Wise Mind Canine

05/12/2024

This has been my life recently, just soaking up all the happy days with Zeke. Time really is precious.

That being said, he is in more of a stable holding pattern right now so I have been diving back into the Thriving Multi Dog Households public group and online group course projects. It is my hope to have those ready sometime in January. Been plugging away at that project over the past 2 weeks.

Private training program slots are currently open and available with December and January start dates. If you want to start the new year with a new start for your multi dog household, just reach out!

ID: There are 2 images. The first has medium sized black dog (Zeke) with a grey muzzle nestled between Katie's legs on the chaise of a couch. He is wearing a green coat to stay warm and looking at Katie with soft eyes. The second image shows Fish, a German Shepherd cuddling with Zeke, still in a green coat on the floor. Fisher's head is resting on Zeke's shoulder.

30/10/2024

Things have been quiet here on the public business front, for good reason.

I've been soaking up time with Zeke who is nearing 14 years old. We've shifted to comfort care and are enjoying whatever time we have with him. At this point we don't have any idea how long that will be. We just know he's stable right now, comfortable, and happy after fighting like hell to achieve that.

We are filling his days with things he loves. Sunbeam naps. Stroller rides. Snuggles on the couch. Visits with his favorite people. Forest preserve time with the help of a stroller and my partner carrying him to places like where this picture was taken. A whole bucketlist of things.

I'm trying to find the energy to be more active and consistent on social media and push the Thriving Multi Dog Households project forward. Both the free public group (join above) and the online group course. But I also know that this time with Zeke will not come again. I thank you all for your patience as you wait to actually be let into the free group and get word on course availability. It's coming. Just slower than I wanted it too.

Though social media has gone quiet my private training programs are still alive and well with spots available. Including 2 partial scholarship spots for disabled clients. That's where my business energy has been going and I'm so proud of the work my clients are doing there. You can message me here about those services.

If you made it this far. I want to know something! What was your favorite thing you did when saying goodbye to your senior dog? Mine so far was this forest preserve trip where we got Zeke deep into the woods and saw him light up with joy, wag his tail, and move faster than we thought was possible.

10/10/2024

HEY FOLKS! I thought this would be fun. Have a question about dogs, dog training, Wise Mind Canine, my dogs, me? Ask below.

ID: Katie smiles with squinty eyes. She's wearing glasses, a leather jacket, flannel shirt while sporting an undercut. Text on the image invites you to ask her anything. The Wise Mind Canine logo is on the image.

05/10/2024

I haven't had time to update pricing on my private training programs. 😅

Guess that means you all get a deal in the meantime. On me. Specialties include:

✅Multi Dog Households from simple to snarly. Aggression cases highly welcome. Bring me your beautifully complicated webs of behavior and relationships, you'll make my day.

✅Behavioral kitchen sink dogs. If your case made other dog trainers scratch their heads or run for the hills it's probably my cup of tea. I'm weird like that.

✅Disabled clients with dog training needs. Want a neurodivergent, physically disabled, trauma survivor dog trainer with mental health focused approaches to dog training? That's me!! Hi!

Don't fit in those categories? No worries. I take you too as time permits and I've got a light roster right now. I like cooperative care, dogs with big feelings, muzzle training and more.

Message me, email me, book a free assessment on the website. I want to meet you!

ID: Wise Mind Canine and Katie Sipple IAABC-ADT are now accepting 3 slots for private training with October start dates. Contact me via private message or the contact page on the website.

04/10/2024

👍 Should I get another dog?

❤️ BEGINNER enrichment exercises.

😂 Supporting senior dogs in multi dog households.

😲 FOMO or something else?

Got something else you'd like me to tackle? Let me know in the comments.

ID: A German Shepherd with one ear up and one flopped looks up at the words "Choose my next graphic series. Vote by 10/7/24 5pm central" and the Wise Mind Canine logo.

02/10/2024

Parallel walks in a neutral location have been widely recommended as THE way to introduce dogs. What are they? When is a parallel walk a good idea? What happens if you, your dogs, or the locations available to you make that complicated? Find out.

01/10/2024

If you guessed an online course was coming, you were quite right and I will draw a winner on that closer to the course opening.

Thriving Multi Dog Households is a new group online course with live group meetings, extensive course content, and a student community for direct feedback. The first run will have limited spaces but will likely move to rolling enrollment in the future.

If you wish owning multiple dogs had come with a manual...well now it does! From before you add another dog, to proper introductions, to all of the multi dog mayhem that comes after. This course has expanded to include topics relevant to any multi dog household at any stage, whether you've all been together for years or are just beginning.

You can get on the waitlist and get a nice price reduction surprise if you check the comments.

But bonus? I'm also opening a free community for people who want to share and learn about thriving with multiple dogs. The Thriving Multi Dog Households public community is something you can join today and I'll admit you as soon as the group is ready. I thought this would be a great way to connect and grow together. Plus if I'm making all this free content, I'd better make it easier to find and sort through huh?

ID: Image shows a cartoon space shuttle taking off next to the words "Thriving Multi Dog Households Class and Free Community Launching Soon!!". The Wise Mind Canine logo is one the image.

18/09/2024

It's new. It's shiny. It's transformative. Plus it's going to be a ton of fun.

If you correctly guess what it is in the comments I'll put you in a drawing for said shiny thing.

Reveal October 1st. Until then, you'll just have to stick around in suspense.

ID: A bright striped background with the words "Something BIG is coming." The Wise Mind Canine logo is on the image.

10/09/2024

My client and I got to talking tonight about how tough behavioral struggles with dogs can get and how sometimes we have to prioritize ourselves for as long as it takes to feel OK again. I thought I'd share with you what I shared with her.

My dog Zeke has been hell to live with over the past 30 days. Going through a saga of severe pain coupled with canine cognitive dysfunction (think dog dementia), and a ridiculous number of medication changes and tapers is no joke.

I am a professional dog trainer. I deal with tough behavior for a living. But let me tell you, this 13.5 year old dog that I dearly love, barking for hours on end most nights has had me at a breaking point. Despite an epic amount of troubleshooting on every avenue available to us, enrichment, his medical team, environmental changes, medications and supplements, even training, the behavior KEPT GOING.

We've finally landed on a solution here. But I want you to know that there were nights where I had to give myself permission to take care of me. There were nights where I had to walk away. Where the noise cancelling headphones went on at full blast. Where I walked out of the house and stood in the backyard to breathe. Where I just stopped attending to it and did chores or worked because life still had to go on.

I want you to know that you can do this for yourself too. It's OK. It doesn't make you a terrible dog parent or guardian. Sometimes you have to take care of you before you can show up for your dog and there should be no shame or guilt in that. The dog trainer gave you permission. Many of you are running a marathon and not a sprint when it comes to helping your dogs and you DESERVE to have your needs matter within that.

So I want to know, what's one way you're going to take care of yourself this week or one way you've found to help cope while pursuing behavior solutions for your dog?

ID: A lab head tilts at the words "Do You Know?" with a dog training mental health tip below. That reads: "It’s important to prioritize your own mental health when it comes to living with scary, challenging or exhausting behavior from your dogs? I promise you, the dogs will be better for it if you take some time for you. The dog trainer gave you permission! What’s one thing you can do for you this week?"

04/09/2024

Proper veterinary care is critical for all dogs, but even more so in multi dog households where pain and discomfort can drive negative interactions and even aggression between dogs in the home. I've yet to experience a case of intrahousehold dog aggression where health wasn't a factor.

When your dog is also difficult to treat at the vet's office you can feel like you're stuck between a rock and a hard place. I know, I've been there too.

Basket muzzle training is an excellent step in a larger plan to keep you, your dog, and your veterinary staff safe. Because no veterinary professional deserves to feel unsafe at work. When we muzzle train our dogs who are fearful or willing to threaten or bite staff it both tells our vet team that we care for them and helps chart a path forward for our dogs.

Do you need professional help with muzzle training and other strategies for better veterinary care? I'm ready to get started if you are. Just send me a message.

Experience the relief that comes from not having to worry about your dog biting your vet team. No more holding onto that leash, collar or harness for dear life knowing that it's the only barrier between your dog and a bite. No more panic when a major health issue means you can't avoid the vet anymore. No more fearful staff. Just a better treatment experience for all.

Later this year I'll start sharing my personal experiences with pain's influence on my multi dog household and the path I had to undertake to support my dog who's a threat at the vet and during home care while in pain. I just needed to wait until the process was more complete before having the energy to use it as a teaching tool.

30/08/2024

Question time. I'll start:

I wish I knew (ages ago now) that you could be intentional about helping your dogs build strong and trusting relationships with each other.

Also that baby gates are key to keeping your sanity over the first few months when introducing a puppy and an adult dog.

I know, I know. That was two things. Couldn't help it. Your turn!!

ID: Two dogs look, one with question marks near its head look up at the words "What's one thing you wish you knew before becoming a multi dog household?" The Wise Mind Canine logo is on the image.

29/08/2024

I want to try an experiment. Would you like to come along for the ride? Only 2 spots available. Start dates in October.

Currently my private training program students get a behavior evaluation and 60 minute lesson in month one, then one live lesson per month thereafter. Some don't use that at all focusing on their wraparound support and homework review between sessions. Others wish they could see me more frequently or even in smaller chunks of time.

So what would happen if I just gave you the complete freedom to learn and get the support you want in the way YOU need? What if there were no lesson limits at all?

Here's the experiment:

Month 1:

✅ 90 Minute Behavior Evaluation and Custom Training Plan
✅ Unlimited lessons in increments of 15, 30, 45, or 60 minutes within your subscription time period. As long as there's open room in the schedule (which there should be within my client limits)
✅ Detailed homework and video review
✅ Access to your instructor outside of lessons via Google Drive or WhatsApp, your choice.
✅ Scheduled group office hours twice a month

Months 2+

Everything but the behavior evaluation, continued another 30 days.

No more one size fits all. Just the help you need. The way you need it. When you need it. So that you and your dogs can make progress toward your goals.

This experiment is for you if:
💚 You're ready to put some concentrated work into creating change for you and your dog.
💚 Live lessons help you learn faster.
💚 You learn by seeing or doing.
💚 You need a compassionate, kind, cheerleading dog trainer in your pocket to help you meet your goals.

Topics we could work on together:

✅Multi Dog Households- Including aggression cases.
✅Disabled Dog Owner Adaptations
✅Fear/Anxiety/Impulsivity
✅Muzzle Training
✅Cooperative Care
✅Puppies
✅Confidence Building
✅Leash Walking
✅Safety and Management Plans
✅Basic Skills
More...while I have specialties that I love (see first two), I also have a ton of knowledge and solutions to offer you outside those areas.

This WILL be more expensive than my current rates which can be found on my site and yet, I think you'll need less time in my programs.

Interested? Send me a message.

29/08/2024

Gypsi has started learning that her new muzzle from Big Snoof Dog Gear is a predictor of great things!

Before the video started, her person placed the muzzle on the ground, then added her current favorite treat all around. The muzzle predicts food, not the other way around. Gypsi can be afraid of novel objects so doing something like pushing her muzzle to get to treats is a really big deal. Go team!!

Do you have questions about muzzle training? Ask me in the comments.

VD: A Great Dane gently cleans up treats scattered around a large wire muzzle on the ground. Sometimes she bumps the muzzle to get to the food.

28/08/2024

Do you have pet health insurance on your dogs?

The reason I'm asking you is because this past month with Zeke would have been a financial disaster without it. Through this whole ordeal the one thing we haven't had to worry about is how to pay for his care. It has given us and our vet team the freedom to act in his best interests at every moment.

We initially got pet insurance when Fisher came into the picture, realizing that with 3 dogs, we needed to control veterinary costs or a costly emergency could force us into horrible decision making territory. So all of the dogs went on Pets Best about 5 years ago.

If you've never considered pet insurance, I highly encourage it. Budgets can be tough. It was a hard choice for us when we started but we are so glad now that we made it work. There are so many companies out there with different price points and levels of coverage. You might be surprised at the rates you find. I know we were extremely relieved when we found a company that would insure our older dogs at a reasonable rate.

My personal experience is with Pets Best. I'm not sponsored to talk about them. Nor is this an ad.
But that company has done right by me and my dogs and I am incredibly thankful for their coverage on my whole crew. The one drawback with them can be slow claim turnarounds (over 30 days) but that can be solved with Care Credit for really major expenses like Zeke's hospital stay.

Some other common companies to explore:
Trupanion
ASPCA
MetLife
AKC Pet Insurance
Pumpkin
Embrace
Spot
Lemonade

This cute standing(!!!) Zeke waiting for his watermelon brought to you by pet insurance. He's on a better trajectory right now and I am so thankful for good days like today.

ID: 2 dogs, one a German Shepherd and the other a medium sized black mixed breed dog sit and stand in front of a chair where their human is sitting with a bowl of watermelon. They look expectant with loose, happy faces.

24/08/2024

Zeke is home and has been needing 24/7 care. While we don't know where this is ultimately headed, we are so happy to have this extra time with him. It has been emotional and exhausting to say the least. We are around 48 hours from our first post hospital goal which is reaching his follow up appointment with his primary veterinarian. Thank you for your patience as we try to navigate the best possible decisions for Zeke. Appointments are currently proceeding as scheduled. My family and I appreciate all of the well wishes for our old man dog.

ID: A black dog with grey around his eyes and muzzle is smashed between Katie and the back of a couch, asleep. Katie's hand rests next to him and he is ticked beneath a blanket.

16/08/2024

Off screen I've been navigating some health challenges with my 13.5 year old dog Zeke. Right now, he's in the hospital with an unknown outcome.

Thus, you can expect delays in response times as my family works through uncertainty and making the best choices possible for our boy.

I will communicate further should things change to a need for a temporary closure.

Love your senior dogs for me. You never know how much time you have.

ID: A medium black dog is nestled into and peeking out from tall grass. Text reads "Expect delayed responses. This fine fellow is in the hospital. Wise Mind Canine.

28/07/2024

A big and heartfelt thank you to Control The Meerkat for giving me this opportunity. Soon I'll have a free eBook on Trauma Informed Care for Dog Trainers as a thank you for attending. Keep an eye out on this page for details. Remember, if you have questions about my presentation feel free to use my email given on the last slide, message me here on Facebook, or use the contact form on my website. I'd love to hear from you despite not being able to participate in the live Q&A.

Next up! We have the wonderful Sipple Wise Mind Canine talking to us about a trauma informed approach for multi dog households! Really excited for this 🥰