O4K9

10/14/2026

Claw Trimmings Have Been Going Well

We don’t train the Quick.
We focus on making the dog more comfortable with the process. While you’re paying for a trimming, you’re actually paying for us to work the dog.

The idea is that, if the dog goes to a professional groomer in the future, they can have an easier time if a trainer has helped them through some of it. To achieve this, we would need 3-4 visits with the dog specifically for trimming the claws.

This makes the dog less likely to panic and aggress in the moment when the groomer or veterinarian needs to work with them. This makes safety the primary goal.

10/13/2026

Another reason to wait, or not get it done at all.

✂️🥜🐶 WHAT IF WHEN YOU SPAY OR NEUTER YOUR DOG MATTERS JUST AS MUCH AS WHETHER YOU DO IT?

Preventing unwanted litters matters. But is it time to rethink HOW we sterilize dogs? Hormone-sparing procedures, including hysterectomy and vasectomy, can prevent reproduction while preserving natural s*x hormones.

🔬 NEW 2026 PEER-REVIEWED RESEARCH

Over 10 years, researchers reviewed records from 56,254 veterinary patients, including 313 dogs with mast cell tumors and 638 tumor-free comparison dogs. The study was accepted for publication in The Veterinary Journal.

🤯 1. TIMING MATTERS!

Dogs spayed or neutered before age 2 had 343% higher odds of a mast cell tumor diagnosis compared with intact dogs. Dogs sterilized after age 2 showed no statistically significant increase.

🐕 2. SIZE MATTERS!

Compared with small dogs, medium dogs had 2.6 times the odds and large dogs 5.2 times the odds.

⚖️ 3. WEIGHT MATTERS!

Overweight dogs had 80% higher odds than dogs at an ideal weight.

🧬 4. BREED MATTERS!

Compared with mixed-breed dogs, American Pit Bull Terriers had 7.5 times the odds and Boxers 3.9 times. Some breed groups were small.

❤️ 5. WHAT ABOUT SURVIVAL?

Neutering status wasn’t significantly associated with survival after surgery. Tumor grade and size were more important predictors.

🔬 WHY MIGHT HORMONES MATTER?

S*x hormones influence immune function and development. Researchers propose that early hormone removal and changes in luteinizing hormone (LH) may play a role, but this remains unproven.

🐾 THE BIG TAKEAWAY

Preventing unwanted litters doesn’t always mean removing hormone-producing organs. It’s time for individualized conversations with veterinarians about WHEN and HOW we sterilize dogs.

📄 Download the FREE PDF with the latest research surrounding Spay & Neuter Syndrome. Link in comments!

10/05/2026

“He’s Friendly!!”

There is this strange sentiment that when someone’s dog gets loose, whether they escape the home/yard, or whether they somehow get loose of the owners grasp of the leash, that the dog runs over to someone or some animal and causes an issue, but the owner insists their dog is friendly and not a problem, “please don’t hurt her/him!”

1. You may know that your dog is friendly, but the other person does not. You shouldn’t assume they will agree with what you say when they’ve never met your dog before.

2. Your dog may be friendly at home. That means nothing if you go out and about and never contextualized other places for your dog. Your dog may appear friendly, but when people come over they are reactive and aggressing. This is actually a tell tale sign that your dog isn’t friendly, but the assessment that they are is actually, truly, manipulation, anxiety, etc.

3. You should expect and promote people to defend themselves against a predator they have no clue of its training, or its intentions, or its behavioral history patterns.

Instead, here’s what you should say:

“I’m so sorry, do what you need to do I’ll try to grab him/her!”

Love your neighbors and hold them in higher esteem than yourself and your dog.

10/05/2026

Kat is great at what she does.

Please apply if this interests you.

10/02/2026

Off-Leash Dogs In Moscow

Been seeing lots of dogs off-leash in Moscow around apartments, or at parks, that have no business being off-leash.

Usually I see the owners coming out in pajamas. The dog does their thing, maybe they are reactive somewhat, and then the owner yells and drags them away.

Folks, yelling and swearing at your dog isn’t control. Dogs are not robots. It’s not reasonable to think that “because nothing serious has happened, this is therefore acceptable behavior.” If you don’t know how to train and discipline your own dog, please don’t let them run amuck of the privileges we all share in this city.

Please don’t have your uncontrolled animal off-leash. Plenty of people are paying good money to have their dogs trained to be good members of society.

All of my clients are recommended to have bear spray on them. If you are foolish, your dog may wind up with mace in the face.

Don’t be foolish. Life is harder if you are.

10/02/2026

O4K9 Dog Daycare
Moscow, ID
Hours: 8am – 5pm
Your dog gets:
• 2 walks every day
• Multiple outdoor potty & play breaks
• Fresh water and food available
• Comfortable indoor space with A/C
Structured care from a trusted local trainer.
Book this service today!
👉 https://www.o4k9.com/services

(Need an earlier drop off time? Let us know!)

Explore our tailored dog training services, offering obedience training, behavior modification, and socialization for dogs of all ages and breeds. Achieve lasting results with our expert trainers!

10/02/2026

Mid-yawn

😂

09/28/2026

Irregular Bowl Movements & Anxiety

I have had several folks over the years talk about how they:
1. Can’t find food for their dog
2. Can’t potty train their dog
3. Can’t board their dog
Etc.

Because their dog pukes or has diarrhea all the time. They can’t seem to keep their food down. Some of these folks have spent thousands of dollars on vet bills getting the dog tested this way and that, having medications given to help. No real fix.

Not everything is solved by a visit to your local vet. Not everything is fixed by a change in diet.

Most physical and mental ailments are the direct result of poor leadership in the home. Yes, you can have a properly led dog, or even a poorly led dog, that the main issue with not keeping food down is a diet issue. We aren’t talking about exceptions or outliers.

The general reason a dog has severe separation anxiety, anxiety, and this results in inability to keep food down, (to say nothing of reactivity) etc. is because their owners aren’t leading them.

Many times the owner will resort in “feeding the beast”. This is when the owner gives the dog the world, whatever they want whenever they want, and the dog appears happy to our inexperienced eyes. Everything appears normal.

The moment the dog enters into a healthy environment, they freak out. When they go back to the unhealthy environment, they loosen up and likely defecate, or they shut down, etc.

Consider what rating a lifetime of McDonald’s does to a person, and what happens when that person begins to eat healthy food for the first time. The good thing often harms them in the process of helping.

Consider therapy for a person who has bad anxiety. That person appears fine so long as everything goes their way. The moment something doesn’t, they lash out, have an outburst, shut down, run away. The moment they reenter the bad environment and headspace, they go back to “normal” but usually collapse exhausted and have to recuperate for a time in order to “function” normally again. They aren’t functioning though, not normally at least.

“But I’ve never hit my dog. Why should he have anxiety because of me? I’ve only ever loved him and given him what he wants.”

And that is the primary problem.