Fit Fido

06/14/2025

Happening now! Come on down for butcher block hot dogs, ferrets, bouncy castle or just to talk about dogs 😁

Mark your calendars! 🐾 You’re invited to our Pet Appreciation BBQ at Bosley’s Courtenay on Saturday, June 14th, from 11 AM to 4 PM.

We’re raising money for Pet Appreciation Month, and we’ve got a jam-packed day planned for you!
What’s in store? Get ready for a bouncy castle for the kids, exciting raffle basket filled with goodies, a chance to meet and learn about ferrets, Fit Fido and more!

Come on down, enjoy some BBQ, support a great cause, and celebrate the love we have for our amazing pets! Every dollar raised goes directly to supporting Pet Appreciation Month.

Don’t forget to spread the word and bring your friends! We can’t wait to see you there!

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06/13/2025

"Training a reactive dog would take hours every day. I can barely manage the walks we have!"
What if I told you the most powerful training happens in those "in-between" moments?
While your coffee brews - use some of those minutes to train
While making your dinner - train their boundaries (bed)
Before opening the front door - make sure they are calm ( ask for a behaviour like 2 paws)
During commercial breaks - play a game - 2 minutes

We're talking about moments that already exist in your routine. The difference? Using them strategically to train calmness and emotional regulation.

One client recently told me: "I thought I needed perfect 60-minute sessions. Turns out, I was missing dozens of tiny opportunities to build confidence every single day."

Real progress happens in your living room, at your front door, in your back yard during everyday moments.
The "no time" excuse keeps you trapped in a cycle that actually steals MORE time.

How many minutes do you lose to stressful walks? Avoiding triggers? Managing meltdowns?
Training your reactive dog isn't about adding hours to your schedule. It's about transforming the time you're already spending into confidence-building moments.

Comment "REACTIVE" if you want help for your dog's triggers.

06/12/2025

Picture this: Peaceful walk. Birds chirping. Then... a skateboarder goes by.

Your calm companion transforms into 50 pounds of barking, lunging chaos. Your shoulder screams. Neighbors stare. Walk ruined. Again.

Why do some dogs completely lose it over moving objects?

It's not aggression.

It's not them being "bad."

It's not a power struggle.

For many dogs, moving objects trigger something primal - that ancient instinct to chase, to alert, to react. Mix in some frustration from being on leash (can't chase!), lack of confidence and optimism and maybe a dash of fear... explosive cocktail ready.

But here's what gives me hope for every reactive dog: This intensity? It's just a misdirected emotional reaction. One that your dog is rehearsing daily and this strengthens that neural pathway in their brain.

Some of the most reactive dogs become the most attentive partners. They just need help learning where to direct all that... passion.

Your wild walker has brilliant potential.
Comment "CALM" if you're ready to discover it.

06/09/2025

You call your dog's name. They glance at you, then go back to sniffing.

Call again. This time, no response at all.

By the third call, you're practically yelling. Your neighbors probably think you've lost it.

"They're so stubborn!"

But consider this: They are too stressed to listen properly? or how many times today did you say their name without needing anything? During baby talk sessions? While chatting with friends? When they were sleeping?

Your dog has learned their name is just... background noise. Like a TV left on. Sometimes important, usually not. Especially is they can't think straight when they are fearful or worried.

The shift happens when every interaction becomes intentional. When your voice means something amazing is about to happen. When checking in with you becomes the best decision they make all day. When you have grown the skills to know how to communicate with your dog even when they are too stressed or fearful to make good decisions on their own.

That dog who "never listens"? They're waiting for a reason to tune in. And that reason is simpler than you think.

Ready to become the most interesting thing in your dog's world?

Drop "FOCUS" below and let's chat.

06/08/2025

Come down to this fun event to chat with me about dogs 😁

Mark your calendars! 🐾 You’re invited to our Pet Appreciation BBQ at Bosley’s Courtenay on Saturday, June 14th, from 11 AM to 4 PM.

We’re raising money for Pet Appreciation Month, and we’ve got a jam-packed day planned for you!
What’s in store? Get ready for a bouncy castle for the kids, exciting raffle basket filled with goodies, a chance to meet and learn about ferrets, Fit Fido and more!

Come on down, enjoy some BBQ, support a great cause, and celebrate the love we have for our amazing pets! Every dollar raised goes directly to supporting Pet Appreciation Month.

Don’t forget to spread the word and bring your friends! We can’t wait to see you there!

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06/07/2025

Is your dog naughty?

If so our new self paced online program might be the perfect fit for you!

Your dog steals your favourite shoe and turns your living room into a racetrack.

You chase. They dodge. You lunge. They pivot.

"Stop being so NAUGHTY!" you think, exhausted and annoyed. 🏃‍♀️

But what if I told you this isn't naughtiness at all?

From your dog's view, they just invented the world's best game:

Step 1: Pick up boring human object
Step 2: Human suddenly wants to PLAY!
Step 3: Epic chase scene begins
Step 4: Maximum fun achieved

You're not dealing with a defiant dog. You're dealing with a genius who cracked the code for instant human engagement.

Every time you chase, you're basically saying "Yes! This game is AWESOME!" in dog language.

When coming TO you becomes more rewarding than running FROM you, everything changes.

That "naughty" streak? It's actually intelligence looking for an outlet. Channel it right, and you'll have a brilliant partner instead of a furry thief.

What's the most ridiculous thing your dog has stolen?
Drop it in the comments - I bet we can figure out why THAT item became their favourite- and I'll send you more information about the self paced program.

06/05/2025

"I'll just send my dog away for a few weeks, and they'll come back fixed!"

I understand the appeal. Drop off your jumping, pulling, reactive dog and pick up a perfectly trained companion. Like magic!

But here's what actually happens…

Your dog learns to behave beautifully... for someone else.
In someone else's home. With someone else's rules.

Then they come home to you. Same environment. Same routines. Same family dynamics. And within days (sometimes hours), those old behaviours resurface.

Why? Because your dog didn't learn how to live in YOUR life. They learned how to live in a trainer's facility.

Your dog will still need to learn that their new behaviours apply at home, too.

When you train at home:

Your dog learns in their actual environment
YOU learn how to communicate effectively
Your whole family gets on the same page
Real-life distractions become information on where your dog is still struggling
The bond strengthens between you and YOUR dog

The truth? The "magic" isn't in the training technique. It's in the relationship. It's in those daily moments when you and your dog finally understand each other.

You can't outsource that connection.

Yes, working with a trainer at home requires your time and energy.

But that's not a bug - it's a feature. Because at the end of the day, your dog needs to listen to YOU, not a stranger they lived with for two weeks.

A board & train can give your dog new skills to try when interacting with you, but you need to know what to ask for / when to ask for it / why the behaviour is occurring, too.

Want lasting change? It happens in your living room.

Comment "HOME" if you're ready for training that actually sticks.

06/04/2025

Still time to get your dog in the book !

I still have a couple of spots available for this amazing photo book fundraising project. Please reach out if you would like your dog to be a star in an internationally published book! Dogs and their humans can be from any location but the photo session will need to be held in the Comox Valley.
fitfido.ca/tailsoftheworld

06/03/2025

"I can't hire a trainer right now - they'll make me change EVERYTHING about how I live..."

This fear keeps so many people stuck.

You imagine a trainer walking in, clipboard in hand, telling you:
- No more couch privileges
- Wake up at 5am for training drills
- Rearrange your entire house
- Follow a military-style schedule
- Give up your favourite weekend activities

Let me clear this up: That's not what working with a good trainer looks like.

My job isn't to flip your life upside down. It's to help your dog fit seamlessly INTO the life you already have while ensuring their needs are met, too.
Don't live in the Comox Valley? Let's do virtual sessions
Live in a tiny apartment? We'll work with that.
Crazy work schedule? No problem.
Kids, cats, and chaos? Part of the plan.
Love lazy Sunday mornings? Me too!

Real training looks like:
- Quick skills practiced during your regular morning routine
- Using dinner prep time for impulse control games
- Turning commercial breaks into mini training moments
- Solutions that work WITH your lifestyle, not against it

The best transformations happen when we enhance your existing routines, not demolish them.

Your trainer should be asking, "What does YOUR ideal life with your dog look like?" not handing you a one-size-fits-all rulebook.

Small tweaks. Big results. Your life, just fewer frustrations.

Ready for training that actually fits your real life? Comment "TRAIN" and let's talk about solutions that work for YOU.

06/02/2025

Waiting to Train vs Starting Now

"I'll start training after summer when things calm down..."

I hear this every June.

But here's what waiting actually means:

Your dog practices unwanted behaviours for 3 more months. Every day of lunging at other dogs on walks, jumping on guests at BBQs, or pulling you toward every distraction becomes more ingrained.

You miss out on actually ENJOYING summer with your dog. Instead of stress-free beach trips or patio dining, you're managing chaos and making apologies.

Those "calm fall days" you're waiting for? Your dog will have 90+ days of rehearsing behaviours that will be even harder to change.

Here's the truth: Summer is when you need training skills MOST.

With proper guidance now, you could be:
- Walking past summer crowds without the pulling
- Having guests over without the jumping circus
- Actually relaxing at outdoor cafes together
- Creating positive memories instead of stressful ones

The irony? Training gives you MORE opportunities to enjoy summer, not less. Short, focused sessions integrated into your daily routine mean you're building skills while living your life.

That dream of peaceful autumn walks with your well-behaved dog? It starts with the choice you make today.

Your future self (and your dog) will thank you for not waiting.

Ready to reclaim your summer? Comment "DOG" and let's chat about making this season one you'll actually enjoy together.

05/30/2025

There are skills that truly transform your life with your dog.
Here are the five concepts that I train that make the biggest difference:

Disengagement
Calmness
Confidence
Self control
Optimism

These five concepts create a foundation of communication that makes everything else easier. They're not about obedience—they're about life skills that keep your dog safe and your relationship strong.

Which of these would make the biggest difference in your daily life? Comment below and I'll share a training tip specifically for that skill!

05/29/2025

Don't forget the registration for the Tails of the world book fundraiser are coming to a close at the end of may, just a few more days! Head over to fitfido.ca/tailsoftheworld to register your sweet pup, photo sessions start in June. little.milo has registered and how cute is he😍🐾 ! I can't wait to photograph him for the book.