Torontodogbus - Dogwalking

01/26/2025

CBC Marketplace: Cost of pet healthcare
Lots of anticipation for the episode the CBC did WRT the corporate takeovers in the pet health care sector.
It is an expose, presenting facts and personal opinions, though mostly one sided. As a critical thinker, I am fleshing out my opinion with an open mind. Here are some random ideas I am mulling over.
Canadians are pretty naive when it comes to cost of heath care in general. We're fortunate to be so naive. Quality healthcare: for humans or otherwise is not cheap. Take a peek stateside.
Equipment and access to technology costs money. Can independent owners afford this technology? Regular maintenance is required to keep it up to date. Why are there so many antivirus products and updates required to your phone or computer?
The people who work in the industry are some of the most emotionally burned out individuals. Try to balance making a living by providing or withholding the essentials for quality of life. Suffering by both provider and client is inevitably left in the balance. Not unlike healthcare workers during Covid.
Greed is truly modern civilization's curse. It knows no boundaries across political ideologies. In a democratic based society it is concealed in corporations as capitalism. More money for the shareholder. It IS sad that some people see this as a way to make a buck beyond what they need to live on. But, hey, that's the world. Money, wealth and status are valued highly.
Compassion has a price tag: medications, diagnostic tools, and qualified personnel.
Don't forget, veterinary care is a business, not a social service. (responsible rescue also needs to model after a NFP business for sustainability ) Sports is entertainment. Winning just means more profits.
I don't blame privately owned vet care for caving to Big Corporations. If they want to provide a relevant service, they really don't have much choice unless they are backed by unlimited funds on demand.
It is also good to be aware of how this industry operates. It has some parallels with visiting your GP (if you have one) but there are some major divergences. We are all aware of private and public health services. We ARE 2 tiered. But one of those tiers is provided for us through taxes.

EDIT: I haven't processed the explanation for the range of charges for the same service nor the idea of up-selling diagnostics.
I relate this to finding a good mechanic.
I compare this to the quality of pet care in Mexico. North Americans love to judge that Mexicans don't care enough about their pets. They don't provide shelter, medication or food. They are struggling to care for their children and elderly. Like it or not, most are doing the best they can for their pets. It may not look good to you, but soon, you may find yourselves in their shoes.
Personally, I want to support the independent. Just like I prefer to eat at a mom and pop restaurant than a chain.
I am in NO WAY endorsing profit in the healthcare industry.
But if I need an MRI, and my local vet doesn't have a machine, what choice do I have?
Please spay and neuter your dogs. We don't need more puppies or kittens, planned or accidental.
Bottom line: expenses for pet health are on the rise. That will not change regardless of corporations. If you do not have a realistic budget to care for a pet (don't rely on pet insurance to cover it all either), then DON'T get a pet.
While I'm at it, that goes for children too. (most of you know I don't even like them, yet I advocate for those who cannot speak and find themselves in dire situations)

01/07/2025

08/31/2024

Da troof an nuttin but...

01/12/2023

A good read. Worth investing a few minutes.

Note: I can't make Michael's words share here, so I have copied and posted them:
The War Between Balanced vs. Force Free
It's been an interesting and concerning week. I recently was a guest on Ivan Blabanov's podcast which you can find here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yhsKMNNhjrU
In the episode, Ivan and I have a cordial and enlightening conversation about many things, including the issues between balanced and force free trainers.
While I expected some "hate mail," interestingly enough, most of the criticism and accusations came from those that consider themselves "Force Free." The general theme of some of the messages were "why do you talk to/promote/engage with balanced trainers?" Or "you should be setting an example by denouncing aversive tools!" Or, oddly enough, "why do you censor people?!"
The "war" between trainers from each side has been especially tumultuous as of late. IMHO, most prevalently on TikTok, but the vitriol is bleeding over into other platforms and other formats where trainers congregate, with incredible momentum.
We are witnessing extremism suffocate the community.
Trainers are jumping ship and seeking entirely different careers because of the venom thrown at them (please consider mental health as well here.)
Incredible talent and new ideas are stifled because of "fear of putting yourself out there."
More time is being spent criticizing the other side than productive learning or showcasing actual training.
Camps become more entrenched in their ideology, ready to jump into their next battle.
Non-dog training "outsiders" are even taking note of "all the drama that dog trainers engage in" as showcased in a recent TikTok video.
What is the legacy we want to leave about the dog training industry?
I certainly don't have an answer for peace in a self-imploding environment, but I do have some humble thoughts, and would love to hear all of your thoughts as well.
- We need to dump the labels of Force Free and Balanced (as well as all the other ugly phrases such as purely positive, shock jock, cookie pusher, yank and crank, etc.) Dichotomous labels only create further division.
I truly understand the need to "feel like you belong to an incredibly important initiative" or "proudly advocate for dogs" --- both crucial underpinnings for our own legacies. Though, we must consider how these labels may be doing more harm than good.
- The vast majority of trainers are NOT extremists. IMHE, it is the few extremists (from both sides) that garner the most attention, which can create an impression that "the whole other camp must be this way." And I'm not necessarily talking about training methodology here...
- There are quite a few trainers that the "other side" would classify into a certain camp, but actually be wrong in their classification. Attend enough conferences and workshops, and the social occasions around them....and you will learn a LOT about folks that they wouldn't put on social media. Perhaps the two sides are a bit more alike than the trainer wars would indicate?
And in "mixed crowd" venues...you will often see trainers from both camps enjoying each other's company without spitting fire at each other from behind a keyboard.
- There's a whole lot of "don't do this because it's bad" promotion going on. Consider how this is just tossing grenades over the wall...instead of books. Training education is a journey --- one where many trainers may be on the cusp of moving towards a particular ideology. Do we want them to become more entrenched on the other side or do we want to keep the door open for curiosity, growth, and community building?
- Cannibalizing your own kind will, well, result in not many of your kind being left. Telling people they are not doing enough (insert the commenter's ideal or cause here) does not mean you don't care about said ideal or cause. After all, everyone has something that they are fighting for --- there are only so many stakes one can hold to a fire.
- Always start with kindness. Reaching across the aisle with kindness, professionalism, and empathy will sometimes be met with vitriol; sometimes with suspicion; sometimes with curiosity... and sometimes with the same kindness. You'll be surprised what you find.
And for the sake of keeping my inbox a bit lower on the volume on "hate mail," 😉 I am certainly not "taking sides" here. Those that follow my work know the methods and tools I use, and what I continually advocate for.
This post is about the WHOLE dog training community and my hopes are for more open, kind, and respectful conversations.

Training Without Conflict® Podcast Episode Fourteen: Michael ShikashioRecently, Ivan invited Michael Shikashio to the TWC podcast. Michael and Ivan may hold ...

08/20/2022

More bad news. Training isn't just for 6 weeks as a puppy. It is LIFELONG.

Truth!!!