Sweetest surprise ever to see Nelly the Bernadoodle with a bow in her fur. I did remove it during her dog walk to ensure it came home :) Nelly is a wonderful dog and I can't wait to see her again this week- bow or no bow … but hopefully WITH bow!
Welcome Sadie the Labrador Retriever and Brett the Pawrent
Sadie completed her first week of dog walks with K9 Kate's last week and rocked it!! She is incredibly sweet, good-natured, and pretty much melted the hearts of every dog walker/owner she met … including mine! Brett, thank you for choosing K9 Kate's as Sadie's dog walker. I'll do my best to fill Jill's shoes!
Goodbye is too Painful, Dexter: See You Later Hurts Less
At best, a goodbye is not an easy thing. Saying goodbye to Dexter as he leaves today for Calgary, his new hometown, feels crushing. Dex has walked with with me from the beginning, each and every day, and spent approximately 1/3rd of the last year living with me as his mom honored an unintended great love with a man living in Calgary.
Dexter was with me through the loss of a family member and the birth of another. In true Dexter form, he ate an entire cheese plate at my Nephew’s briss - jumped up like a great white shark and “GWAP!” Given the time we have spent together, it goes without saying that I feel extremely close to Dexter. I love him.
Dexter is such a special dog. The shining example of his kindness was when I brought him to Phoebe’s puppy visits while transitioning her to dog walks. Phoebe felt it would be fun to jump on Dexter’s head … for a full half hour. He didn’t correct. He knew her age and, in this moment, he acted as father.
Dexter is not only kind, he is HILARIOUS. He chooses to sit on the car floor so that his head rests exactly where he can receive rubs while I drive. As this happens, he, without fail, smiles at me, knowing he got the best seat in the house and taking pride in his secret massage. He also pulled me across Christie St. for old pizza and across Bloor St. for an empty bag of wonder bread.
I could go on and on (and on) when it comes to Dexter and all of the reasons I love him and it wouldn’t do him justice. I’m truly just grateful I got to be his dog walker over the years.
D, D Man, Dex, Dexorcist .... I will take your mom up on her offer and I will see you in Calgary. I love you so much, big man!
To start the Dexter slideshow, please click on the first picture. More pictures headed to Instagram @k9katetoronto now.
Doggy Life Vests: do the impossible, stay safe and take the plunge!
Bulldogs, while strong and muscular, risk sinking like stones upon entering the water. Baxmax is no exception. The dilemma: Baymax LOVES to swim. This doesn't surprise me; having been Baymax's dog walker for nearly 4 months, I know the extant of his tenacity and determination. I also know how much his incredible parents want him to live the fullest, best life possible.
The solution: a life vest for Bay. This picture was taken last week at Cherry Beach where Baymax was the belle of the beach. As I watched Baymax swim and saw the incredibly joy on his face, I felt touched. I believe so much in Baymax and am grateful that his parents chose K9 Kate's as his Toronto dog walker.
I've included a link to an excellent summary and analysis of life vest options for our furry friends. Toronto dogs, whether you're a Dane or a French Bulldog or a Pug, you can do anything you set your mind to!
https://www.lifejacketadvisor.com/best-dog-life-jackets/
King West: We are (offically!) Dog Walking in Your Area
Over the past few months, I began taking on King West clients here and there. In each and every case, these pups were referred to K9 Kate's by either a client, another Toronto dog walker, or a dog trainer. Given these dogs had been referred, and they're freaking adorable (I am human after all!), I happily agreed to sign on as their dog walker. So let's just make this official! If you live on King St, between Spadina and Shaw and you need a dog walker or dog trainer, we're here to train, love and adventure dog walk your fur baby!
www.k9katespetservices.com
Picture of the Week: The Toronto Doodle Romp and Why I DM Pix
At the end of each day, K9 Kate's human clients receive a picture of their pup's dog walking adventures. This routine began from day one, with one client, and has continued past day 700 (what?!?!) with over 30 (double what?!?!) dog walking clients.
I know it's not necessary and it does take time and, as a small business owner, time is truly the most important commodity in my life. However, this end of day ritual has lasted because it is valuable and not just for my clients; I mean, what could be better than seeing your dog having fun and getting love with his friends during his adventure dog walk? That's rhetorical, by the way :) For me, this exchange matters because it keeps me connected with my humans- we SHARE the joy in seeing the pictures, in knowing how their dogs are doing, who they're bonding with and so much more. Through these exchanges, bonds form and friendships forge.
One such friendship is with Tara, dog mom to Phoebe. Tara helps organize the Toronto Doodle Romp, which is where this photo was taken. It was such a special day; imagine 100s of Doodles congregating and romping at Cherry Beach. Clearly, as this picture shows, I certainly enjoyed myself. A picture is worth 1000 words. Even if K9 Kate's does keep growing and reaches 80 dogs, I'll be sending these 1000 words to clients as often as I can. Thank you Tara for the words in this picture
Welcome Olive the Minidoodle, Melissa and Michael the Paw-Rents
Yes and no. Yes, I am even MORE seriously considering renaming K9 Kate's to K9 Kadoodle :) No, I can't handle the cuteness that is OLIVE!
Melissa reached out last week after being referred by the amazing Stephanie Tran of When Hounds Fly. Stephanie is a trainer with whom I've shared a particularly positive working relationship. We first connected about four months ago when a dog who was working with Stephanie joined our pack. From day one, Stephanie was beyond receptive to keeping me posted on her own work with the dog and to receiving updates from me. The implications of working with a dog trainer like Stephanie cannot be understated; as a result of her commitment, this very social dog can partake (more like rock out, really!) in offleash dog walks.
As a dog walker and the owner of a mid-sized dog walking company, I do determine which pet care professionals I work with and refer to. I will always, in a heartbeat, refer to Stephanie Tran and her When Hounds Fly family. Stephanie - ok, love fest coming- is super accessible, positive, and embraces the same team mentality I personally subscribe to.
Stephanie, you rock!
Olive, you are a very delicious Goldendoodle. I see some sassy doodleness in you and, well, I LIKE it! Melissa and Michael, thank you for letting me be Olive's dog walker. Melissa, I promise to love this "Angry Bird" each and every walk.
Welcome Nelly the Bernadoodle, Rob and Ariel the Parents
I am thrilled to welcome Nelly the Bernadoodle to K9 Kate's. She completed her first week of dog walks on Friday, and now she's flying airplanes. Ok, ok, so only one of these things is true ... it's dog walks, people!
Rob reached out to K9 Kate's after being referred by our friends at In the Lead Dog Walking. Like us, In the Lead provides Toronto dogs with a strictly offleash dog walking service. It is a company that I happily refer to anyday when receiving requests West of our service area (e.g. Leslieville, Corktown). If you have Google searched Toronto Dog Walker, live in those areas, and are reading this, I definitely recommend these guys!
Back to Nelly Belly :) Given Nelly is so young and a dog park/dog walk novice, I kept her on a short, trailing leash for her first dog walk. This allowed her to still run but enhances safety; if Nelly were to, for instance, run towards a potentially problematic situation, I can interrupt this much more effectively by reaching for her leash, not her. I HIGHLY recommend anyone with a dog who is a puppy, new to park or simply working on, for example, resource guarding to do just this!
Importantly, by dog walk number two, Nelly no longer required a trailing leash ... yeah, girl!!!! Nelly is an offleash ROCK STAR! She runs and plays with the other dogs beautifully, is highly social, inquisitive and, well, freaking adorable.
Rob and Ariel, thank you for reaching out and letting me be Nelly's dog walker!
Pictures of the Week: Why hello Georgia, Gert, Spruce and Phoebe!
Picture of the week, picture of the week where art though? I'll admit I've not been too diligent - ok, ok, I've been slacking - when it comes to posting our picture of the week for the past month. It's certainly not for lack of wanting; this is truly an amazing group of dogs and I want to share our days with the community.
Where it gets complicated: since founding K9 Kate's, I've habitually sent updates and pictures directly to doggy parents. I like this personal touch and know they do too; not only can they see their dogs while apart, we are able to stay hyper connected when it comes to doggy goals, progress, highlights and the like. This is absolutely a dog walking company that emphasizes this type of relationship; at the Meet and Greet, I always ask the doggy parents to outline goals for his/her dog that I, as dog walker, can help facilitate. This is very much an actively mid-sized dog walking company where client/walker relationships are able to remain quite close and things like goals are addressed.
For the past few months, I've been doing my very, very best to post on social media (Instagram) so that other dog parents and lovers can see these amazing dogs in action. However, for someone whose bio includes a mention of how much she actively avoids screen time, I end up with quite a bit of it! While I can't imagine a cuter, more fun, and fur-ocious group of doggos to show off, I can spend up to 2 hours/day doing so if I post on Instagram as well ... this seems a tad excessive!
So, I will do my very best to get back on track with blogging our days as I LIKE doing so ... but weekly may be too much :)
In these pictures are: Georgia the Bernadoodle, Spruce the GSP, Gert the Cockapoo and Phoebe the mini Goldendoodle at Coronation Park, where I suspect we'll be from about 9 am onwards today; by the lake with a fountain that's ready to go ... swoon!!!
I hope everyone enjoys the upcoming long weekend and the extra time with their dogs. I'll be up north with K9 Kate's doggies, Phoebe and Dexter, and dog mom, Tara. And yes, it means a lot to me too that through personal notes, real friendships with wonderful clients like Tara evolve. Have a good one!
Welcome Scout the Portuguese Water Dog and Sarah the Dog Mama
Oh boy. Not only is Scout awfully adorable, she's sweet, playful and a perfect addition to our pack. Sarah reached out last week after hearing about our walks at Seaton Village's local vet, Bickford Animal Hospital. I am so happy she did. Scout is an offleash dog walker's dream; she's come to play and, well, we've got an awful lot of guys and gals that would be more than happy to help her out with that :) Sarah, thank you for reaching out. I am thrilled to be Scout's dog walker. I promise to love her and can't wait to see the joy in her face as she explores Toronto's incredible dog parks with her new friends. She is about to enter a very enriching world and you'll get daily pictures so you can see your fur baby living it up with her friends. I'm excited for Scout ... and for me 'cause, as was mentioned, she's this dog walker's dream dog .
Welcome Shep the German Shepherd and Dog Parents Taylor and Chrissi
Oh boy, two amazing pups joined dog walks this week and I am thrilled to welcome this DUDE ( a dude, not a DOOD). Shep, a 3 year-old rescue dog, is sure to melt hearts this afternoon when he has his first K9 Kate’s adventure dog walk.
His parents, Taylor and Chrissy, reached out a few week backs after being referred by a client who’s dog I’ve walked since his puppy days, Chester.
Shep is this dog walker’s dream: full of beans, sweet, and our first German Shepherd. I’ve always had a majour crush on these guys and am so happy to finally be one’s walker.
Shep, I cannot wait to cuddle and love you and give you a good run this afternoon. Taylor and Chrissy, thank you so much for reaching out and letting me be Shep’s dog walker!
Welcome Beethoven the Goldendoodle and Esther and Claudel the Dog Parents
Ok ... I can't be the only Beatles' fan looking forward to saying Roll Over, Beethoven! I'd like to extend the biggest welcome to Esther, Claudel, and Beethoven, a 14 week mini-doodle, who will graduate from puppy visits (with Honours, no doubt) once he's completed his vaccinations.
Esther reached out to inquire about puppy visits last week and I’m so happy she did. Not only is Beethoven in our dog walking service area (Little Italy), he is a Mini Goldendoodle (woot woot!!!) and, at this point, K9 Kate’s ought to be renamed : K9 Kadoodle! Check out our social media and you’ll see what I mean :)
I am MORE than ok with this: I adore the Doods and am so grateful to be their dog walker. They are the perfect breed for park and adventure dog walks; typically playful, social and with endless energy. Beethoven, I can see already that you possess these qualities and are going to thrive with our group. Esther, thanks so much for letting me be your dog walker. I can’t wait to show this Dood off!
Picture of the Week
I love this picture of Retrievers Oakley, Maggie, Dexter and new friend Martha taken at Seaton Village's local dog park, Bickford. Tongues are out as temperatures rise but, thankfully, the water is back on at most parks (ahem, Stanley Park, we're waiting for you!). I am one lucky dog walker that I get to hang out these guys each and every day! Enjoy your weekends and your fur babies; they really are just the best!
Welcome Zipper the Yorkiepoo and Rose and Sydney the Dog Pawrents
Oh, the irony: just yesterday, I wrote a blog post outlining key tips on returning dogs home clean following inevitably messy, Spring dog walks. Today, I write an official welcome to the delicious Zipper, a dog who spends his day with his lovely parents at their upscale Queen West clothing store, Sydneys.
Thankfully, I do keep baby wipes in the car and promise Zipper will always be returned clean to Rose and Sydney at their shop. I also promise that he will return with a smile and enahnced courage in knowing he has ventured out with his new friends to Toronto dog parks.
Zipper had his first K9 Kate's dog walk yesterday. We went to Coronation Park, an offleash dog park at Toronto's waterfront. I was hugely impressed with him. Zipper is 9, new to pack walking, and very attached to his parents. As would be expected, it took a few minutes to show total comfort in a new environment BUT that's all it took. Zipper is clearly a confident dog, as well as a loving and loved one. I am so happy Rose reached out and that I get to be Zipper's dog walker. He is a wonderful dog with equally lovely parents.
Zipper, I look forward to many dog walks ahead and, yep, love you already, little man. Rose and Sydney, I look forward to testing my dog cleaning capacity because your store is too beautiful for a muddy pooch, even if he is insanely cute and sweet. Thank you again for letting me be Zipper's dog walker.
Keeping Your Dog Clean in Springtime
I love this picture of Golden Retrievers Dexter (left) and Oakley, taken at Seaton Village's local dog park, Bickford, last week. I adore the way Oakley is sticking his tongue out and both dogs are waiting to do what their breed requires: RETRIEVE! I, on the other hand, am anticipating (dreading, really) what every Toronto dog walker must come Spring: lots of clean up.
I find the following helpful and hope you do too:
1. If a dog is muddy, wait for the mud to harden then comb. This is particularly useful when cleaning long haired dogs like Dexter and Oakley.
2. Baby wipes aren't just for human babies: these are AMAZING for removing dirt from your fur baby. Dirty paws have the potential to wreak the most havoc on your home. Baby wipe your dog's paws and save your sofa!
3. Use a paw washer. There are many on the market but I recommend the Dexas Pawbuster, which can be purchased online. As was mentioned above, clean paws = saved sofas.
4. Know the challenge and be preventative. Most dogs, at least among those who walk with K9 Kate's are easy to clean as they have short hair. A quick rub and Fido is home looking fresh as a daisy. Long haired dogs? Not so much. If it is a particularly wet Spring day, we will venture to a wood-chipped dog park, like Coronation, and avoid the ravine at all costs. Bringing a Golden Retriever or Goldendoodle to the ravine on a muddy day would be, well, messy!
5. Towels: Every K9 Kate's client leaves a dog towel at the door, alongside their dogs' harness. This way, each pooch can have a second wipe down before being returned home. Keep a towel at YOUR door. Spring is messy. Your home doesn't have to be.
Toronto dog walkers (and dog owners) can either fear or embrace each season and the challenges it presents. So, grab your baby wipes, combs and towels and have fun out there! We certainly will be!
Welcome Spruce the German Shorthaired Pointer and Dog Paw-rents Michael and Alex
I first met Michael and Spruce about 1 month ago in Stanley Park. Spruce immediately hit it off with our dogs and vice versa. Since then, Spruce and Michael have been the unofficial 5th and 6th Beatles on our dog walks; we see them so regularly that they've truly become a part of the group. Tomorrow, Spruce has his first OFFICIAL dog walk with K9 Kate's. Spruce, your friends and I can't wait to see you in the morning! You are a sweet, smart, playful and clearly adorable little dude who adds so much to our group.
Picture of the Week: Happy Friday!!
Go Baymax Go!!!!!!!!!!!!! Baymax has been with K9 Kate's for a few months now. I had mentioned when he first joined that he had been struggling. Thanks to a confluence of factors (age, switching Baymax to a morning group, etc.) Baymax is thriving. Importantly, Baymax's success is also rooted in When Hounds Fly trainer, Stephanie Tran's, eager willingness to partake in a regular dialogue about how "our" mutual dog was faring. Communication between dog walker, dog trainer, and dog parent is essential in setting up a pooch for success. As a result of strong communication (and Bay just being a freaking amazing dog), Baymax can run and jiggle with his doggy friends daily at Toronto's offleash dog parks. Bay, we love you cheeky boy!
Stop an Electrical Fire and Save a Dog's Life: All in a Day's Work for a Dog Walker
Earlier this week, I went to return Black Lab, Maggie, to her Seaton VIllage home following her daily dog walk. When I entered, I noticed immediately that the house was hazy and the smoke alarm was going off.
I searched the house to see if I could find the source of the fire. I could not.
I know that Maggie's dad, Rob, owns the house and rents out his basement unit. I called Rob and told him the situation and asked if there was any way to enter the basement. He informed me that it could be opened from inside the house. Fearing a hot door handle, I kicked the door open and there it was: smoke everywhere, lights flashing. I called 911 and ran out of the house. The firemen arrived immediately. About one minute after their arrival the tenant's Goldendoodle sprinted out of the house; she was in the basement!!!
Because I arrived within an hour or so of the fire beginning, there is minimal damage to the tenant's unit and the rest of the house is unaffected. More importantly, everyone including the dogs, is safe and sound.
Dog walkers care so much about the dogs they walk and the people they work with. It is so disheartening how rude people can be to people in our profession. Yesterday, I was actively condescended twice. All you can do is try not to let it break your spirit and know that those who are snarky are unhappy in their own lives.
As I've said in earlier posts, my company motto is : "Work with difficult dogs, not difficult people." There are 30+ dogs on the K9 Kate's roster and I actually adore all of their parents. They are kind and respectful. Now, to get that, I fire clients and don't take on ones that are controlling, condescending or mean spirited. If I'm willing to jump into a fire for you, I at least expect kindness in turn! Civilians, be kind to dog walkers. We do so much for this city!!!
Picture of the Week: Happy Friyay!
Get it, girl! I love this picture of the morning group leashing up after Friday's dog walk at Coronation Park. I had suggested a group shot and smiled, only to see that the amazing Jess was standing in some whacky pose. So we went for it: air high five, and job well done.
I am fortunate to own a company that regularly receives referrals from clients, other dog walkers, and even our local vet, Bickford ... woot woot! As a result, it's been a long time since I felt that "getting" dogs was an issue. The bigger problem lies in "getting" amazing dog walkers.
I feel so blessed that Jess was looking when I was hiring. Dog walks are more fun together; more doggy friends can see each other as we can each bring 6 dogs to the park, and we, as dog walkers, can see more of OUR doggy friends too. We get along so well because we DON'T "hang out" with each other at the park; we hang out with the dogs! It's what drew us to each other initially and has never changed.
Knowing I have such amazing people and puppy clients and a staff member like Jess, I also know that yesterday was, indeed, a Happy Friday.
Happy Birthday Winstonnnnnn/Winnie!
Happy Birthday to Winston the Weimaraner! Winston joined dog walks with K9 Kate's Pet Services nearly one year ago Every day, I look forward to Hurricane Winston: the most excited greeting a dog walker could ask for in which Winston runs down his stairs like a Retriever chasing the last ball on earth AND said ball happens to be stuffed with Peanut Butter. As a birthday present from us to him, Winnie will spend the day with me and his friends on a double walk (The Dublinsky), on da house, Winstonnnnn!