Kind Animal Services

05/18/2025

Some know that I adopted a dog actually before losing Kira, my Mal. This guy, Wylie, fell right into harmony with our household. Kira liked him before she passed and since she has been gone Wylie (AKA ) has been my truck passenger and constant companion. Because he is a small dog and I spend a lot of time with him hiking off leash I felt he needed some body-armor. He is now ready to take on the wildlife and big rambunctious dogs like Krash or others we might meet on the trail with his . If you have a small dog that you walk in areas where there are other off leash dogs or wild predators I recommend you consider getting a vest for your dog. I have heard too many sad stories of small dogs getting attacked by (domestic) dogs on trails. Less are taken by predators but I have heard those stories too. It might not be the most stylish but it can save your dog’s life. (This post was not sponsored or promoted by CoyoteVest.)

05/04/2025

Custom puppy training programs. Looking for something different than classes? Something that considers your puppy’s age, development stage, breed, and unique personality… we offer totally individualized programs for puppies of all ages.

05/01/2025

EMERGENCY! Dog Lost hwy 26 and 216.
Her name is Lucy and her family is worried sick.
Female black med sized dog with a pink/red collar. Collar has a print on it up close but may look pink from afar.
If you are around the area and have seen her please contact +15037025466.

I’m praying she is makes it safely back to her family. Please share and help get this message to the right person.

04/30/2025

https://youtu.be/6ck9fa6_C8c?si=gWTQ-n1ucjyOAHjN

My guest is Dr. Karolina Westlund, Ph.D., a professor of ethology at the University of Stockholm and an expert in animal emotions and behavior who uses scien...

04/21/2025

Long before I was a trainer I was a groomer. I got to know the stress and fear dogs felt around grooming, the equipment, and handling practices groomers used. I was working for a company that had pressures and time constraints to get dogs done. I used to cry when I got home for all the dogs that were so desperate and so scared.

It was one of those stepping stones on my way to understanding behavior. Today I help dogs learn skills that help them feel more comfortable at the vets & groomer. For those interested in learning what they can do to support their dogs for groomer visits I suggest the free resource https://www.fearfreehappyhomes.com/.

If your dog’s report card from the vet or groomer mentions that your dog is stressed, aggressive, or otherwise struggling don’t put it off! They don’t just magically get better. Some groomers do offer grooming schedules where they groom more often and take their time. Vet clinics offer fun/happy visits for their clients. Please take advantage of these types of services whenever you can.

Then there are dogs like Bodhi (pictured) who has been labeled aggressive and even some professionals voiced their deep concern for his welfare. I can report, to those concerned professionals, Bodhi is willingly without restraint hopping on my grooming table, and letting me clip, scissor, and restrain him without struggle. He is free to leave the table anytime and he usually chooses to stay. While he definitely lets me know he is itchy and needs a break he remains relaxed while the clippers buzz by his ears, over his paws, or bum.

While KAS doesn’t offer grooming we will provide grooming training, and utility cuts to make sure the dogs don’t develop health conditions because of their lack of grooming. We will also work with your groomer to help them learn how to handle your dog stress free.

Groomers, owners, and vets please reach out to Kind Animal Services and let’s work together to reduce more dogs stress in our care.

For the record, Yes, dogs can and will give give consent even to sometimes uncomfortable procedures if we slow down long enough to let them.

04/17/2025

Krash returned to KAS no fault of her own. I had hoped the home fostering to adopt with would be the it! Life can be a real b**** sometimes and you meet the right person at the wrong time. NOW more than ever Krash must find a home that suits her she CANNOT stay with KAS forever, we are making some big moves and it would be best for her to find her own home. After further consideration I really think a home with another dog would be ideal but not mandatory. She needs space to play and romp. A huge yard or more. PLEASE consider this sweet gal for your family.

03/28/2025

After a heartbreaking return (truly for all of us) Krash is still looking for that perfect forever home. Please help spread the word. She needs a home located in a quiet area as we discovered the constant noise of human life is deeply disturbing for Krash long term.

She would well with a dog friend she can bond with, and trust me when I say, you will want a big yard for them to play in. This dog friend isn't mandatory but Krash will be so sad if she has to endure her beloved human companion having to leave for hours of the day and then have them return too tired to give her every ounce of attention and affection she needs I don't think she can survive alone.

Please share Krash with anyone you think might be interested.

Krash is an adoptable Dog - German Shepherd Dog searching for a forever family near Hood River, OR. Use Petfinder to find adoptable pets in your area.

03/27/2025

Meet Tucker,
This handsome guy stayed with me for about a week. He quickly earned his off leash adventure badge and didn’t have much to work on but continue to give him the experiences his adolescent mind craved.

There is one thing that is peculiar about Tucker. He is extremely physically sensitive. He loves a good massage when he is expecting it and in the mood but he gets overwhelmed by sensory stimuli easily. His harness feels icky to him. He is shy with hands reaching at him. A collar going over his head. I can only imagine what his reaction would be if we put booties on him.

That being said and because of this unique reaction to touch he is one case where I thought a thunder shirt might help him. Wow and did it! He would get over stimulated and seemed unable to settle in the evenings. As soon as I put the thunder shirt on he passed out snoring.

My goal with each dog I work with is to learn who they are and find a solution that will work for them. Each dog is an individual there is no one size fits all and Tucker is a perfect example of this.

03/26/2025

What’s the fun in stay clean and out of the mud.

(Yes that’s Krash and yes she is back and still looking for her forever home. More in that later.)

Boarding School was full today and what a perfect day to take the dogs out in the woods. Something all these adolescent trouble makers needed.

If you got a trouble maker I would love to help you and them get through this often challenging phase of life.

03/24/2025

If you know, then you know.
Consent is part of being a social creature.

https://www.facebook.com/100063568663018/posts/1218123590316585/?mibextid=rS40aB7S9Ucbxw6v

Consent-based care isn’t optional. It’s everything. And last week, someone I trusted chose to ignore it.

My beautiful, gentle 14-year-old Percy came home from his groomer shaking. She claims to use a force-free, stress-free approach. She does not.

Percy is deaf. He's partially blind. He's frail. And yesterday, someone I trusted to care for him with compassion chose to do the exact opposite.

I can't stop thinking about how scared he must have been.

Here's the thing about operating without force or fear - either you're doing it, or you're not. There's no middle ground. There's no "consent-based and compassionate, except when I'm annoyed or want to get the job done quickly."

We had discussed his boundaries extensively. He doesn't like his paws touched. His nails are sensitive. His muzzle and private areas are off-limits.

She knew I'd rather he come home half groomed than been forced through anything.

She KNEW all this.

And yet, for whatever reason, she did the opposite.

She shaved his entire muzzle. Shaved his private areas. Shaved his feet and clipped his nails. All the things we had explicitly agreed she would NOT do if he showed any discomfort.

To do this she would have HAD to restrain him, to force him, to subjugate him to a process that would have petrified him.

This wasn't an accident. This wasn't a miscommunication. This was a choice.

A choice to prioritize her process over my elderly dog's emotional wellbeing.

A choice to ignore his boundaries because they were inconvenient.

A choice to send a message: "Your dog's comfort doesn't actually matter to me, even though I pretend it does."

When a groomer, vet, trainer or any professional who works with dogs puts the end result above the emotional journey to get there, they are failing that dog.

Full stop.

I would rather have the scruffiest dog in town than know my boy spent even one minute feeling afraid and helpless while someone forced procedures on him.

I'm devastated that I couldn't protect him from this.

That someone who used all the right words - "low stress," "positive," "force-free" - chose to do the exact opposite the moment it became challenging.

When we talk about "consent-based care" for dogs, some people roll their eyes. "It's just a dog," they say. "Sometimes you have to just get things done."

But if you've ever looked into the eyes of a dog who trusts you completely to keep them safe... if you've ever felt the weight of that responsibility... you know.

You know that "just getting it done" isn't good enough. Not even close.

I don't care how perfect a groom looks if it came at the cost of my dog's dignity and trust.

I don't care how convenient it is to force a dog through a procedure instead of taking the time to build trust.

I don't care what anyone thinks about being "precious" with my dog's boundaries.

Because at the end of the day, I'm all Percy has. I'm his voice. I'm his advocate. And I failed him by trusting someone who used kindness as a marketing slogan rather than a genuine commitment.

To every professional working with dogs:
Words matter. Promises matter. But your actions matter most.

If you claim to be "low stress", "no fear" or "force free," but get frustrated when a dog doesn't comply, you're not what you claim to be.

If you advertise gentle handling but prioritize efficiency over emotional wellbeing, you're not what you claim to be.

If you think a result justifies trauma to get there, you're not what you claim to be.

All our dogs deserve better. They deserve practitioners who truly understand that consent isn't optional - it's everything.

You have the right to demand that of every professional in your dog's life.

Percy deserved better. And I'll spend every day making sure he never experiences anything like that again.

Because real love means respecting boundaries, even when it's inconvenient.

Real care means prioritizing emotional wellbeing over results.

Really working without fear isn't just marketing - it's a promise you keep even when no one is watching.

If the process isn’t kind, the result doesn’t matter.