Paw And Order

09/09/2025

Still a few spaces in this weekend's 2 hour workshops :)

29/08/2025

The group class schedule is out next, but September is BUSY and sometimes it's nice to just dig in and focus on that one skill (or 2 or 3) that you and your pup really need.
🐕
Spaces are limited, email to reserve yours!

11/07/2025

It's patio season! This class is back by popular demand, so reserve your spot at the table at by message or email as spaces are limited.

Pick any 3 dates in advance (consecutive or not) and a bevy and appy (or 2 of one or the other) will be included for each class!

04/07/2025

Highly recommend this particular sniffspot!

One of our incredible staff members, Tammy, has created a new SniffSpot! Cielo Del Perro translates to "Dog Heaven" 🐶❤

SniffSpot is a platform that helps you find private spots to take your pup. Fully fenced, spatious, and private - which is great for a new spot to take your dogs, or for pups that might be a little more reactive or timid around other dogs.

Booking is easy! Find more information on the link below. You can also learn more about how SniffSpot works!

https://www.sniffspot.com/listings/central-kootenay-bc/cielo-del-perro-366599?disable_sms_preview=true&utm_campaign=960821&utm_medium=mobile_native&utm_source=spot_detail_share&fbclid=IwY2xjawLSX15leHRuA2FlbQIxMABicmlkETFNT0dzcDZCckpzT0ZWWXhZAR54EktkOoJC4VdwPHxB99VeqGkUBeCPQlPUVc1FAgehEeE-9c8BV95XTgGpNw_aem_AdTYWbusESCwpEpAjSzVHg

23/06/2025

🌾 Spear Grass Season: A Note from Your West Kootenay Animal Hospital Team 🌾

At first glance, Spear Grass (Foxtail) might seem like just another pretty part of summer — but for our furry friends, it can turn into a serious problem very quickly. We’re already seeing it show up in the clinic, and we want to help keep your pets safe!

Once those sharp, barbed seeds attach to your pet’s fur, they can easily work their way into:

🔎 Paws (especially between the toes)
🔎 Ears
🔎 Nose and eyes
🔎 Skin folds or under thick fur

If not caught early, Spear Grass can cause painful infections, abscesses, or even require surgical removal.

✅ Our best advice:
• Try to avoid areas with tall, dry grasses
• Give your pet a quick check after walks — don’t forget between toes, inside ears, and under armpits
• Keep an eye out for any limping, licking, head shaking, sneezing, or swelling

👉 If you’re ever unsure, please don’t hesitate to call us. The whole team at West Kootenay Animal Hospital is here to help keep your pets happy, healthy, and enjoying summer safely! 🐾❤️

05/06/2025

A couple of spaces have opened up in group classes starting next week - if you've been considering it, now is the time!

16/04/2025

Hope the husky mix gives the impression that she can pick up satellite signals with those epic ears, but somehow they don't slow her down in the slightest - this gal covers a lot of ground! Luckily for her, she was adopted by trail runners 👌
Hope likes other dogs, but she doesn't like awkwardly long or rapid-fire dog greetings - and these are sometimes unavoidable on our local trails. To prepare her for these situations, she and her human came into Well Rounded Hound class to build up her manners and controlled hellos, stacking the deck in her favour when faced with the uncontrolled introductions of the general dog public. Hope passed with flying colours!

From there, her people wanted to get her into group dog walks for extra social opportunities, but were a bit nervous about just throwing her into a party bus situation - which is where I came in again. We built and tested all the skills needed - recall, staying with the group, riding in cars rubbing shoulders with excited strangers-to-become-friends, and navigating different personalities and play styles. We started with one canine companion and added dogs to the group as she learned the ropes, and now we can all confidently say she's ready to join a hiking squad 👏

Want your dog to go on offleash group hikes, but not sure they have the skills? Contact me, and we can customize a program to make sure everyone is safe, confident, and appropriately skilled so that your future dog walker always gives your pup a gold star 🤩

#

10/04/2025

It has been an extra cute year for puppies so far ☺️
Frank, Luna, Coco, Scuppers, Stewie, Moose, and Jack have all joined the Polite Puppy squad to learn about social skills with dogs and people, basic manners, and confidence and tolerance for the weird things that the human world will throw at them. Their dedicated humans are doing a great job with all these lovable pups 😍

My next puppy class will be in June and spaces are limited, so reach out early if you're adding a furry family member this spring! If you have a pup RIGHT NOW? Message me, and we can discuss private lessons or I can recommend a local, qualified professional 👏

#

15/03/2025

Puppy class starts in 1 week and there are 2 spots left, email or message to lock in yours!

28/02/2025

Bosley 💛

I love mastiff breeds and have a particular soft spot for a Dogue de Bordeaux, and 4-year-old Bosley brings the slobbery sweetness like it's his full-time job. He also brings 140lbs of unbridled enthusiasm into every interaction he has, which can be a LOT for the recipients of his attentions as well as for his #1 fan holding the leash with all of her strength.

Like SO MANY friendly and exuberant dogs, Bosley's straight-to-the-afterparty greeting style worries strangers and embarrasses his owner. This naturally leads to a decrease in his social opportunities - which, of course, results in an increase of frustration, which then makes him look even more unhinged. It's a common cycle that requires handling skills, controlled setups, and patience for us to find the off-ramp into a better pattern.

Bosley started training with a recall workshop in the fall, and then we added some new communication aspects to his leash walking. We can't ask Bos to be polite under duress until he can do it in the first place - then he can learn that playing it cool will actually result in MORE fun and friends, which is exactly what he's trying to access.

This big dog has an even bigger heart and he so desperately wants to please, so if you see Bosley and his boss lady walking around Castlegar be sure to give her a quiet thumbs up because they are fabulous and they're working hard!