November Drop-In Sessions

These sessions are for past clients who have finished our group training OR clients looking to complete their 4th or 5th class.

Drop in Session's are weather dependent. If it is a blizzard, high winds, Bad/Closed Roads, Temperatures below -30 degree's class will be cancelled. If you are not sure, please check back on a regular basis. It WILL be posted on this blog if it is cancelled.

**Due to our ever changing weather conditions, it is important that you come prepared to the classes- for your selves and your dogs. Please make sure you are dressed warm, in layers, and that your dog has sweaters/jackets on if necessary. Snow pants, layers, winter gloves and waterproof shoes are suggested.**

Do you want to know how to "Layer Properly" to stay warm? http://www.rei.com/learn/expert-advice/layering-basics.html

MOST DROP IN SESSIONS & EVENTS WILL HAVE PICTURES TAKEN AT THEM- To see these pictures please check out our Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/therufflife

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CLOSED FOR REMEMBRANCE DAY LONG WEEKEND! 

Furry Angel
by Christopher Dion

She is my guardian angel
Clad in 2 tone fur
Ever there beside me
In the darkness as in the light
Her nose ever seeks out
That which would destroy
She walks head long into danger
All to see me safely home
No gold or glory does she seek
Merely my love and a little praise
No truer angel has man ever known
Than this dog that walks beside me
In this far off foreign land

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Kal Tire Place Drop-In Session- FINISHED

Time & Date: Tuesday, November. 12th at 6pm

Place: Kal Tire Place back bottom parking lot.(Formally the Wesbild Centre & the Multiplex) 
Bring: Treats (No kibble), long leads, training collars if necessary, dogs favourite toy (as long as you can carry it), jackets for dogs if necessary. 
Price: FREE
Working on: Confidence Boosting Drills, Distractions/Games, distance, informal commands, recalls, manners & socialization and problem behaviour.

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Downtown Drop-In Session FINISHED

Time & Date: Sunday, November. 17th at 6pm

Place: Meeting at the Wholesale Store across from Earls  

Bring: HIGH Value Treats (NO KIBBLE), regular leads, training collars if necessary, jackets for dogs if necessary, reflective clothing/ light up collars is always great for safety!

Price: FREE 

Working on: Confidence Boosting Drills, Distractions, informal and formal commands, desensitizing to cars, people, sounds...etc, working with sensitivities and problem behaviour.

~ The world is our playground ~

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Kal Tire Place Drop-In Session FINISHED

Time & Date: Sunday, November. 24th at 6pm

Place: Kal Tire Place back bottom parking lot.(Formally the Wesbild Centre & the Multiplex) 
Bring: Treats (No kibble), long leads, training collars if necessary, dogs favourite toy (as long as you can carry it), jackets for dogs if necessary. 
Price: FREE
Working on: Confidence Boosting Drills, Distractions/Games, distance, informal commands, recalls, manners & socialization and problem behaviour.

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Annual Christmas Light Up Drop-In FINISHED

Time & Date: Friday, November. 29th at 6pm
Meeting Place: Beside Nolan Drugs Pharmasave
Bring: Treats (No kibble), Regular leashes, Training collars & jackets/sweaters for dogs if necessary... feel free to dress your dog up to ring in the Christmas Season.
Price: FREE
Working on: This is a family event. We will be socializing and desensitizing our dogs to the sights and sounds of Downtown Christmas Light Up. There will be tons of distractions including large crowds, bonfires, loud noises, and horses. We will be touring up and down main street checking out the festivities.

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Bark N' Fly Drop-In Session~ Kelowna FINISHED

Vernon Clients & Kelowna Clients BOTH Welcome.

Time & Date: Sunday, December.1st at Noon

Place: Bark N' Fly Dog Daycare & Boarding Kennel. 5830 Old Vernon Road, Kelowna, BC.

Here is a map: https://maps.google.com/?cid=17980200039719654970&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=&ll=49.966101,-119.368966&spn=0.008613,0.015149&z=16&iwloc=A

Bring: Treats (No kibble), long leads, training collars if necessary, dogs favourite toy (as long as you can carry it), jackets for dogs if necessary. 

Price: FREE
Working on: Confidence Boosting Drills, Distractions/Games, distance, informal commands, recalls, manners & socialization and problem behaviour.

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Downtown Drop-In Session FINISHED

Time & Date: Thursday, December.5th at 6pm

Place: Meeting at the Wholesale Store across from Earls  

Bring: HIGH Value Treats (NO KIBBLE), regular leads, training collars if necessary, jackets for dogs if necessary, reflective clothing/ light up collars is always great for safety!

Price: FREE 

Working on: Confidence Boosting Drills, Distractions, informal and formal commands, desensitizing to cars, people, sounds...etc, working with sensitivities and problem behaviour.

~ The world is our playground ~

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Kelowna Downtown Drop-In FINISHED

Vernon Clients & Kelowna Clients BOTH Welcome.

Time & Date: Sunday, December. 8th at Noon

Place: Meeting at the Sails, Kelowna Waterfront Park

Bring: Treats (No Kibble), Regular Leashes, Training collars if necessary, Money for parking

Price: FREE

Working on: Confidence Boosting Drills, Distractions, informal and formal commands, desensitizing to cars, people, sounds...etc, working with sensitivities and problem behaviour.

~ The world is our playground ~

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Kal Tire Place Drop-In Session

Time & Date: Thursday, December. 12th at 6pm

Place: Kal Tire Place back bottom parking lot.(Formally the Wesbild Centre & the Multiplex) 

Bring: Treats (No kibble), long leads, training collars if necessary, dogs favourite toy (as long as you can carry it), jackets for dogs if necessary. 

Price: FREE

Working on: Confidence Boosting Drills, Distractions/Games, distance, informal commands, recalls, manners & socialization and problem behaviour.

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HORSE DRAWN SLEIGH RIDES FULL~ TAKING WAIT LIST

with Wild Horseman Sleigh Rides~ SilverStar

(Limited Space Available~ Please email Monique to hold a spot- monique@therufflife.ca)

Time & Date: Saturday, December.21st at 3pm

Place: Silver Star Mountain Resort

Meeting Place: In front of the Ticket Office

MAP of Village: http://www.powderhounds.com/site/DefaultSite/filesystem/documents/TrailMaps/Silver_Star_Village_Map.pdf

Bring: Treats (PLEASE BE SURE TO BRING HIGH VALUE TREATS! NO KIBBLE!), Regular Leash, Layered Warm & Waterproof clothing, Jackets for dogs (optional), Winter Boots, $ for food/coffee & price of admission. Feel free to dress your dog up ;) it's almost Christmas!

Price: 

Adult: $25

Child (2-13): $15

Dog: $15

Working on: We will have a "drop in session setting" and then carry on to the horses. Dogs will need to learn to behave around the horses and stay calm in a moving sleigh. We will also tour around the village before the tour begins, this will allow us to get our dogs in a calm state for the Sleigh Ride. 

More Info: This spectacular 45 minute tour meanders the back trails to the Wild Horseman's Cabin where you will enjoy delicious mug of hot chocolate and cookies.

Hackles does NOT mean aggression...

We get asked about dogs hackles ALOT in training. Most people believe it is because there dog is being aggressive- and that is not so!

Hackles are an involuntary body function called Piloerection. Dogs get piloerection when they are in a state of arousal/when there is an adrenaline rush. 

Piloerection can be caused by excitement, stimulation, arousal, being startled, fear or interest.

This is a great article~ make sure you have a read so you have a better understanding of your dog!

Why Do Dogs Have Hackles?

By Ruthie Bently

All dogs have hackles and they run from the dog’s neck, down their backbone and to the base of their tail, sometimes even the shoulders. One of my dogs actually had hackles that started at the base of their skull and went all the way down their back and partway down their tail. The first time Smokey saw horses, he sniffed the air in their direction and his hackles rose to their full extent on his back. He didn’t bark or growl at the horses as he approached them and he didn’t race up to them, so why did his hackles rise? Put it down to a simple case of curiosity. Smokey saw these huge creatures who smelled funny to him, and he was trying to assess the situation before taking action. Since I wasn’t worried, neither was he.

When a dog’s hackles rise it is called piloerection. It is similar to the hair going up on your arm, your head or the back of your neck and is an involuntary reaction to a situation. It is theorized that piloerection happens when there is a rush of adrenaline through a dog’s system. Hackles may rise on a dog’s entire body or just in one area, depending on the situation. This should not be confused with a Rhodesian Ridgeback’s ridge. This is a particular feature indicative of the breed and even some Ridgeback crosses.

Piloerection can be caused by excitement, stimulation, arousal, being startled, fear or interest. It is rare that hackles are raised in an aggressive manner, though it does happen. A hunting dog’s hackles may rise when they are pointing a bird or catch a whiff of a pheasant in the brush; they are stimulated and react accordingly. An intact male dog scenting a female in heat in the neighborhood may raise his hackles in his arousal. A dog’s hackles can rise involuntarily due to a loud clap of thunder that startles them. Even the excitement of greeting a family member or canine friend can cause the hackles on a dog’s back to rise.

Small dog or dogs that are fearful may raise their hackles when they meet another dog and it is thought they do this to try and make themselves look taller to the approaching dog. It reminds me of what my cats did when I brought my first puppy home. They puffed themselves up and looked so huge the puppy backed up in terror. While it was funny to watch, I had my hands full trying to calm the poor puppy and soothe the cats. A dog smelling an unfamiliar wild animal in their territory at night may raise their hackles and growl a warning to “stay away.” A puppy raising its hackles may do so because it is unsure how to react to a situation or change in its surroundings.

The best thing for a responsible pet owner to do is to be aware of your own dog’s body language and be in charge of any situation you and your dog are in. The next time you go walking with your dog or to the dog park, watch your dog and how they react to other dogs they meet. Watch both the dogs and their communication with each other. Watch not only their hackles, but their tail, eyes, ears, body posture and facial expressions. For more helpful tips on this topic, read Linda Cole’s Body Language of Dogs. By understanding your own dog and their body language, you are a step ahead of the game.

November 5th Drop-In

These sessions are for past clients who have finished our group training OR clients looking to complete their 4th or 5th class.

Drop in Session's are weather dependent. If it is a pouring rain, or high winds class will be cancelled. If you are not sure, please check back on a regular basis. It WILL be posted on this blog if it is cancelled.

**Due to our ever changing weather conditions, it is important that you come prepared to the classes- for your selves and your dogs. Please make sure you are wearing warm & water proof clothing if necessary. **

MOST DROP IN SESSIONS & EVENTS WILL HAVE PICTURES TAKEN AT THEM- To see these pictures please check out our Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/therufflife

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DOWNTOWN DROP IN 

Time & Date: Tuesday, November. 5th 6pm

Place: Wholesale Store across from Earls - 

Bring: HIGH Value Treats (NO KIBBLE), regular leads, training collars if necessary.

Price: FREE 

Working on: Distractions, informal and formal commands, desensitizing to cars, people, sounds...etc, confidence boosting and problem behaviour.

~ The world is our playground ~