KTS Canine

07/04/2021

Stay safe and keep your furry friends inside tonight!

05/06/2021

03/29/2021

Yep.

03/08/2021

Truer words 😂

02/20/2021

Cant explain it to those who havent lived it. https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=2874006056222342&id=1798170190472606 😭

What is a dog person?

This is a question with which I’ve been presented recently….

It’s a grey, rainy, dreary day here in Oregon. Not atypical for February. I’ve just hung up from one of those phone calls that every dog person, every single dog breeder dreads. The owner of a dog you bred. The beloved family member, friend, soul mate, catalyst to try new things, adventure buddy, love on four legs, is suddenly dead. Burst hemangio. Gone from ADR this morning to dead this afternoon. The heart-wrenching, soul-shaking sobs that take you all the way back to when you lost your first dog of the breed. The one who started it all for you.

If I had a dollar for every cold, grey cement vet hospital backroom floor I’ve collapsed on, weeping for the loss … of an old friend, a new litter, a promising youngster… I’d be retired for real.

I’m not talking a glistening tear on a dewy cheek. I’m talking ugly, blotchy, gasping, choking, bawling. And it doesn’t get easier with time.

A dog person is someone who has crawled up off that cold, grey floor on that cold, grey day and creaking and crunching and crying has stumbled off to take care of the rest of the dogs. Who has put aside the anxiety and anguish and mind numbing terror of those days and tried again. Someone who has studied and memorized pedigrees, individuals and families of dogs. Who has begged and bargained with Mother Nature. Who has mortgaged everything she owns to test and test and test, to create the next friend, soul-mate and impetus to great adventures. Knowing full well the whole time that it will happen again. That she will get another phone call some day. That she will be dragged back to that anguished cry again and again and again.

Because dog people are not gods. They don’t even play one on tv. A dog person is passionate about their dogs, their breed and their people. Normally in about that order. And they have little patience or tolerance for people not of their tribe. Because other people don’t get it. And trying to explain it all is exhausting.

A dog person, the real deal, may not always be Miss Mary Sunshine. But she loves with every ounce of her being. And gives every fiber of her devotion to her dogs, her breed and her people. I belong to this tribe. And I wouldn’t have it any other way.

I’m off to take care of dogs, to hug them and kiss them. To honor those who came before. And those yet to come.

02/13/2021

02/09/2021

A tired dog is a happy dog. Hope you got out and walked your dog today!

01/31/2021

This is the way!

https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=5099896660052238&id=636015433107072

Why are we such advocates for balanced training?

A lot of pet owners have been told that using corrections in their training will ruin their relationship with their dog, or create fear. They're told that the best way to train a dog is to reward good behaviors, and ignore naughty ones. On the surface, this makes sense. So why would we advocate for the humane use of ecollar training and balanced dog training?

Teaching a dog how to navigate stress is such an important part of their learning. When was the last time you felt stressed out at home or work? Did you manage to cope, or did you break down and react irrationality? Hopefully, you've learned skills in your life to help you find motivation through stress, and to do so in a healthy, positive way.

The same can be said for our dogs. Teaching a dog using rewards and motivation is important, but at some point in their lives they will have to do something they don't want to do. Vet visits, grooming appointments, and going out in public can be unpredictable, and stressful. When a dog knows what we expect out of them, these scary situations become more predicable, and helps them get through it without an emotional breakdown.

As an example, we have met many dogs trained using +R methods that have never learned to give into leash pressure, so the first time they feel it they roll like an alligator 🐊 and attempt to bite. Is that a logical, appropriate reaction to feeling tension on the leash, or a hand on their butt? Of course not. And neither is biting if someone needs to touch their feet, look in their ears, or groom them. The goal is to make these situations a positive experience, but at the very least, they should TOLERATE these necessary life events. Not teaching a dog how to release pressure, and ultimately how to handle stress appropriately, is doing them a major disservice.

Fair, predictable corrections, after a dog has a solid understanding of their training skills, does not shut down dogs. Unfair and unpredictable training does. It is our job to make sure we are teaching dogs how to navigate our world, and set them up for success. We love dogs. That's why we train them with evidence based training, in the hopes of making their world bigger, happier, and predicable.

How has balanced training changed YOUR dog's life?

01/01/2021

OWNERS FOUND!! Hey all, my parents had this pointy eared tiny show up on their porch about an hour ago. She has a collar with a tag but she wont let them get close enough to read it. My guess is she got scared by some fireworks in the area. Please share so we can get her home!

04/12/2020

Happy Easter friends!