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My Pet is a Jerk: Reactive Dog Edition!

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My pet is a jerk! Reactive Dog edition

Owning a reactive dog can be challenging, especially when it comes to managing your reactive dog in public. While it can be tempting to refer to reactive behaviours as your dog being a ‘jerk’, reactivity is more complex.

Think for a moment about all of the people in your life. Some of them may be social butterflies, able to get along with just about anyone while others may be more selective in their friendships. Just like humans, dogs have individual preferences when it comes to interacting with other canines. These preferences are shaped by the dog’s breed, early life experiences, socialization and living conditions. Some dogs might thrive at the dog park, eager to meet any fellow canine while other dogs may prefer the company of humans and wish to avoid other dogs altogether. Unfortunately, we often forget these individual differences in canine personalities and expect that all dogs should get along at all times.

Reactivity is a complex behaviour and requires more information than we can provide in a blog post, but below we are including some tips on reactivity in dogs. If you are concerned about your dog’s reactivity, please call our FREE behaviour helpline to talk about what training options are available for your dog. (more…)

Upcoming Behaviour Clinics

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Behaviour clinics are one-hour training classes dedicated to specific skills. Many dogs see a positive change in behaviour in just 60 minutes when provided with this kind of focused training. We’ll give you the tips and tools you need to continue your training at home, at the dog park, or in other areas with lots of distractions.

WALK NICELY

Learn to teach your dogs to walk nicely on a loose leash while improving the quality and enjoyment of your time together. Over the hour, you will learn how to handle the leash and build focus in your dog in a low distracted environment focusing on the foundations of loose leash walking.

Requirements: Dogs must be spayed or neutered, over 5 months of age and must have up-to-date vaccinations. Your dog must be calm and sociable around other dogs; not reactive (include barking, growling,lunging)

Price: $40 non-members, $34 for CHS members, seniors, dogs rescued from shelters/rescue organizations (including CHS, Animal Services, ARF, etc.)

 

TOTO RECALL

Toto Recall is designed to develop a stronger recall relationship with your dog. In this one hour clinic you will learn the foundations of recall while adding in distractions and enjoying fun games.

Requirements: Dogs must be spayed or neutered, over 5 months of age and must have up-to-date vaccinations. Your dog must be calm and sociable around other dogs; not reactive.

Price: $40 non-members, $34 for CHS members, seniors, dogs rescued from shelters/rescue organizations (including CHS, Animal Services, ARF, etc.)

 

CHILL DOG

Is your dog a little too excited about life or are thinking of taking your dog to pet friendly places? Sign up for Chill Dog and work on attention on you, polite greetings, relaxing with other dogs nearby, leave it, stay and more.

Requirements: Dogs must be spayed or neutered, over 5 months of age and must have up-to-date vaccinations. Your dog must be calm and sociable around other dogs; not reactive. Recommended to have completed Smarty Pups or Polite Pooches

Price: $40 non-members, $34 for CHS members, seniors, dogs rescued from shelters/rescue organizations (including CHS, Animal Services, ARF, etc.)

 

Home for the Holidays Adoption Event

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Visit Calgary Humane Society to meet your new furry, scaly, or feathery family member as part of our Home for the Holidays adoption event! From December 7-31, all adoption fees are 50% off (some exclusions apply).

 

 

 

 

Pet Photos With Santa!

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Dust off your favorite holiday sweater and join us on December 5th, 6th or 7th for holiday pet photos with Santa, brought to you by Royal Canin.  You can choose to have your pet photographed alone, with Santa or join them for a festive family portrait!

 SOLD OUT

Thank you to everyone who purchased a photo session for our 2019 season. Tickets are SOLD OUT!

* Please note: Pet holiday photos will be by appointment only to avoid long line-ups and frustrated fidos.

 

Each session is $30.00 and includes a single instant-print portrait. Additional print images will be made available by donation or web images for free download within 1 week after your session. Multiple pets (and people) can appear in the same photo and your session will include approximately 5 images, so feel free to be creative! 

Proceeds from the photo sessions go to support the over 4,000 animals Calgary Humane Society cares for every year.

REGISTER YOUR PUPPY FOR BEHAVIOUR CLASSES

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Our Smarty Pups behaviour class provides you with a strong foundation of skills based on positive humane training while building a strong, life-long relationship with your pup. You will learn how to work with your puppy on skills such as gaining attention, recall, handling, walking politely and as well as address challenging behaviours such as mouthing, jumping, and appropriate dog – dog skills with other pups. Your pups going to be the smartest on the block!

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Surviving Cruelty: Meet Royce

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Cocktails for Critters is a unique gala fundraiser for Calgary Humane Society and helps raise thousands of dollars to help support animals in need.

Thanks to the support of our generous donors and supporters, previous Cocktails for Critters events have helped to fund life-saving veterinary equipment, essential training for our Peace Officers, critical dog park renovations to increase safety and fun for shelter dogs, daily care for thousands of animals, and allow us to protect animals like Royce and help them find loving homes!

Join us at Cocktails For Critters Saturday, October 19, and help support the thousads of animals we care for every year. Purchase your tickets today!

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Create a Pet Resume to Help Secure Pet-Friendly Accommodation

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Finding pet-friendly accommodation or convincing a landlord to allow you to rent a place with your pets can be extremely difficult. You know that your pets are well behaved and that you’re a responsible owner, but you’ll need to convince the property owner of this before they will rent to you.

You can create a resume for your pet that will help any potential landlord get to know them.

A pet resume is especially important if you have a dog, but it wouldn’t hurt to have one for your cat or critter too, just in case. A solid pet resume could be the difference between getting the apartment or house of your dreams and missing out!

 

Be sure to include:

  1. A physical description of your pet, including their weight. Some condo boards, for example, have weight restrictions on pets. It is not a good idea to underestimate your pet’s weight. It could cause trouble down the road if you find yourself in a lease for accommodation that won’t allow your pet.
  2. Vet records. Include information on deworming treatments and vaccinations, whether your pet is spayed/neutered, and anything else that may be relevant to your new landlord.
  3. Behaviour class certificates. If your dog has taken any training classes, be sure to add these to their resume. A well-behaved dog is very appealing to a pet-friendly landlord!
  4. References from a dog walker, kennel, daycare, or pet sitter. Just like you might need references for a place you’re planning to rent, having references for your pet will give your potential landlord a better understanding of your animal’s personality and behaviour.
  5. References from a previous landlord who has rented accommodation to you and your pet.

If you have a dog, try to bring your pet with you to view any potential accommodation. Check with the landlord that this is okay before arriving! You can also include a line on your pet’s resume that they are available for “interviews” at the landlord’s convenience.

Download our Pet Resume Template for Microsoft Word to create your own pet resume.

My Pet is a jerk: Scratching Edition

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Every cat owners knows that dreaded sound.

You’ve just settled down in front of the television or opened a great book when you hear it – the sound of your cat scratching the carpet or the furniture.  Problem scratching is one of those most common behaviour helpline calls received at the shelter, so today we are giving you some information about why cats scratch and what you can do to save your sofa!

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Mindy

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“I wanted to share an update on my rescue kitty Mindy. She’s a CHS alumni we adopted in 2007 (we were told at the time she was 3 years old). Mindy is the most lovely and affectionate cat, not just to her family but anyone she meets. She loves children in particular, and where most cats would run and hide she will gladly jump up on the couch when my two boys have a group of friends over and go from lap to lap while they play video games. Mindy is such a joy and we really hope her story will encourage more people to adopt adult kitties – they can integrate into a family and be just a loving and devoted as a kitty brought up from kitten hood.”