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June Newsletter!
Welcome to Quinte Canine's newsletter. This a great place to be the first to know about upcoming classes, dog events, student brags and get fun and informative training information.
In this issue: Upcoming Classes, Tug Power Workshop, Upcoming Community Events, Student Brags, Super Sniffer and DOT Success & More!
Letter from the Editor
Dear friends,
With the nice weather flipping on and off again like a light switch, its hard to tell if we are entering summer or if winter if this is all just a bad dream we will wake up from soon, in the deep dark corners that is February. Being poured on at Barks by the Bark Canine Festival followed immediately by a glorious and sunny day seems a little like a sick joke from mother nature. I hope the light is switching on often enough to nice weather for you that you can get out on some amazing adventures with your pooches! Summer is also a great time to have fun trying something new! Want to learn some tricks or give your dog a job? Our upcoming summer classes, although limited and filling fast, are listed below.
Unfortunately there are only so many hours in the week and all of our Basic Obedience classes this summer have filled. With that said we are working on adding many more for late August and early September which will be available in the newsletter in one short month. We are also adding some one time summer workshop with the first being Tug Power and others being added in the coming month! Also as promised, Part 2 of our Finding a Rescue article is below.
Also below you will find the flyer for the upcoming Open House for Northumberland Veterinary where you can come and watch the Super Sniffers as we complete demonstrations throughout the day! We hope for nice weather, dog smiles and fun for you this month and hope to see you this summer!
Your friend,
Yvonne Ferguson, CPDT-KSA, CTDI
Certified Professional Dog Trainer – Knowledge & Skills Assessed, Certified Trick Dog Instructor,
Behaviour Consultant - Quinte Canine
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Upcoming Classes!
Since you are one of our lucky newsletter subscribers I am offering you the first opportunity to register for upcoming classes with us! Because classes are limited they can and do fill very quickly. To be fair to all, we cannot hold spaces without completing the registration process. All classes are designed for dog and people friendly dogs who are up-to-date on core and rabies vaccinations.
If you have a dog with special needs please contact us to discuss how we can work with you.
Puppy Class
For puppies under 5 months of age who have received at least their first set of vaccinations. $100+HST
Trenton - 3:15pm - Tuesday July 2, 2019 (July 2, 9, 23, 30, Aug 6 & 13 - no class on July 16)
Trenton - 7:00pm - Tuesday July 2, 2019 (July 2, 9, 23, 30, Aug 6 & 13 - no class on July 16)
Belleville - 7:00pm - Thursday August 1, 2019 (Aug 1, 8, 15, 29, Sept 5 & 12 - no class Aug 22)
Basic Obedience
For dogs over 5 month of age who are up-to-date on vaccinations and are dog and people friendly. $120+HST.
Sorry but all summer classes are currently full
Basic Scent Detection - Level 1
For any dog with a nose! The dogs in this class learn to search and find target scents in hidden locations. Students build confidence to work up to competing with their dog in the Sport Detection Dogs Association trials or Canadian Kennel Club trials. This is a great class for dogs of all ages, breeds, special needs and personalities and helps to provide great mental stimulation! $120+HST
Trenton - 5:45pm - Tuesday July 2, 2019 (July 2, 9, 23, 30, Aug 6 & 13 - no class on July 16)
Basic Scent Detection - Level 2
For any dog who has completed Basic Scent Detection Level 1! $120+HST.
Belleville - 8:15pm - Thursday August 1, 2019 (Aug 1, 8, 15, 29, Sept 5 & 12 - no class Aug 22)
Intermediate Scent Detection
For dogs who have completed Basic Scent Detection Level 1 and 2. $120+HST.
Belleville - 5:45pm - Thursday August 1, 2019 (Aug 1, 8, 15, 29, Sept 5 & 12 - no class Aug 22)
Novice Trick Dog
Novice Trick Dog classes are designed for any dog and people friendly dog! Absolutely any age, breed(s) and abilities can learn some fun new tricks! Learn over 25 tricks in this class. All dogs that complete the Novice Trick Dog Class are eligible to receive their Novice Trick Dog Title (NTD). $145+HST which includes the trick dog title fee.
Trenton - 8:15pm - Tuesday July 2, 2019 (July 2, 9, 23, 30, Aug 6 & 13 - no class on July 16) - this class is currently half full
Workshop - Tug Power!
A one-hour workshop for you and your dog! This workshop is designed for dog and people friendly dogs of all ages and abilities. Current vaccinations are required. Pre-registration is required and spaces are very limited! $20 including tax. (See flyer below)
Belleville - 4:30pm - Thursday August 1, 2019
Stay tuned for more upcoming one time, 1 hour workshops to be announced in our July newsletter!
Registration
To register for any of the above classes visit: https://www.quintecanine.com/registration
Once payment is made and the registration form has been received, we will process your class enrollment and send you an email with all of the details and class handouts.
Previous students: if you have completed a registration form in the past you do not need to complete one again unless your information has changed or this is a new dog. Please just email us to register.
Classes are limited in size to provide dogs and handlers with maximum learning opportunities. Because they are limited they often fill quickly. In the very rare case a class does not fill with the minimum number of participants (50%) we may choose to postpone, reschedule or cancel classes. Should this occur, we will provide the option to participants to apply their class registration fee toward the postponed or rescheduled class, an alternative class or provide a full refund.
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SEEKING: New detection practice locations!
Quinte Canine Scent Detection Students (aka the Super Sniffers) are looking for new and different locations to practice the amazing sport of scent detection! Once students complete classes they are able to join the Super Sniffers (which is a practicing club) and we schedule 3-4 practices per month.
If you have a location (this could be a business, building, home, cottage, etc.) that you would allow our amazing dogs to practice in please let us know by email quintecanine@hotmail.com. It is important for the dogs to get into new locations as often as possible to keep their skills sharp, learn new skills and build confidence.
Practices are normally held on Wednesday (daytime) and Sunday (daytime) but other days can be worked out. This is a great opportunity to learn more about the sport and get a firsthand look at how it all works!
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Yvonne is proud to be teaching again this year at Mr. Spot Dog Camp in Kingston Ontario. This all inclusive week long camp is filled with fun, learning and games for you and your dog!
The camp is designed for dog owners who love to have fun with their canine companion. With over 20 daily activities the schedule includes something for dogs of all ages, big and small, junior and senior, purebred and mixed breed. Taking place from July 14-20 and located on the grounds of the St. Lawrence College Residence in Kingston, ON, the one-week camp includes:
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6 nights accommodation in the college residence for you & your dog
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private bathroom, mini fridge & A/C
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three meals daily, Sunday evening to Saturday check-out
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over 20 different dog-sports and fun activities to choose from, starting with beginner levels! ( agility, obedience, show handling, CGN -CKC testing onsite, rally, freestyle, barn hunt, scent detection & more)
Contact Quinte Canine today to receive a discount code for $100 off camp!
For more information and registration visit: http://www.mrspotdogcamp.com/
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Finding a Rescue - Part 2
Supporting the Adopter
by Yvonne Ferguson, CPDT-KSA, CTDI
You are scrolling through Facebook and up pops the most beautiful face you have ever seen, and the caption says something like "adopt me" or the like. Your friend from miles away has shared a local rescue dog to their page and it was meant to be because it came up on your timeline when you where looking to adopt. Reading further it says that the foster home reports the dog is friendly with cats, children, people, etc. Wonderful; as you have 2 kids and 1 cat. It was mean to be right? Well....maybe.
This same scenario above was the conversation I had with an adopter who called looking for help. The above story was told and she went on to say that the dog is now growling and lunging at her 4 year old son, avoids her 14 year old son completely and has sent the cat to the emergency veterinarian due to a severe attack (the cat is now healed and doing well); the new adopter was in tears. My head dropped down as we spoke further and her story unfolded before me. As it turns out the 'foster home' the dog was placed in only had the dog for less then a week, had a 15-year-old female daughter living at home and a quiet cat who mostly kept to the basement were the dogs did not go. The foster knew little about dog body language and only reported what they saw from the dog. The rescue then embellished the information online to secure an adoption. The adopter went on to explain she emailed the rescue right away, scared for her children and cat, the rescue did return that one email to explain that she should hire someone to help her. The adopter then continued to ask in emails and left voicemails to ask for referrals and finally for the rescue to take the dog back due to the danger her home was in and feeling ill-equipped to handler the situation (just days after the dog coming home). After the initial email from the rescue advising she should get help (a very un-empathetic single sentence email) no further emails or calls from the rescue where ever returned, leaving this adopter terrified for her family, feeling alone and scared for the new dogs future.
Although the vast majority of rescue organizations are amazing, it is important that an adopter do their due diligence prior to taking a dog home so they do not land in a similar or worse situation in the future. We hope to shed some light on what to look for and questions to ask a rescue to guide your decision to take home your future dog.
When investigating a dog and rescue be sure to check and see if the rescue works with a qualified trainer or behaviour consultant in one way or another. This does not mean that each dog through the rescue needs to be assessed but does the rescue have a relationship with someone qualified whom they can turn to in tough cases or ask questions. Does the rescue members or its fosters receive any training in dog behaviour? We are not looking for persons with degrees in animal behaviour (although they make amazing fosters) but do the foster families and/or rescue staff get quality information or some kind of training in dog body language and behaviour. Even the basics of body language and behaviour can make a world of difference; and keeping that information current and science-based is critical.
It is also okay to ask a rescue how long a dog has been in a foster home. This may give you a good idea of the observation period the dog has been under. Although the rescue cannot give out the information of the foster family, information can be obtained such as: exposure to all types of persons (men, women, male and female children and youth, seniors, persons with disabilities, etc.), behaviour in town, in the country, in general public places and other situations you can think of. Getting answers to these types of questions is important for you as the potential adopter and also shows the rescue you take adoption seriously. This does not mean that a poor outcome to an answer or a 'we don’t know' is a red flag, it just means that you as the adopter must be prepared to either evaluate if it is the correct dog for you or if you are willing to complete management and behaviour modification if needed.
Also ask the rescue what their protocol is for after care. Will they provide you with a referral to qualified help in your area if the need arises? Do they have support for you or complete check ins with you after your new dog comes home? Although we always hope for perfect outcomes and have all seen the great online videos of adopters and their adopted dog living happily ever after, in rare cases it sometimes does not work out. If a serious behaviour issue was to come up that place the dog or others in the home at risk, would the rescue take the dog back into their rescue? Many adopters may be afraid to ask this question, in fear of being denied adoption, but if we all begin the conversation in hopes of improving the lives of dogs, we know we are doing right by those dogs.
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What looks like a dog, eats dog food, lives in a dog house and is very dangerous?
A dog with a machete.
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Student Brags in May!
Puppy Class Belleville - Oliver, Jasper, Gracie, Logan, Teddy, Higgins, Stoke, Tilly & Bailey
Novice Trick Dog Belleville - Tilly, Ruth, Mabel, Tux, Fender & Ice
Basic Obedience Belleville - Max & Jack
Basic Scent Detection 2 Belleville - Daegan, Freya, Chloe & Otis
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Community Events
You won't want to miss the fun!
Strut for Strays
Saturday June 1, 2019 9:30am - 4:30pm
This annual Walkathon and Pet Festival is fun for everyone! Activities, contests, prizes and fun! Visit https://www.fixedfurlife.com/strut-for-strays/ for more information.
Raise the Woof Comedy Show & Auction
In support of the Quinte Humane Society!
Friday June 7th at the Banquet Centre in Belleville! Tickets are only $30 for a fun night of laughs and amazing silent auction! For more information please visit: https://quintehumanesociety.com/raise-the-woof.php
Tickets are now on sale and selling fast! Quinte Canine will have a reserved table and if you would like to join us please email us as soon as possible to reserve your seat!
Quinte Ride for Paws - Annual Poker Run
Sunday June 16th - Centennial Park Trenton
An annual motorcycle ride to raise funds for animals in need! Collect pledges, ride and have fun! Or come out to visit the vendors and cheer on the riders! For more information please visit: https://www.facebook.com/events/2320454081532997/
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Quinte Canine Student Titles, Extra Q's and Special Awards 
