Tag: dogs

Get involved with your dog!

by suzannekjoy, posted in Wags

If you can imagine I’m out all day walking dogs in all weather so often when I get home if I don’t hurry up and get myself right back out to walk and exercise my own dogs there are some days it just doesn’t happen, especially in the winter.  Once I’m indoors, the layers are off and I start the ‘thaw out’ it is SO hard to go back out into the elements!  Don’t worry, my dogs are certainly not neglected in any sense!  I will do indoor activities and training with them, however, this past winter I decided to try to embrace the fun of winter with my dogs.

I heard of this seven stage virtual race called Iron Paws and having recently tried some ‘mushing’ sports with my dogs I thought I’d try it.  This stage race is virtual so you do it on your own or with a friend, if you have someone local, and log your miles online.  There are also extra ways to earn some bonus points.  You are put on a team based on your location.  I was lucky enough to be relatively close to some other team members so we could meet up and get our “social” points.  There are different classes you can enter:  sled dog (self explanatory), skijor (dog pulls you on skis), bikejor(dog pulls you on a bike), competitive or recreational canicross (dog pulls you on foot walking, running or snowshoeing).  I have always run canicross style with my dogs so decided to try the bikejor class to get me out more on my fat bike.  Yes, that’s right my dog(s) were pulling me on my bike through the snow.  And yes, you’re right, if you saw that crazy person in town being pulled on her bike by a dog or two….that was ME!!!

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It’s cold but we’re both happy
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Getting ready for a ride.  There is lots of help at the Regional meet ups

 

 

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Happy dog after a bike ride
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A ride early in the race, not much snow…yet

 

The point of my post is that I had an incredibly fun winter being involved in this event.  It really encouraged me to get out in the winter when I would most likely just melt into the couch and binge something on Netflix.  It helped keep my dogs’ fitness level up and possibly even improved it over the winter!  I met new friends, tried new things and the seven weeks FLEW by!  They even have a class for the ODRs (Old Dogs Rule) for older, injured or physically limited dogs.  I had two entries in that class also and just had to log a minimum of one mile per week.  There is a bye week so if you’re on vacation or sick or injured you get a week off.  It’s very simple to enter online and even the canicross recreational class can be done by anyone with any size/breed of dog!  You don’t need to have skiis or bikes or a dog sled or huskies.  There was a lady in Quebec who did this with her 3 Chihuahuas!  I WILL be doing this again next year and I hope you and your dogs will join me!

 

The unthinkable can happen to anyone

by suzannekjoy, posted in Wags

Being active on social media I often see posts and flyers about pets that go missing.  I used to wonder how on earth can you lose your pet until a few years ago one of my dogs wandered out of my yard and went on a little walkabout.  Luckily I noticed right away and found him within minutes but let me tell you it scared the poop out of me!

I had been trying to repair something in my yard and was frustrated and lost my patience and cursed pretty loud.  My dog, being the sensitive soul that he is, just wanted to get away from mad, swearing me so he wandered to the back of the yard where my fence was not secured.  I know, not good, but that’s a whole other part to this story.  Generally my dogs never want to be away from me – they always want attention, bringing me toys to throw or wanting to do something, anything with me so the part of the fence that had fallen down was never a concern.  Until my dog wanted to get away from me.  He wandered out and I’m sure just followed his nose and kept going, past the back field and along the trail.  This is a route I take often with my dogs on walks so I just followed where he knew and sure enough there he was walking along the trail, head down sniffing.  I yelled to him and he heard me, looked and came running like as if we had just been out on a walk and I was recalling him.  I realized then that THIS was how pets can get lost.  They can spook easily, they can respond out of fear or out of sensitivity like mine did, they can get distracted and chase/follow something so far that they don’t know how to get back, they can spook at loud noises – think of how many dogs go missing after a big fireworks display.

In another instance recently I had some of my dogs on a mini hike with a friend and her dog, another friend was meeting us and when he came over a hill towards us ALL the dogs flipped out and reacted barking and running at this person.  My friend’s little dog was spooked not only by the person but by the dogs’ reaction to him and he bolted – in the opposite direction!  This could have been disastrous but I quickly recognized the barking dogs would soon realize who was approaching as they all knew him well and would settle down so I focused on getting our little friend back in our direction.  Thankfully he recalled although quite hesitantly and accepted treats so we could leash him up.  Knowing that he was still a bit spooked even after meeting the new person we kept him on leash for the remainder of the hike just to be safe.

This incident just reminded me how easily and innocently our pets can react and bolt and be lost.  If this happens to you there are a few good organizations out there that can help.  The power of social media in these instances can be incredible!  There was a story recently of a dog lost at Mono Cliffs for ten days I believe and was found safely.  Your best bet would be to contact one of these search and rescue organizations for help.  If you know your dog is spooky, not confident or know what triggers their fear reactions always take caution.  For example during fireworks I will wait to take my dogs out for a bathroom break but if I absolutely have to do this during fireworks I will still leash some of them who are scared of those loud booming noises even though my yard is now fully and securely fenced.  If you know you have a breach in your containment for your pet fix it as soon as possible or just take them out on a leash.  If you know your invisible fence wire has been broken or the battery in the collar is dead, take your dog out on a leash.  If you have a visiting pet or a newly adopted pet, be cautious and take them out on a leash.

For organizations look up lost and found pets of (your area) or google search and rescue for pets (in your area).  You can also try posting in local community groups in case your pet wanders into or across someone’s yard.  Your post may not be directly related to the page but many community members will see your pet and be aware to keep an eye out for them!  Important information to take note of would be time & location your pet was last seen, direction they were headed if you saw them bolt, a recent photo would help along with any identifying details like a collar or harness colour, tags or other id.

 

 

October 1 is National Black Dog Day

by suzannekjoy, posted in Wags

The timing of National Black Dog Day and my recent trip to Peru could not have come at a better moment as the perfect subject for a new blog entry 🙂 huh you say?

Today is National Black Dog Day where in North America it is a day not only to celebrate our black-coloured (or mostly black-coloured) canines but a day to help promote their adoption in rescues and shelters.  It is well-known that black dogs (and cats) are usually overlooked at shelters by potential adopters.  Do people think black dogs are mean? Or they are just more drawn to lighter-coloured dogs? or multi-coloured dogs that might show more expression in their faces?

I don’t know the real reason but I found it very interesting in Peru, where I was just on vacation, that black dogs are the most respected and loved.  They are believed to play an important role in helping usher the spirits of those who have died to the afterlife.  There is no doubt Peru is a dog-loving country.  Dogs were EVERYWHERE!  Of course, I was in my glory trying to take photos of ALL the dogs!  I quickly noticed these were not street dogs, not starving dogs, not skittish and scared.  These dogs were smart and street-savvy.  They got out of the way of passing cars without panicking or waltzed through an open door to a restaurant or store.  Of course we tried to feed them and that’s when we realized they were not starving for food, they just wanted to be with people.  They have families and many are wearing collars, harnesses or even sweaters/t-shirts.  They wander the streets in the day and I began to notice them later in the day hanging out with their families in front of their homes or as darkness fell scratching and barking at the doors of their homes, asking to be let in for the night.  There were no fights, some played with each other, some just slept in the shade.  It was fascinating to see dogs exist so freely, without rules imposed by humans, and do so calmly and in harmony.  I witnessed amazing exchanges of play and body language between them, I really wish I had captured it on video.

Close to our last day we lined up to use a bank machine and a black dog wandered in, looked at everyone and lay down on the floor.  A local lady was singing to him “negra, negra, negra” which in Spanish means “black”.  He looked at her and wagged his tail.  He was wearing a green collar.  When the lady was done her banking she left and called him “Tino” and he jumped up and followed her along the busy street- no leash attached to that collar.  It was awesome!

Here are some of the dogs I photographed in Peru – all friendly, most in need of a grooming, at least by our standards, but lovely, happy dogs who are not starving, not street dogs and do not need to be saved.  They have loving families and homes 🙂

Professional pet sitter versus an online app-driven pet sitter

by suzannekjoy, posted in Wags

The world has changed in soooo many ways since the introduction of the internet, smart phones and apps.  You can do pretty much anything at the touch of your fingers on a smart phone with an app – book a restaurant, book a taxi/uber, book a vacation, book a pet sitter and so on.  How do you know what you’re booking though?  Well the food you eat, the taxi you ride in and the vacation you enjoy (hopefully) but how do you know who is caring for your pets?  well if they mess things up you may not know until it’s too late, if ever.  There is a growing trend of online apps such as Rover, Care and others that offer online booking of a pet sitter, offering insurance and online payments – what could be easier!?  Unfortunately many of these sites require only the most basic of background checks if any, no experience and no training or first aid/medical training requirements.  That may work out for your pet if there are no issues but even with a young, healthy pet there can be accidents or unforeseen circumstances that you cannot predict and how do you know that person with the limited background check and NO medical/first aid training will even recognize there is an issue or be equipped to deal with the problem.  Do they care enough to spend some extra time or try to get a hold of you or transport the pet to a vet if it’s something beyond their capabilities.  There may be legitimate ‘diamonds in the rough’ who are looking for their start in the pet care business who actually love and care for your pets but the majority are looking to make some extra cash or think the idea of “getting paid to play with dogs” {this is a quote from Rover’s website link ‘become a pet sitter’} is fantastic or are looking for something to do in their ‘spare time’.  What happens when their ‘spare time’ is over and they’ve gone back to work or school and you need someone?

I often see many posts on social media of people offering “pet care” in their spare time or to make some extra cash – PLEASE steer clear of these!  These people are usually not insured and have no training (owning a couple of dogs in their family does NOT qualify as behaviour training or dog knowledge!) and are ill-equipped to deal with emergencies. Please avoid searching for “cheap pet care” they are cheap for a reason!  I live by the motto you get what you pay for.  I cringe when I see an all out post on social media like “looking for someone to care for my pup this weekend – just needs to be let out in yard, fed twice a day and given a little love” WHO does that?! Polls random strangers to see who is available and wants to care for their dog?  I have high standards of who is going to be trusted with my dogs and high standards for my dogs and how they should behave for that care giver.

A professional pet sitter will provide you with references, a contract, a plan for your pet’s care, will have insurance for their business and have some medical/first aid training.  A professional pet sitter will renew and update their training and fill you in on that.  They will do a meet & greet prior to your departure and show a genuine love/interest in your pet and a respect for your expectations for their care as well as your home.  There are horrible stories about Rover pet sitters that I won’t even share with you…just do your homework – talk to your vet for recommendations, ask for references and trust your gut when you meet with someone.

All the poop-y things

by suzannekjoy, posted in Wags

There is a phenomenon that happens every winter that I don’t understand.  It never fails as the days get shorter and colder, darkness comes earlier and the snow flies for some reason people get out of the habit of picking up after their dogs.

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I don’t get it but year after year you see more dog poop on the trails and sidewalks in the colder months than you do at other times of the year.  Is it because people don’t want to take their hands out of their gloves or mittens?  They can’t see the poop because it’s dark before 7:30am and after 4:30 pm?  Or think they can’t be seen NOT picking up because it’s dark and fewer people are out and about in the winter?  Do they think magically when the snow melts the poop will melt too?  I have answers for all of these…..take your mitts off – it only takes a minute! or even leave them on…a gloved hand will still go in a pick up bag.  Carry a flashlight or use the one on your cell phone-pretty simple.  Poop does not melt with the snow so just pick it up.  Some of it will break down but it takes a long time and no one wants to have to look at it or worse, step in it!  As someone who spends a LOT of time around dogs and is diligent about picking up after them there is nothing worse than stepping in it!

Speaking of poop-y things how do you carry your pick up bags?  I find it interesting how others carry their bags.  Personally I will just stick a couple of bags or a roll of bags in my pocket.  Yes, that means you’ll likely find a pick up bag in the pocket of pretty much every coat I own and yes, I have washed many unused bags that have been left in pockets.  Some people have those cute little dispensers attached to their leashes, some people will just tie a bag or two (or five!) to the leash handle.  I don’t know why but both of those two methods drive me crazy!  I want nothing attached to my leash except the dog of course.

 

 

bag dispenser
popular bag dispenser

More poop talk…..how do you pick up in your own yard?  Do you use individual bags like you would use on a walk?  One larger bag with a smaller one over your hand or do you use a shovel or trowel?  Do you have a scooper?  Do you use a scooper service?  Do you pick up all winter long or leave it for that dreaded spring clean up?  Personally I have a bucket lined with a bag and use a scooper and I pick up all winter long because I can’t stand that big spring clean up when there is just so much poop!  I also use my yard for play and training with dogs so I certainly don’t want them or me stepping in it.

 

Take me with you

by suzannekjoy, posted in Wags

I have always taken my dogs for fun adventures to the pet store to do their shopping and when they were young puppies or rescues that were new to me, to do some training.  It is one place that usually welcome leashed and well-behaved dogs.

As the world evolves and changes I have found there are many more places that are accepting of leashed, well-behaved dogs.  While I don’t believe our dogs need to be with us 24/7 I do think it’s great that I can find a hotel that will allow me to travel with my dogs, patios where I can enjoy a meal and drink with my dog and other establishments that are welcoming of our dogs.  The GO train system has recently launched a pilot project where they are allowing dogs on the trains with certain restrictions.  My dogs are a huge part of my life, they are family members and I often have them with me whether for work, taking them to training/classes/shows/the vet, whatever the case may be.  Many businesses have joined the trend of allowing dogs in their businesses so owners don’t have to leave them in a hot vehicle in the summer.  Again, I don’t think our dogs need to be with us all the time, however, if I’m out with them and need to stop off to run a quick errand or pick something up it’s good to know I can bring them into the store.

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Utah, Party, Spy and Traffic pose in the sunflower field at Davis Family Farm.  We were warmly welcomed by the folks at the farm to visit and take pictures.

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Jake and Scout on the patio at the Villa Caledon Inn where they were served their own beverage….water, of course!

Post edited to clarify BEFORE taking your dogs with you anywhere you should call ahead and confirm they are allowed and what, if any, the restrictions are.  For example, some hotels only allow dogs under a certain weight, the GO train only allows dogs on the trains between certain times.  If you CANNOT take your dog with you please make the appropriate arrangements so you are not leaving them in a hot vehicle or get upset when you are turned away from the establishment.  If your dogs do accompany you be sure they are well-behaved and not disturbing other guests or patrons of the establishment and not being a nuisance.  And whatever you do please DO NOT follow the unfortunate but recent growing trend of putting a fake service dog vest on your dog just so you can take your dog with you.  Service dogs perform extremely important tasks for their owners/handlers and if their right is ruined by others putting fake vests on badly-behaved, non-trained dogs it would be a big detriment to their safety and lifestyle.

 

Sharing and caring

by suzannekjoy, posted in Wags

As a dog walker or pet sitter I often get to learn a lot about my clients based on our exchanges in our everyday lives.  Most times I may only meet you once at the beginning when you sign up for my service and from there out I only see your pets and maybe the occasional time I run into you somewhere.  I have seen some of my clients at the bank, the grocery store, their local work places, on the trails walking their own dogs and so on.  I have been lucky to share many things with you besides your pets…..some of you have had babies, had children grow up, graduate school, move out, get married and so on.  I have been in your circle when you get new pets, say goodbye to family members or pets, recover from illnesses or surgeries, renovate your homes, go on fabulous vacations and so on.  Through all the craziness that is life I am happy to share your pets with you and feel like a small part of your lives.

Some of you may know a bit about me.  I have a passion for animals and love training and working with dogs specifically.  I enjoy watching them learn new things and then apply those things to help them be well-behaved pets.  I have dogs that I’ve purchased from breeders as well as dogs that I’ve adopted or rescued and support both sides of that argument.  Some of you may know that I am a runner.  I have been running for about 20 years and it’s one of the things that I enjoy doing with my dogs.  Recently I ran a half marathon (my fourth) and a 32-hour relay marathon that I was asked to be on the team by, yes, one of my clients who I now consider to be a friend 🙂

This Sunday I’ll be running in the Furry Friends 5 km run with my dog Traffic to raise money for the Caledon Animal Shelter.  I set a goal of raising $250 and am currently at 70% of that goal.  If you wish to join me and Traffic you can still register until Friday June 8th (you can run or walk) or you can pledge me to help me reach my goal of $250.

Thank you for your support to those who have already pledged me 🙂  This is my little share since I feel I know so much about most of you.

Safety first (and always)

by suzannekjoy, posted in Wags

Over the years that I’ve owned and taken of care of other people’s pets I’ve learned a lot of things about safety measures we can take to keep them safe.  Some things are quite obvious but to a first time pet owner removing your dog’s collar when in a crate may not seem so obvious, for example.

Pet stores offer a wide variety of products that serve many purposes safety-wise such as reflective leashes and collars, warm coats and boots to keep them safe from the weather and elements including road salt, light up collars and collar tags, muzzles – yes these can be used for their safety and ours, and so on.

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they may look like aliens but these are light-up dog collars

Unfortunately I know of someone who was struck by a vehicle while walking on a rural road on a dark night.  While I do most of my dog-walking during the daytime hours I found the need to make myself feel safer and more visible while walking some dogs on a rural road.  On a foggy day or other weather that has poor visibility I noticed cars passing by didn’t seem to see me as well until the last minute.  The dogs have bright-coloured harnesses and leashes so I invested in a reflective and light-up vest that I can wear over any coat or other outerwear.  I walk against the traffic so I can make eye contact with the drivers and am able to see if they are paying attention and notice me.  If I think a driver has not seen me I can move the dogs and myself further away from the road, which unfortunately means into the ditch, but I’d rather be safe than sorry.  I will always smile or wave thanks to any car that notices and gives me a bit of a berth if they can.  It is just common courtesy I think but am surprised how many cars do not move over even an inch.  The same courtesy should be given to anyone walking/running/pulled over or even putting out their garbage!!

reflective & lights up in the dark!
high visibility & reflective in the day light
bright & reflective harnesses & leashes

 

Putting a collar and identification tag on  your pet can help them safely find their way home if ever lost.  Microchipping is also a good option, however, if your pet is found wandering the chances of a person having a microchip scanner in their back pocket are pretty slim so I.D. tags work instantly if you have the correct & updated contact information on them.   There are also GPS tracking collar tags available now.  I don’t know much about these so you should do your research, however, it is a great use of modern technology that can help keep your pets safe!

Our pets are our family so we want to keep them safe and away from any harm.  Consider which concerns are most likely to affect your pets’ safety and invest in the tools to keep them safe.   For example if you have a dog who tends to run off and wander spending some money on a GPS collar tag might be a great idea to help get them back.  If you walk your dog at night any light up or reflective items will make you both more visible.  I hate to hear stories of accidents or tragedies concerning pets especially when it could have been preventable.  Let’s keep ourselves and our pets safe!

 

What exactly does “vacation care” mean?

by suzannekjoy, posted in Wags

I’ve had a few calls recently requesting ‘boarding’ services which is something I do not offer.  I don’t have a facility, therefore, have no where to house any guest dogs.  I have my home where my own dogs reside with me.  What I offer is called “vacation care” which essentially means your dog(s) stay in your home and I visit them in the comfort of their own home.  We will work out a schedule that works for your dog depending on the time of your departure as well as your arrival back home.  I will visit 3 or 4 times a day so that visits are spaced out every 6-8 hours depending on your dogs’ needs, for 30 minutes per visit.  In the visit time I will walk, play with them, feed and refresh water for your dog – whatever their normal routine is I will try as much as possible to stick to.

What is the benefit to leaving your dog at home and having me visit?  There are numerous benefits; the first would be the dog is in the comfort of their own home and do not need to stress about being in a kennel with other dogs barking or in unfamiliar surroundings.  In their eyes everything is normal except I’m visiting to feed and let them out instead of you doing it.  Your dog doesn’t need to be given any additional vaccinations to stay at home as they do when going to a boarding kennel.  If you have other pets at the home such as a cat or small caged animals they will also be cared for on my visits (usually at no extra charge but depends on the work involved).  Other small tasks will be done at your home for no extra charge such as mail/newspapers brought in, plants watered, lights alternated so that your home looks lived in while you’re away.

The vacation care I offer may not work for all dogs, however, a lot of dogs do better staying at home.  It is especially beneficial for owners who have more than one dog as they are company for each other and boarding multiple dogs can be costly – think boarding costs as well as vaccination costs.  Many mature, well-settled dogs do just fine staying at home alone.  Dogs it may not suit would be very young dogs who require more attention or dogs who are crated/kennelled in your absence.

I recently took an overnight away and had someone come in to check on my dogs, feed them and let them out – exactly as I would do for your dogs and they were so settled and quiet when I walked in the door two hours ago.  Of course they were happy to see me but now are all sleeping at my feet as I write this blog.  No anxiety, no stress AND I didn’t have to drive anywhere to pick them up!

Of course you would need to live within my service area for me to offer this type of service as I will be driving to and from your house 6-8 times in a day depending on if you book 3 or 4 visits.  Three visits a day would be just like you going to work for a day and then spending an evening out as well, maybe at a class or attending your child’s sporting event, shopping, whatever the case may be and you see your dog in the morning, for dinner and again before bedtime.

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No judgement here

by suzannekjoy, posted in Wags

I’ve wanted to write about this for a while and keep forgetting until I come across another situation that reminds me of it.  I’ve had a few recently so here it is.

I don’t understand why people feel the need to judge others based on their pets’ appearance or behaviour.  I was recently walking a dog who was pulling and excited and starting barking at another dog.  The lady walking the other dog GLARED at me and made some comment under her breath to the effect of me having a bad dog.  While I agree he wasn’t acting like the most appropriate dog on the trail and it was not a display of behaviour that I would accept from my own dog, I don’t know why she felt the need to say anything.  She has no idea, first of all, that the dog isn’t even mine; why the dog was behaving that way; and whether or not his owner was doing anything to try to work on his issues.  I compare it to a kid acting out in a grocery store – maybe crying because the mom is not buying them candy – well it isn’t anyone else’s business how the mother handles the situation, even if you think the kid is being a brat saying so out loud with a disapproving glare is not going to change anything for the kid, the mother or you.  Unless of course the mom is beating the kid, then you should do something about it.

I often have clients apologizing for things like their house being messy, or dog not being groomed, etc.  Unless you are mistreating your pets or neglecting them completely, which you are obviously not if you’ve hired a service like myself to walk/feed them, I am not judging you, your pets or your home.  I know it’s a natural thing to do….I recently caught myself apologizing at a vet visit for my dog not being perfectly groomed….but I really don’t pay attention to how long your grass is, or how messy your kitchen table is or that you didn’t put toilet paper on the holder (yes, sometimes I need to use your facilities).  I will, however, let you know if something could be harmful or uncomfortable to your pet like long nails or matted fur – not to judge you but to be a voice for your pets 🙂

I go into a lot of homes and see a lot of different ways that people live but I am not there to judge you as I would not want you to judge me if you came into my home which of course can be messy, dirty, smelly and hairy at times….I have 3 dogs…of course it’s going to happen!!

I also have rules for my dogs that might seem strict – they are not allowed on the furniture, they must sit and wait for their meals, there will be no rushing out of open doors (they are released one at a time by name), no playing in the house, etc.  I have these rules because of the number of dogs I have  – it would just be too crowded on the bed or couch with 3 dogs, if they played & wrestled in the house my living room would constantly be a mess.  I do not judge others for the rules they have for their pets even if you are more lenient than me.  You do what works for you and I do what works for me just like we wouldn’t judge or criticize one another for the way we raise our children.  Everyone is different and there is no one way that is more right or wrong than another.