Highfives for K9s

28/01/2024

I'm proud of Michael, but...

Achieving this level of communication with your dog should be the bare minimum.

Being responsible when giving your dog freedom should be the bare minimum.

Training your dog to know that your word isn't optional should be the bare minimum.

Using tools properly and being open to exploring what you don't know should be the bare minimum.

Giving yourself and your dog the privilege of reaching a deeper bond through exercise, discipline, and finally affection should be the bare minimum.

These days, we are so impressed by the bare minimum because it's so uncommon to see anything more, especially among pet dogs.
But we owe it to our dogs to raise the bar.

When training with Highfives, I always aim to do just that.

29/11/2023

🤍🤍🤍

Rest in Peace Lily - you mattered in so many ways.
***
Most of our followers have seen our incredible trainer Jenna working with our pups when they need some additional support. Jenna is able to sense what a dog needs whether it's time to decompress, more activity, boundaries, or some time with friends, and we are forever grateful for Jenna. Yesterday we learned that Jenna's best friend, loyal companion and co-dog trainer passed away suddenly. Every single DIBS dog that passed through Jenna's program, was gifted with the additional training that Lily provided to them. Like her human, Lily sensed what a dog needed and was there to support and guide them. Jenna's gift of training is rare, and the blessing of having Lily completely in sync with her helped to shift and better the lives of many dogs. When we get updates from Jenna, we always wanted to understand Lily's assessment too.
While Jenna is always surrounded by dogs and they each share a bond, what Jenna and Lily experienced was beautiful. Jenna describes her as her best friend, which sums up their relationship. Whether camping, riding shotgun in the jeep, training or hanging at home, Lily always got the #1 spot next to Jenna.
Their relationship reminds us to share the love every single day. Let our own dogs know that they are loved and that they are family.
Now, we can't help but picture Lily over the rainbow bridge, offering a helping paw to all. Rest in peace girl. Know that you made a difference.

13/11/2023

Great post on what to consider before adding a dog to your family. Commitment is not optional, it's necessary.

It's a weird time right now for pets....daily we see emails and posts that start with "this is the hardest thing that I've ever had to do" or "with a heavy heart, I need to rehome my beloved pet".
It's sad, it's heart wrenching, it often doesn't end well....and 90% of the time, it's avoidable.
*****
If you are looking for a pet, here are some things to consider:
1. Analyze yourself. Why do you want a dog? What does your day look like? How many hours are you home vs away? Will a dog change your lifestyle in a negative way. Often people want a cute dog or someone to have fun with, forgetting the early mornings or schedule commitments.
2. Do you have time? Often surrender posts include a line similar to "I don't have time to give her what she needs". It's an honest and fair assessment, and dogs do have needs. If you plan to have kids, or are at a career inroads, take it into consideration. "Will this pet be cool with future changes in my life"
3. Screening is good!!! A responsible rescue org wants to get it right and want to ensure they make the right match for both the applicant and the dog. An active senior could apply for an incredibly active pup, and it may not be the right match. However the rescue may have another match in mind, better suited to both the animal and the applicant. If your rescue org, or breeder, or rehoming family are not screening in some capacity - run. Their goal is to move the dog, regardless of the match (leading to a huge number of rehoming situations)
4. Money. Pets cost money. It's more than buying a bag of food monthly, and the vet once a year. You will need to invest in supplies, and training and additional vetting. You will want to buy the cute stuff like jackets and toys. If your work schedule is active, you will want a dog walker for mid-day p*e breaks.
5. What breed? Yes, of course "rescue is my favourite breed", but we'd be remiss to not acknowledge that there are traits that appeal to different people. A smart dog will keep you on your toes. A protective dog will require lots of training to focus their instinct. A working dog will need lots of exercise. (Just yesterday, we heard of a family that rehomed a good german shepherd as he was extra, and they replaced with a dog where their breed is known for intensity...where will that dog be in 6 months?)
6. Spay and neuter. Please. Begging. The world can't handle more "accidental litters". Yes, it costs money....but that is a predictable expense.
7. Training: hands down, the best investment that you can make for your dog. For those not in the know, training is more than "sit" or "heel" - training is a communication tool for both human and dog to get on the same page. It reduces anxiety (for all), it helps with boundaries and expectations. Of course, there are good and bad trainers, so always ask for referrals from family, friends and rescue orgs. If your spidey sense is not feeling a specific trainer, move on. (Believe it or not, people medicate their dogs when they don't want to train or teach). It is never too soon to start training. And, if you haven't started yet...it's never to late either!
8. Commitment...yes, this ties back to "do you have the time" but a pet is a long term member of your family. A loyal pet will live with you through breakups, job changes, happy times, sad times, moving, kids. Are you the person that can return that loyalty and keep your pet with you through breakups, job changes, happy times, sad times, moving or kids? Having a pet may impact the job you take, the car you buy, where you move, or even your future mate. You cool with that?
****
All of this is a lot to ponder. It is our belief that most applicants can get a pet, provided they are flexible or have done their research. Honestly, having a pet is not rocket science: you just need a good heart and a bit of tenacity.
****
If you are pondering giving up your pet, start with training. If it's inevitable and you have bought a dog that doesn't match with you, seek help from rescue orgs. Do know, we are at capacity and exhausted, so we can't offer a quick fix, but we can offer support. Ensure they are fixed and up to date on vetting.
If you are pondering getting a pet, take it seriously. When done right, it will be one of the best decisions of your life.

25/10/2022

Current foster pup in training PYPER who is up for adoption!! And a good read from DIBS Rescue

Meet Pyper - recently returned after 5 years with a family. And sadly, through zero fault of her own. Literally zero.
Her family loved her: we do not doubt that. But lack of communication brought her to where she is today.
Jumping around a bit, let us share a story from yesterday. DIBS volunteers and two dogs were at an event. A dad brought in his daughter to "see if they have any animals". The 3 year old barged ahead of her dad, right towards the dogs. One dog started shaking and one dog barked. Both were caught very off guard by the motions of this wee torpedo coming at them. We grabbed the dogs away from her, sheilding the dogs while she continued to reach out her hands. We asked the dad to grab her and he did nothing. Then she went to reach for the cat. The cat had just arrived in the store and was decompressing and inconsistent with people (fairly so). We again said to the dad "the cat doesn't like people, please grab her". He said "she just wants to see the animals". By this time she was searching through our personal DIBS items, pulling things out of our event box. Our volunteer said "Seriously, you need to take her" (the dogs were still cowering) and it wasn't until this fourth request to him, that he stepped in to parent her. Thankfully, there were 5 people advocating for the dogs and the cats, creating physical barriers between them and this uninformed child. We know there is a lovely curiousity with parents and pets and we typically see the parents and children coming in together, standing off to the side, discussing, asking permission, asking for guidance, taking their time, reading the cues from the animals. We will take all the time in these situations and we will explain what we see in the dog. We will watch the dogs forehead, ears, body language, tail, interest level, etc and we will explain to the family what to do and what the dog is telling us with their actions.
Now, back to Pyper. We don't know what happened, but we do know there was an incident with a young family member and there was nobody there to advocate for Pyper or to read the situation. Pyper did "bite" the child - bruising only, no broken skin. We know that if a dog wants to bite, they will fully bite, so we can't help but wonder if her bite wasn't more of a warning. Were there other warnings before this? Likely? But, we can't expect a child to know all the things to look for. Did Pyper try to walk away, did she lick her lips, did she growl, did she flinch, did she try everything she possibly could before she bit? We can assume so, as most dogs give a ton of warning signals (subtle or not) before they act.
For people, no means no. Sometimes that is respected, sometimes not. For dogs, no means no, but without the ability to verbalize we need to watch for their communication and what they are telling us, pleading with us to do.
We now have Pyper, a lovely girl, now 7 years old, looking for her forever family. We need to tell all of her applicants that she has bit in the past and she is now labelled. The bite didn't break skin, it wasn't reported, it was more of a cry for help than an act of anger. But...Pyper. Lumped in with all other dogs that have bitten for whatever reason. Sad stuff. But, meet Pyper. Available for adoption.

01/09/2022

Just a few of our favourite things to do 💕

03/08/2022

Tuesday means one thing... its halfway til Bite Club 👀☠️




Audio - Madness Paranoia by Kevin MacLeod
Source: http://incompetech.com/music/royalty-free/index.html?isrc=USUAN1100296

03/08/2022

A dog and his frog 🐶🐸

03/08/2022

Hey there! I think its time for an introduction... My name is Jenna and I'm the trainer at Highfives For K9s Training!
I have been working with dogs since 2005, which is two years after I brought my first puppy home and began to learn the ropes of dog ownership through his behaviors and needs. While he trained me to be a better human, I started walking dogs as my first job. The dogs I walked were not always easy. Actually, they often were dogs who couldn't walk with the typical 'dog park walkers' or attend daycares because they had issues with other dogs or people. Slowly I integrated them into a group and the Highfives Pack was born!

Leading a pack of dogs is a special type of experience... therapeutic but brutally honest. The Pack doesn't lie about energy and handling skills! Either you level up in both confidence and humility, or the dogs (and neighborhood) will devour you. The common denominator between all the dogs was me so it left me no room for excuses.
Pack walking was necessary for my development but I soon realized that I love working with people as much as I love working with their dogs. And let's be honest... it's really human training at the end of the day. So I progressed towards becoming a full time trainer while my co-leader took over the Pack walks.

As well as learning directly from the dogs themselves, I had the privilege of meeting a few top trainers in the industry including and building a solid group of like-minded, K9 loving friends! Another great connection has been the awesome team who I love so much ❤️
For all of this, I give thanks to God who provides the right people at the right time. Trusting instinct and having faith is something we often don't give enough focus to but it has played a huge part in my work.
And I can never thank dogs enough for the lessons they provide us. Not to mention the fact they help each other out better than anyone. Our dream team of Ghost, Ahmic, & Lily is the real deal!

A few cool Jenn facts: Coffee is my ⛽️
I almost exclusively wear + skirts
Recently I have been branching out to teach Lily some personal protection skills. Learning never ends!

24/07/2022

Our Pack is down by two... Charlie & Pedro the Havanese boys are moving on to new adventures elsewhere in Canada! We will miss the mini but mighty presence of these two raggamuffins! Thank you to their family for all the support and hard work they put into training ❤️ we will miss you!

24/07/2022

Hot days calls for training near water 🌊

24/07/2022

Mya the GSD is joined by family member Tilley the 1yr old Bernese/Retriever mix for two weeks of Board & Train! Mya is a long time pack member but it is Tilley's first experience training directly with us. She has some bad manners we will be brushing up on as well as practicing appropriate behaviour in leash and eliminating resource guarding. Mya will be leveling up on her training while also coming along for the ride! As always, the standard must be kept at a high level because dogs will conform to what is and isn't allowed in their everyday lifestyle.

21/07/2022

Benny the Golden pup is making so many new friends, the most recent social session being with Ahmic our helper boy! It's also amazing to see Benny start to self-regulate as he chose to take breaks and chill in between play. Little superstar!

21/07/2022

Remote collar training is our speciality and these three pups are ready to get started!
⭐
Sage the 9 month old GSP started sessions with us when she was a puppy. The goal has been to build a solid foundation which we can layer the remote collar communication over top of. She did amazing during her first remote session, working at a level 5 and responded well to the vibration as correction.
⭐
Tilly the 9 month old Vizsla arrived for an entry session but since she was already pretty advanced with her training, we decided to introduce the remote collar right away! Tilly worked at a level 6. She also responded well to vibration as a way to deter her from picking up junk on the sidewalk.
⭐
Otis the 9 month old poodle mix needed some tweaking of manners and pressure responses which is easily done during our initial entry lesson. Now he's on the road to adding the remote collar next session!
⭐
The remote collars we use are supplied by and we condition the tool properly at low levels through biweekly sessions. The result is a dog who understands the language and is able to be reliable in at home, in new environments, and offleash. Best way to train 💯

21/07/2022

Welcome to the Highfives pack, Huey! This 3 month old Retriever/Bernese Mountain puppy is off to a great start! His parents already put in some solid work to get him into a better mindset before we met. Training starts on Day One as new puppies are immediately taking in information to figure out the rules and expectations. Clarity of communication is key! Huey is going to be set up for success with the dedication his parents are giving his training and wellbeing 💙

19/07/2022

Feeling stranded when it comes to your dog's behaviour? The first step is to bring more awareness to why your dog behaves the way he does... The top reasons that cause imbalances are:

- too much affection (which is the main cause of aggressive tendencies and plays a part in every other point below)

- lack of structure in his lifestyle (no expectations, too much free roaming, no routine or even a too concentrated routine, no limitations)

- lack of fulfillment as a dog (not enough exercise, no outlet for genetic tendencies and energy, misunderstanding the breed, no purpose in life)

- a negative energy from the human (fear, frustration, anxiety, insecurity, stress, anger, too passive, lower energy level than the dog)

- the wrong tools (harness, flat collar, retractable leash, no crate use, shaming tools that can actually help more humanely than what is currently being used)

Many of these causes are able to be addressed through a revamped lifestyle, mindset switch, and proper training. However, there are cases where the handler will do everything they can to provide the structure their dog needs and the dog will still struggle. This can be because of bad genetics, deeply wired habits, and even physical ailments.
But one thing is certain... If your dog is misbehaving and you don't do anything to change the input, the output will definitely remain the same.

15/07/2022

I'm going to use this post to make mention that if you don't like a trainer's methods, you can always find another trainer who aligns with your views. It's very important that you're on the same page as your trainer to achieve optimal results.
There has been no shortage of dogs in need of behavioural rehab lately and training availability can be hard to find. But no matter who you go with, getting a trainer will not magically fix your problems, even moreso if you're not on board with what your trainer is teaching.
Not every case qualifies for my type of training and being honest about that allows me to find the right clientele who are ready to get to work and make changes for the better!

15/07/2022

Glow up 🔥🖤🔥

15/07/2022

A few of our current stars 🌟
Charlie the 1yr old Labradoodle had a second session to add a training collar to his routine. He did amazing, from showing his reactive side to chilling out while his parents handled his leash. All realistic practice because we work in the real world!
Hogan the 1.5yr Setter completed a couple refresher sessions with us and we can't wait to meet up with him again for some trail adventures!
I can't wait to continue working with Petey the 1.5yr old meximutt back in his own environment next time. He is doing well with his remote collar practice and loves the recall game 👏🏻

15/07/2022

Puppy party for Benny to make new friends and get in some solid socialization! Ghost became teacher for the session and gave Benny an A+ for confidence 👏🏻 The play dynamic was perfect as Ghost let Benny win while also maintaining a sense of authority and respect as the bigger adult. This is what tempers the confidence factor in puppies!

Hogan the 1.5yr old English Setter attended a pack experience session to work on his social skills!

We no longer offer pack walking as a service but our existing pack allows us to help our boarding and private students with socialization and practice under distraction 🖤

15/07/2022

Arya the Czechoslovakian Wolfdog is four years old now and visited recently for a short stint of boarding. Amazing to see how far she has come since her puppy days 👏🏻

15/07/2022

Class in session 🐾

15/07/2022

Eyes on the prize 👀

15/07/2022

Brains and brawn 💯

22/06/2022

It's summertime baby 😎

22/06/2022

The last time we saw Poppy the meximutt from DIBS Rescue was about 5 years ago. She has returned to us for training, but this time as a foster looking for a new home. Her default mode is fight or flight, even though she's been living the domestic life for years. She will spend some time in the Pack in order to decompress and build some confidence while waiting for the right match to come along!