It’s Liberty Pooch’s 10th Anniversary!
It’s hard not to get emotional this month. April is bittersweet this year: Liberty Pooch turns 10 years old, but it is also Poyo’s birthday (he would have been 14) and 1 year anniversary of his passing.
It is very difficult for me to talk about Liberty Pooch without talking about Poyo, as they are intrinsically tied together. Even though it has been a year since he passed, it still feels fresh. I feel like I relive the day and days leading up to it every single day. The impact on Rob and I has been monumental.
10 years ago, I lost my cousin Michelle – she was Poyo’s original mom. What I thought then was the lowest point in my life, led me to make the decision to quit my job, take a leap of faith and pursue something that made me happy: hanging out with dogs (especially Poyo).
What I have learned over my 8 years of working with puppies, shy, anxious, and reactive dogs is that these are the 4 most important components involved in training your dog:
Choice
Trust
Empathy
Patience
This is my approach to dog training. When I have more time I will elaborate, but for now let me share this little video I made of one of my more recent success stories. Meet Mika!
LIBERTY POOCH TURNS 8! Today is also Poyo's 11th birthday! Poyo and his mom, my cousin Michele, were the main catalyst for me making the decision 8 years ago to leave my job and try my hand at dog walking. I still remember the night before I handed in my resignation I couldn't sleep and tossed and turned thinking if I would actually go through with it. Here we are 8 years later: Rob joined the business FT 6 years ago, we have the best team in the biz (Auntie Bekah and Auntie Kelly), and we have cared for 100s of dogs over the years. Through this business we have raised many good boys and girls and met many amazing people who are not just our clients but some of our very good friends. It is because of you that we were able to rebuild after the pandemic forced us to close and start the business from scratch, that we continue to have the business we do, and have such a great community of like minded dog lovers. We are are eternally grateful for you, your fur baby/babies and your continued support. With much love and thanks , Auntie Helga, Uncle Rob, and Poyo
A couple weeks ago a lovely reporter from @thetorontostar @jessicadeehumphreys found me via #libertypooch and asked if the girl in the this Toronto Star archive article was me. Keep in mind she has never met me, because I'm sure all of you who have are thinking the same thing: SHE LOOKS THE SAME. Yes, I'm sadly aware that I still look like the chubby 9 year old version of myself *sigh*. It brought back many fond memories of my cousin Ava and I, as well as my childhood growing up as a first generation immigrant in the burbs. It also made me reflect back and realize why I love to celebrate every single holiday: wanting to belong, acceptance, and finding joy in everything. Thank-you so much for writing such a lovely article and reminding me of some good times @jessicadeehumphreys
READ ARTICLE HERE
*also don't forget our LV howloween pawty is this Friday Oct 28th at 630pm @boneandbiscuitlibertymarket
#myhalloween
The only canada Pooch jacket I like https://ca.canadapooch.com/products/peak-performance-dog-puffer-vest
RC Pet https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B07GVS8R1C/ref=cm_sw_r_apan_glt_i_0T99QPG0DQBTDG4C6VN0
Rukka Dog Rain Jacket Drizzle Waterproof Reflective Adjustable Waist and Collar with Rear Leg Straps for Cold Weather and Rain (25, Pink) https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B07C453PQF/ref=cm_sw_r_apan_glt_i_HXXRE6RWY39JVA8JY5TP
A BIG thank-you to all of our friends and family for making this happen!
Liberty Pooch has won the #torontostar #readerschoiceawards Platinum Award in the dog walking services cateogy and I won the Platinum award and Rob won the Gold Award in the Dog Walker category.
Words can't express how grateful we are to all of you for your continued support! We would not be here if not for all of you!
THANKS to my hubby for continuing to support me, being so great with the dogs, and being the best papa to poyo!
SPECIAL THANKS to the Best Community Ever #libertyvillage #earpers #libertypoochviparents
Click! Click! Click! Click! That’s the sound of your pet coming toward you from the next room. Although you’re thrilled to see them, that noise is likely an indication that your furry friend’s nails have grown a bit too long and it’s time for a trim.
Many pet parents dread cutting their pet’s nails. It’s the one grooming task that presents the small chance of causing pain, and no one wants that. Unfortunately it’s a task that must be done on a regular basis (depending on your pet, every 2-8 weeks) and I’m here to tell you why it’s so important for their health and how to do it in a safe and comfortable way!
Our companion animals nails are composed of two major parts – the quick, the blood supply and nerve that nourishes the nail in the same way our cuticles do, and the horn-like material of the nail itself that protects the quick. Just like us, our animals don’t have any feeling in the nail itself, but the quick transmits sensation back to the brain and also bleeds quite a bit when cut.
When trimming the nail, you should stay far enough from the quick that you won’t risk cutting it and causing your pet (and yourself!) pain, but cut close enough that the quick doesn’t continue to grow. Once the quick is exposed to air – but not cut – it will begin to recede to its natural state, rather than becoming so long that it reaches the end of the natural nail, making trimming almost impossible without cutting it.
Long, unkempt nails not only look unattractive, but over time they can cause serious damage to your pet. When your dog’s nails curve downward so far that they touch the ground it changes the way that they walk. From their toes curling just a bit too far back they have to accommodate their gate all the way up through the legs to the hips, ending with their spine! Long term, this pressure can actually realign their joins and cause a whole host of musculoskeletal issues. This is especially dangerous in longer bodied dogs like Dachshunds, Corgis and Basset Hounds, but every dog will experience discomfort from this in the long run.
A lot of urban dogs walk and run on concrete so much that they naturally wear their nails down so that they don’t click – but don’t be deceived! They still need to be trimmed regularly. If you leave them to wear down on their own, the quick (the little vein that we’re all so afraid of hitting) will become overgrown and it will be very difficult to clip back when you do go in for a trim. Regular trimming will prevent overgrown quicks by regularly exposing the area to air, helping it to recede.
In extreme cases, overgrown nails can curve and grow into the pad of the foot. But even if they are not that out of control, long nails can get torn or split, which is very painful and, depending on severity, may need to be treated by a veterinarian.
If you let your pet’s nails get so long that the quick must be cut, not only is it very painful for your pet, but it’ll run you a hefty vet bill as they are typically sedated to do so. The vet will clip the nail back to the correct length and cauterize each quick. The paw will then need to be bandaged for a week or so until the nail grows back around the end of the quick to protect it. Any contact to an exposed quick is not only painful to the animal, but risks causing a re-bleed.
In the end, unattended nails create a vicious cycle; the extra-long nails make any contact with the paws painful for the pet, they avoid having them touched, which leads to unpleasant nail-cutting sessions, which makes both human and pet avoid them, which leads to longer intervals between trims, which leads to more pain.
Our Nail Trimming Services are available exclusively to our Liberty Pooch VIPooches. Book your Nail Trim directly via the app!
KATY VAN
This post was written by Liberty Pooch Pack Leader Katy Van.
Working in the industry for 5+ years, Auntie Katy has a wealth of knowledge regarding many facets of animal care.
Certified in Pet First Aid, Companion Animal Health and Nutrition, Combating Puppy Fear as well as having 5+ years of fostering cats and adoption counselling with Toronto Cat Rescue, Katy is committed to continuing to grow her knowledge base to always remain one step ahead and give the best possible experience to all of her furry friends!
