XtraMile Dog Walking & Pet Sitting

Fun in the sun

Great advice from the best trainer around!

Puppy Scam Warning https://www.niagarapolice.ca/en/news/puppy-scam-warning.aspx#

Reach out if you can help in this study!

This was posted by Jackie Abikhair on her own page. I am NOT the author of this even though I wish that I had the eloquence that Ms. Abikhair exhibits. Pleas...e ensure that if you share that you attribute it to her. https://www.facebook.com/abik9dogtraining/?hc_location=ufi 20 years ago, dog parks were barely a *thing*. Doggy daycares were similarly rare. A combination of urban sprawl and an increasingly time-poor family unit has resulted in their spread and popularity. The idea of having a ‘dog social dog’ has become the norm amongst pet owners everywhere. But this contradicts centuries and decades of selective breeding. Dogs have been bred to be OUR companions and working partners. While co-habitation with other dogs sometimes goes along with that, it’s never really been deliberately selected for. In fact, some breeds have been bred to be largely unable to read social cues from other dogs. Now we’re trying to fit a square peg in a round hole. Making working breeds (even those watered down by backyard breeding and bench shows) dog social. How? Well that’s the entire problem... Let’s SOCIALIZE with as many puppies and dogs as possible so our wee staffy/collie/terrier/shepherd puppy knows how to PLAY. * CUE THE PUPPY MOSH PIT * PLAY is one tiny fraction of a dogs social repertoire, but if it’s 100% of what you do with your puppy, you’re going to end up with problems. The staffy that obsessively licks other dogs faces until they lash out. Oh, but wait, ‘he’ll never *start* a fight, he just wants to play.’ The heeler that tracks and chases any dog playing with a ball, inching closer and closer each time until WHOOPS, dog fight. The ‘fun police’ Shepherds, ruling the roost until another one shows up and shit hits the fan. Here’s the thing. Dogs don’t NEED dog friends. That’s either comforting, or disconcerting for dog owners. Comforting to those that are trying to fix their dogs genetics with more and more ‘socialization’ because Karen at the dog park told them that their terrier’s spacial sensitivity and scrappiness can be fixed with PLAY. Disconcerting for those who have so far gotten lucky and had no incidents, and no fallout in engagement from an excess of doggy interactions. There are 101 ways to give our dogs what they need and make them happy. The dog park is not the place for that. It’s the place that creates clients for me.

Happy National Dog Day

WARNING WHEN FREEZING TREAT TOYS! Please ensure that if you are stuffing treat toys and freezing them for your pets to help keep them cool, don't forget to ensu...re there is a HOLE ALL OF THE WAY THROUGH IT. WHY YOU MAY ASK ? Toys such as Kongs have 2 holes in their toys for a reason - to prevent suction. WHY IS THIS IMPORTANT ? When your pet licks at the contents of the toy or squeezes it in its mouth, their tongue can get SUCKED into the hole and get STUCK on the dogs tongue. This can cause horrific injuries to the point where the animal can actually die. Having 2 HOLES in the toy PREVENTS this from happening. So if you STUFF your toys with treats, push a straw through it to ensure the 2 HOLES ARE NOT BLOCKED. If you are going to FREEZE the toy, do so with the straw in place and then remove when giving it to you pet.