SUNSTAR All-Breed Dog Training

08/12/2025

I sadly dealt with this MANY times during my thirty year career as DMPD ACO, and it tragically still occurs. Many folks do not realize how fast it gets hot inside a sitting vehicle, and most of the dog owners I dealt with when I responded to these issues were nice, regular folks who just didn't realize their beloved pet would suffer like that. PLEASE everyone let's be mindful about this, every day and especially on these intensely hot days like today- our doggos thank us...❤

As today is one of the hottest days of the week we want to remind you that despite the warnings, hundreds of dogs in the U.S. die every year after being left in a hot car.
SIX MINUTES is all it takes for a dog to overheat in a hot car.
Your dog could suffer serious injury or die in a matter of minutes if left alone in a car.
• The temperature inside a closed vehicle left in the sun can double within 12 minutes.
• At least 75% of the temperature increase in a closed vehicle occurs within 5 minutes of closing the vehicle, and at least 89% of the temperature increase occurs within 15 minutes of closing the vehicle.
• Temperatures exceeding 104˚ F can lead to death or serious injury for the occupants.
• Temperatures in a closed vehicle sitting in the hot sun can reach 160˚F and above. An animal will suffer immeasurably and may die before the temperature reaches 150˚F.
• Even when parked in the shade, the vehicle temperatures can exceed 104˚C.
• Leaving windows down more than 2 inches on an unattended vehicle will not prevent a car from reaching extreme temperatures.
• Even if the animal is revived, they can die due to severe internal organ damage.
Your dog trusts you to have their best interest at heart ALWAYS.
Please don’t risk their safety.
If you are not taking your dog inside your destination with you, PLEASE leave them at home where they are comfortable and safe.

08/07/2025

We had a very fun final class of our six-week Basic Obedience/Good Manners session last night, everyone did GREAT! They each did individual Heeling with turns, slow and fast, auto-sits and recall, then a Figure "8", and then a group Sit Stay, Stand Stay, and Down Stay. Bravo Everyone! Congrats to Walter, Mushu, Ellie, Shadow, Sunny Bear, and Buddy...and their families! 😊🐾🐾

07/26/2025

🐾 Thank You to SUNSTAR All-Breed Dog Training & Rotarian Jan Magnuson for sponsoring this year’s Poverty Bay Blues & Brews Festival! 🍺

Locally owned and operated, SUNSTAR has been a trusted name in professional dog training since 1975, offering:
🐾 Basic Obedience & Good Manners Classes
🐾 Private Evaluations & Consultations
🐾 All-breed dog training by an experienced, caring pro
📞 Call 206-241-2908 for more info!

Jan has been a longtime supporter of our community and Rotary’s mission, you can always find her helping out and giving back. She’ll even be working the front gate at Blues & Brews, so make sure to say hi when you show your ticket August 23rd! 👋💙

We’re grateful for Jan’s passion, commitment, and generous support!

Get your tickets www.DrinkToMusic.org

07/18/2025

Our Friday Funny! 😄

07/15/2025

This came up in a memory and I wanted to share- my sweet Willow (she has passed) attained her UKC Agility title in 2017 with three perfect scores! We worked very hard for over a year practicing Agility and she did an amazing job that day, I was (always!) so very proud of her~ “Willow” Weimaraner – UKC Multiple Best-In-Show and High-In-Trial Champion/Altered Grand Champion Sunstar Willow of OwyheeStar, AKC Canine Good Citizen, AKC Novice Trick Dog, UKC Rally Obedience I, UKC Agility I, Therapy Dog International certified ❤

07/02/2025

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06/29/2025

I still miss Willow every day. She was with me almost 24/7-at home, at DMPD and on visits to city facilities, the fire station, etc., at community events and presentations, lots of dog shows, Therapy Dog visits, at schools, daycares, and scout troop visits, and as my demo dog in my dog training classes. She made such a positive impact on so many people, I used to call her my "Rock Star" as it seemed almost everyone around here knew her! I loved my 12 years with her, I wish we would have had more, of course. She was truly a once-in-a-lifetime dog~ 🥰🐾🐾

06/27/2025

Teaching dog class in 2012 with my sweet "Aspen"- UKC Multiple Group Winning Champion Bravehart Sunstar Aspen Glow, CGC, HIC, TC, TDI, UAGI - as my demo dog, she was such a sweetie. We started a new session of classes this week- I still love teaching them (plus doing private trainings), with lots of nice folks and nice dogs- what's not to love?!? 😊🐾🐾

06/23/2025

Summer is here! 🌞 I walk my "Very Good Girls" almost daily and it's so nice to stroll in the beautiful warm, sunny weather. Let's please all be mindful so that we and our doggos are safe and happy! When it is quite warm, we walk places where there is mostly shade with grassy areas, and we tend to do laps; that way, we can do a lap, then stop and rest in the shade and get a drink of water, then when ready do a second lap, and so on. Walking in the cooler parts of the day is a good plan too. Staying hydrated is very important, as is making sure to check any hard surface we may walk on so we know it's not too hot for paws. We recommend putting the BACK of our hand on the surface for TEN seconds to check; if we cannot comfortably do that, having our doggos walk only on the grassy areas is essential. Also being mindful of each individual dog is important- Violet my Chin is my "thermometer" as she tends to get warmer quicker than Holly or Daisy, due to her pug face. So, I watch Violet, and if she starts panting too heavily, even if Holly and Daisy are not panting at all, we stop and rest in a cool area and get a drink. Of course, check with our veterinarians for additional info about any of this. So, let's all stay safe and enjoy our summertime walks with our sweet doggos! 🥰🐾🐾

06/19/2025

We had a great graduation class last night! Everyone did so well with their individual heeling with left turns, right turns, about turns, slow and fast, figure "8" and recall, plus group Sit Stay, Stand Stay, and Down Stay. So proud of all the folks and their doggos! Great Job- Cassie, Betty, Tilly, Summer, and Boone! (Lil' Betty Boop has an extra pic being cuddled by her momma, SO cute!) And Congrats to their families, everyone worked hard and made big improvements, Yay! 😊🐾🐾

06/08/2025

This is an important reminder! When I was our DMPD Animal Care and Control Officer for 30 years (I am now retired), every summer I dealt with WAY too many "dog in a hot car" calls. Some dogs were OK, but some I had to take action and remove them from the vehicle to a vet for care, and then I cited the owner for animal cruelty and we would go to court. The listed temperatures here are true, and I can attest to that as I would check the temp inside the vehicle. Please everyone let's keep our pets in a cool space with plenty of fresh water and shade during this hot weather- they thank us! Retired DMPD ACO Jan Magnuson 💙🐾🐾

05/11/2025

Happy Mother's Day to all moms, to kids and/or pets! Here is an article with comments and a pic of my mom (and Willow and Daisy) I sent to the Seattle Times, please enjoy~

From private helicopter tours to sweet therapy-dog visits, here are some of our readers’ favorite Mother’s Day memories.