/12/2024

Smores was out with a few more dogs this week! Lui and Louisx got a friend for their walks, and my parents’ dog Blue got a hike in the woods with her!
She is coming such a long way, walking side by side even with other dogs around is an impressive skill for a 4 month old pup! Time to decompress!

A big winter adventure for Smores today. Between meeting other dogs and exploring the woods and fields, I’d say she has ...
14/12/2024

A big winter adventure for Smores today. Between meeting other dogs and exploring the woods and fields, I’d say she has earned her sleep!

A big day for Smores (and Alicia) coming on her first day of walks with some of my other dogs! For a trial run for the f...
06/12/2024

A big day for Smores (and Alicia) coming on her first day of walks with some of my other dogs! For a trial run for the future she knocked it out of the park with her behaviour, really settling in to being around other dogs without constantly needing to play.
All of my other pups got to show off too, really impressing me in some cases of remaining calm and focused.
Giving space and letting dogs take their time when being introduced can reduce the overwhelming nature of it all, so I was very lucky to have Alicia sacrifice her day off to get wet and cold with me!
More growing and training to be done before Smores can handle a full day of walks with all my dogs, but for now at least I get a quiet night while she sleeps!

Absolutely killer day today, as Smores went to Rescue 1 At a Time‘s Santa photo event at Rona+! She was reunited with he...
01/12/2024

Absolutely killer day today, as Smores went to Rescue 1 At a Time‘s Santa photo event at Rona+! She was reunited with her sister Blissful (also known as Poppy) who unbelievably is still up for adoption!
She made waves with all the dogs and was all around a super star. Blueberry and Abracadabra (both also adoptable) were fast friends with her as well. Be sure to check out all the adoptables on their page or website, they are all such sweet dogs who could really use a home!
To unwind, Smores went for a playdate with my parent’s dog Blue. She is loving the snow and making all the friends she can!

Smores had an exciting morning adventure at Sunnidale Park! Getting braver and braver every day
29/11/2024

Smores had an exciting morning adventure at Sunnidale Park! Getting braver and braver every day

Smores has been with us for three whole weeks already. Time really flies! She has been such a wonderful addition to our ...
17/11/2024

Smores has been with us for three whole weeks already. Time really flies! She has been such a wonderful addition to our lives, but it’s been quite a rollercoaster! Let’s check in.

The Good:
•Gotten a great start on obedience training
•Is a master of Hand Target
•Knows sit, down, roll over, spin, twirl, both paws, high five, peekaboo (between legs)
•Has started a great foundation for recall, fetch, waits and stays
•Loves going to the vet and meeting new dogs and people
•Is sleeping 8 hours through the night in her crate no problem
•Is taking on the world of walks with her 15ft lead

The Not-so-good:
•Is scared of the dark and loses a ton of confidence once the sun does down
•Fear reactive to the sound of dogs barking
•Hasn’t figured out how to say hello without her paws and teeth being involved
•Hasn’t figured out it isn’t time to play while on lead
•Still falls for Gremlin’s instigation and chases the cats around the house
•Impulse control in general is a challenge

These things are natural bumps in the road with training a puppy, and we are making progress and working every day to help her overcome these things! The challenge comes with:

The Ugly:
•A reoccurring eye infection that has lasted 2 weeks
•A UTI that has made potty training a lot more difficult
•The discomfort from all the infections making her nervous, uncomfortable, and a lot less willing to be handled without nipping
•Her vaccines being delayed due to the infections meaning a lot of exploring and social training grinds to a halt to ensure her health

When adopting a dog of any age, keep in mind the process will never go completely smooth. Training is a non-linear process because there are so many variables that can sometimes be out of your control! My motto is always progress never perfection. Being patient and breaking down training into what your dog is capable of and willing to do rather than forcing for the “perfect” will always result in a much smoother process and a better outcome in the end!
Smores and I are going to keep plucking away while we wait for her immune system to catch up to us!

Smores is unstoppable
13/11/2024

Smores is unstoppable

Smores’ first big adventure done and dusted!Long leads are a must for exploring trails. Your pup will have all the room ...
09/11/2024

Smores’ first big adventure done and dusted!
Long leads are a must for exploring trails. Your pup will have all the room to zoom and explore without pulling, and you can still have all of the security you need.
Smores loved exploring the trail, but she is still so young she ran out of steam fast! Thankfully we timed it well and we didn’t have to carry her to the car. Getting in the house afterwards is a different story though.

Got to see my girls Myszka and Znayda after over a month of them being away!
05/11/2024

Got to see my girls Myszka and Znayda after over a month of them being away!

Another visit to the vet today, this time to meet the vet and get a quick check up. Already almost 17lbs at just under 1...
30/10/2024

Another visit to the vet today, this time to meet the vet and get a quick check up. Already almost 17lbs at just under 10 weeks, she will definitely be big! We are very lucky to live within a short walking distance of our vet, so we can bring her in super frequently for desensitizing happy visits.
You should always be sure to bring your dog to places like the vet for more than just their appointments. The main culprit of dogs not liking the vet is only going when they have to have something unpleasant done. Weekly happy visits go a long way to make both your dog’s and your vet’s lives easier! And a fun bonus is that it can help decrease your future vet bills, as you shouldn’t need to worry about paying to sedate your dog for things they should be able to handle without fear.

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