Walks 'N' Wags Pet First Aid: 2013 In Review

2013 was one of the most exciting years in Walks 'N' Wags Pet First Aid history.

In February, we announced our new partnership with RC Pet Products, and released the Canine Friendly Pet First Aid kit. The compact, durable kit was successful beyond our imagination and we are pleased to continue to work with RC Pet Products moving ahead.

In March we exhibited at the Vancouver Pet Expo. This was the first of many Pet Expos our Instructors attended, including Delta Community Pet Expo, Calgary Pet Expo, Ottawa Pet Expo, and many others. As you can see from these Vancouver Island Pet Expo pictures, we love chatting with new faces at these types of events!


We also worked remotely when we packed up the WNW dogs and headed south - driving all the way to San Diego, CA. It was an amazing journey and we stopped to visit a number of our friends made from World Vets International along the way.


In April we hosted a Pet First Aid Instructor course in Calgary AB. This was an incredible group, and the candidates have now moved on to become successful Instructors in 4 Canadian provinces.

In May (and throughout the year) we accepted a number of candidates into our Distance Learning Instructor program. The Distance Instructor program has been incredibly successful and has helped us add Instructors into regions that we might otherwise not have been able to touch. One example is new Instructor Sherri Bushee of Imprint Dog Training in Milton, Vermont USA.

In June we partnered with Modern Dog and Modern Cat magazines for a fun giveaway. In fact, we ran giveaways all year long! Some on our own but also with Trupanion Pet Insurance, Animal Wellness Magazine, Happy Pups Clothing, Sparky Snacks, and several others.

In July, Operations Director Lisa Wagner visited Granada Nicaragua to completed Animal Disaster Response Training with Rescue 3 International and World Vets. There Lisa learned the ropes (literally) of both land and water rescue. She also taught the course's CPR component. Lisa subsequently wrote an article about her experience in Black Cat White Dog News, along with other articles published in Canadian Dogs Annual and other international magazines.



In August, we received an email from a previous course participant named Anna. Anna told us simply "I wanted to let you know that your course saved my dog Dougal's life."

Dougal survived a case of bloat thanks to Anna's quick recognition of the symptoms and taking timely action. This email wasn't the only one we received, you can see more testimonials HERE.











In September, our own Chief Dog Officer Tux graced the pages of Modern Dog Magazine in an article focussing on why black dogs are often overlooked and shouldn't be.

We also rolled out our new Walks 'N' Wags "Certified" stickers. We had lots of participants send us photos proudly displaying their stickers, like this one from Bow Wow Haus Broadway in Vancouver, BC.

And of course, Tux and team Walks 'N' Wags participated in BC SPCA's Paws for a Cause event, and were 2nd highest fundraiser for our event. BC SPCA is one of the many charities that Walks 'N' Wags supported in 2014.

Later that month and in early October Instructor Louise Yates of K-Lane Kennels in Kronau, SK and Operations Director Lisa Wagner headed to Cusco, Peru with World Vets. There, they worked alongside a team of 14 to provide free spay/neuter and Veterinary care.

In November, staff dog Buddy retired after 13 years of hard work. He is currently lying on a couch enjoying his newfound life of leisure.

Also in November, we hosted the Vancouver Instructor Course. The candidates travelled from several Canadian provinces and are well on their way to becoming Instructors.

December was a busy month with 12 Walks 'N' Wags Instructors collecting charitable donations for charities in their communities. Our 2nd annual Holiday Charity Drive was a great success, with an estimate of about 1800 items collected.


December was also an exciting month for Walks 'N' Wags Instructors in particular. This month we provided our Instructors with a new "Instructor logo", and also negotiated a great new business insurance plan on their behalf. Then, at the tail end of the year, we launched an exciting new partnership with Trupanion Pet Insurance. Trupanion will now waive the full $35 enrollment fee to current graduates of Walks 'N' Wags program (contact us for details). Before heading off for the holidays, Tux and Buddy sent some holiday cheer to our friends at Walks 'N' Wags.

As we bring in the New Year, we are working on a number of new projects. We'll be hosting an Instructor course in Hamilton Ontario in May, rolling out another exciting new product with RC Pet Products next month, and have a new program in the works. As in previous years, in 2014 we will continue to donate to, and participate in programs that assist animals in need. We've always got something up our sleeve and can't wait to share it with you.

Thank you for being an important part of Walks 'N' Wags Pet First Aid! We couldn't do it without you.

Sincerely,

Lisa Wagner and team
Walks 'N' Wags Pet First Aid

A Letter to SAINTS Rescue From Our Chief Dog Officer "Tux"

Dear SAINTS,

Monday December 23rd marks one year since I moved out of my home at SAINTS and into my forever family. For Christmas, I thought I’d share with you what I’ve been up to these last 12 months…

It all started when Lisa and her family came by SAINTS to visit with some donations they’d collected in December 2012.

Well to make a long story short, we fell in love that day (see how much she loves me!).

On December 23, 2012 I danced a “goodbye” for Carol and a little scared but optimistic I set off for my new life.

Wow! I had no idea what I was in for! First, the kids showed me around the house, it was almost Christmas so everything was decorated.

On Christmas I got my very own stocking! I was so honored!

Then we packed up and drove to the mountains for the most amazing holiday ever. It was there that I first learned that I liked to snowshoe! I even tried ice fishing!

Then we came back to the city and I started my new job. That’s right, I have a real full-fledged job! I am “Chief Dog Officer” at Walks ‘N’ Wags Pet First Aid. I get to teach pet owners the ropes of Pet First Aid!

And in my spare time, I volunteer at BC SPCA children’s camps teaching them the same thing.

I also did my first road trip in March! Me, my 2 adults, 2 kids, and dog pal Buddy drove all the way to San Diego, California. Boy was it fun! Check out some of the cool stuff I did.


In the summer I did some more trips to the mountains. We had lots of fun and as you can see, by then I’d shed a few pounds. Oh, and I became a model, check it out!

I also dropped by for a visit at Saints Open House!


I forgot to mention that I have 2 cats in my house. At first I was kind of scared of them, but over the last few months we have become friends.


Oh, and I still like to burrow in the bed like a frozen mole. Fortunately my family doesn’t mind.

So, as I prepare to spend another Christmas vacationing in the mountains I wanted to say “Thank you” again. For all the years you loved me and for knowing when the right family came to take me home. I couldn't be a happier dog and I wouldn't be here without you.

Love forever your SAINTly friend,

Tux Wagner (aka Joey)

Grooming: What does it have to do with your pet's overall health?

You may or may not know that Prevention and Early Detection makes up roughly 50% of the Walks ‘N’ Wags Pet First Aid curriculum. Why? Because we don’t ever want you to need your Emergency Pet First Aid skills!

One topic we discuss is the importance of regular grooming of your pet. Many people think of grooming as a bath and a possible haircut. However, the concept of grooming an animal doesn’t only include keeping its fur clean and cared for. It also includes assessing and potentially attending to its skin, nails, ears, anal glands, and more! Pets should never look like the image below, this is painful and has numerous negative consequences. Please ensure you are proactive with your pets' health, they are your best friends after all!

(photo from reddit.com)

Walks 'N' Wags Instructors and our friends at Aussie Pet Mobile Canada weigh in on the importance of grooming:

SKIN
As Instructor Trish Seal from Little Wiggles Dog Grooming in Terrace, BC says, "An important function of a regular grooming program for your pet is concerning air circulation to the skin. Lack of air circulation can lead to a multitude of health problems including matting, and skin problems that in extreme cases lead to overheating, sores and infections. When a dog (or cat) is on a regular grooming schedule it serves to remove dead hair from the coat promoting air circulation which also helps in temperature regulation and over-all excellent health."

Aussie Pet Mobile Canada seconds Trish’s sentiments, saying “Regular brushing with the right type of brush for your pet’s coat, helps to remove dead skin cells, distribute natural oils and release any loose hair before it can fall to the floor or start to create a knot. Whether your pet sheds or not, regular brushing also stimulates circulation which is essential to skin health.” They also add another important benefit: “Your pet will love you even more for it!”

(Image courtesy Aussie Pet Mobile Canada)

EARS
A regular visit to your groomer may point to other unexpected health discoveries as well. And in this case, as Vanessa Johne, owner of Best Friends Pet Care in Vancouver, BC shares, your dog walker can also be a good source of information! Vanessa explains: "We walk an adorable little West Highland White Terrier several days a week. One day when we arrived for his regular walk, we noticed he had developed a very slight head tilt. It was so slight the owners did not notice it. Upon closer inspection, we found that he had an infection in both of his ears, it was so severe that the canals were swollen shut. His people were so appreciative that we had discovered his ear infection. With prompt veterinary intervention (oral and topical antibiotics) he made a fast recovery. And I'm sure he felt a whole lot better too!"

(Photo courtesy Little Wiggles Dog Grooming)

OTHER AREAS
We of course, can’t forget the other important body areas that a groomer reviews such as the nails, anal glands and fur. As Calgary Instructor Ellis van Schuur says: groomers can find “ lumps and bumps” that owners may not have detected. She has also seen “dewclaws so long they would have grown into the legs/paws if we hadn't cut them”. Ellis also stresses that groomers can find other undetected ailments such as ear infections, hair mattes, and impacted anal glands.

A groomer doesn’t just make your pet look and smell good! Your groomer can also be a great wealth of information regarding your pet’s overall health and wellbeing. A list of Walks ‘N’ Wags Pet First Aid Certified groomers is available at: http://www.walksnwags.com/participants.php

(Photo courtesy Little Wiggles Dog Grooming)










Sincerely,

Lisa Wagner
Operations Director
Walks 'N' Wags Pet First Aid
www.walksnwags.com

Why I unexpectedly adopted a senior dog and whether I'd do it again.

Never in a million years did I think I would adopt a 10 year old dog.

My home already housed myself, my husband, my 2 small kids, and 4 pets, all of whom have a unique story:
1. Buddy, dog age 15 (a wary feral dog I adopted at the age of 9 months in 1999 after deciding no one would ever adopt him)
2. Kitty, cat age 14 (adopted in 2000 at the age of one. Chosen not only for her sweet demeanour but because she had overgroomed all of the fur from her legs and tail from stress. I just couldn't leave her!)
3. The Bun, rabbit age 12 (adopted in 2002 at the age of 7 months. She bit like a vampire and wasn't a cute "baby" anymore, someone had to give her a chance!)
4. Kermit, cat age 7 (adopted in 2005 as a kitten. My friend Jen was fostering a litter and Kermit's back hips were not fusing so he couldn't walk properly. Everyone in the litter was adopted except for him. I went to visit him and keep him company one day...and ended up adopting him!)

I've always known that my pets had one thing in common: they all had special issues that drew me to them. But until recently I didn't realize they had one more commonality: they were all young when I adopted them.

So, why adopt a senior? Here's my story:

It all started in December 2012 when Walks 'N' Wags ran our first annual national Holiday Charity Drive. In Vancouver, I approached my colleagues at The Pet Shop Boys to see if they wanted to work together to benefit SAINTS Rescue. SAINTS is a senior rescue based in Mission BC. The facility is beautiful and gives senior animals a chance to live out the final chapter of their lives surrounded by love. Some lucky pets are even adopted out by those wanting to bring a senior into their lives.

The Charity Drive was successful beyond what we could imagine! After picking up all of the donation items from The Pet Shop Boys, I drove with my husband and 2 children out to SAINTS with the goods. They were holding a tour that morning and we happily followed volunteer "Laura" around the facility "ohhhing" and "awing" at all of the sweet animals. In the bedroom was a gang of little dogs, all of whom looked to be about 100 years old. They were adorable! When I sat on the bed to say "Hello" to them, one chubby black and white Chihuahua X sat down beside me, leaning into me and giving me several big kisses. I had my husband take pictures of us together.

We got into the car and started talking about our visit and I brought up the little Chihuahua X. You see, my husband and I had been discussing adding a new dog to our family for awhile. Buddy, my "Pet First Aid demo dog extraordinnaire" was in his twilight years and although he still joined me in Pet First Aid classes, I could see he would soon be ready to retire. My husband had always only wanted one dog so I figured I needed some "legitimate" reason to hit up for a second dog! So I had been working on him for some time. Having said that, our lives had changed since we adopted Buddy. We now had 2 small kids added to the mix and 4 other pets. We couldn't add just any animal that I fell in love with to the family, it had to be just the right one.

So...I tread lightly on this one. "He was sure a cutie hey?". "I wonder how old he is?". "He looked so young and perky to be a senior!". "He seemed pretty friendly I bet Buddy would like him!" And finally: "Maybe we should see if he is up for adoption?" We looked online as soon as we got home. PetFinder said the little guy was named "Joey" and that he was 4 years old. Perfect! A friendly adult dog would be a great fit in our house. I read on to see that Joey also "came with" a second dog (age 10) who he'd lived all his life with. Yikes! Unfortunately I could not invite 2 dogs into our home.

I contacted SAINTS to ask why the dogs came together as a package. Was it important not to split them? That's when I got the REAL news, that the PetFinder link was grossly out of date. Joey was actually now 10 years old, not 4. His companion Peluchi was now 16. SAINTS had taken them both in when Joey was 3 years old when their original family had moved away. They were adopted out together when Joey was 5 but returned a year later when Joey was deemed to have a peeing problem. For the last FOUR years they had both lived with the kind folks at SAINTS. I was told that although SAINTS had been trying to keep the dogs together, Joey was now much more active then his very senior counterpart. Apparently they didn't spend much time together anymore. We could adopt Joey but if he became depressed he had to be returned. And I had to understand he had a peeing problem that would not go away. Oh, and I was reminded of course that he was 10 not 4!

My thoughts, "A 10 year old dog? I already have a 15 year old dog and 14 year old cat, do I want another senior?". My husband worried it would be hard on the kids to potentially lose 2 dogs within a reasonably short time. And of course, can we afford the Vet bills for all these seniors? What about the peeing problem?

For two days, we discussed all of these issues amongst ourselves and with our 2 small children. At the end of the day, a decision was made. Something about Joey had stood out above and beyond all the others. I had seen many dogs while on international World Vets volunteer trips and in our local shelters and none of them had called to my heartstrings like this little Chihuahua had. Age was only a number. This dog was THE dog. Discounting him based on age would have haunted me forever.

We contacted SAINTS and planned for Joey's pickup. We brought him some treats and he danced a little "goodbye" for Carol, the head of SAINTS (see here)

When we got home, Joey was informed that he would now be called "Tux" (picked by the kids, short for Tuxedo as per his colouring).
Tux had many little surprises for us:

1. He walks beautifully on a leash
2. He doesn't shred our furniture! Or shoes!
3. He can be left alone at home without being crated
4. He brings us a toy and dances everytime we get home
5. He burrows in our bed like a frozen mole
6. He gives the best stinky-mouthed doggy kisses EVER
7. He is just plain silly and makes us laugh everyday!

Oh, and did I mention he never got depressed? And that he has peed inside only twice in 36 days? And that despite being a chubby guy he was diagnosed with Hypothyroid and is actually quite athletic? He's already happy but is also well on his way to being slim and healthy too!

Never once have I questioned our decision. Nor has my husband. In fact, we've wondered what we did without Tux all these years!

Would I do it again? In a heartbeat!

Lisa Wagner
Operations Director
Walks 'N' Wags Pet First Aid