Western Slope Canines, LLC

06/04/2026

I am sharing this not only for those that train and compete but also for all the SAR K9 teams out there. It’s not worth hurting or losing a dog over. Train very early in the morning or at night IF the temps allow it. Remember once they’ve had a heat related injury they will be more likely to suffer another one in the future due to the damage done to their system.

There is no specific temperature threshold exclusively defined for protection sports, but general veterinary guidelines indicate that temperatures above 75°F (24°C) require caution, 80–85°F (27–29°C) significantly increase heat risk, and above 90°F (32°C) is considered dangerous and should...

06/03/2026

05/12/2026

NEW CLASSES STARTING
Level 1 classes:
Monday May 18th at 6:00pm
Tuesday May 19th at 9:00am
Wednesday May 20th at 6:00pm

Don't miss out!!!!!!

04/30/2026

With more than 20 specialties and services under one roof, the Schwarzman Animal Medical Center is able to provide high quality collaborative care.

04/27/2026

Reposting our most shared info piece each year!

Get all the detailed information on preventing and treating heat injury in working dogs in our webinar in YouTube. (link in bio).

04/17/2026

Congratulations to all my clients for doing these things!!!

Sometimes the most exhausting thing you can do for your canine friend isn't a long walk, but a simple session of problem-solving right in the living room.

1. Try the muffin tin challenge by placing a few treats in the indentations and covering them with tennis balls, which forces your dog to use their nose and paws to uncover the rewards.
2. Engage them with a towel roll game where you scatter kibble along a towel, roll it up tightly, and let them figure out how to unspool it to get to their snack.
3. Keep these sessions short, around 10 to 15 minutes, because intense mental focus can be just as draining for them as a vigorous game of fetch.

Mixing up these quiet activities helps keep their mind sharp and prevents the restlessness that often leads to chewed slippers.

04/17/2026

Calm, quiet, confident leadership

We started it.
We didn’t mean to.
We may not have even realised we were doing it. But we set the steps in motion.

Our dogs can be incredible predictors and we can give them the tiniest of signals.

They feel the leash shorten. They hear that breath catch in the back of our throat. They can even sense our heart rate climb.

To them, these aren't just movements, they're predictions.
We are unintentionally whispering, "Get ready, something is coming" and their biology simply responds to the call.

This isn’t about guilt or blame. Wayyy too much of that in the dog world.
It’s about the incredible, sensitive connections we share. When we realise that we are the ones starting the countdown, we gain the power to stop it.

The tighter grip when we see a dog, that’s a classic.
We do this to prepare for the possible.
That’s just it though. Is it going to happen or have we now started cueing our dogs into action because we have set the sequence in motion?

For some, giving the trigger a name can help. For others, again that is another cue.

Look hard at what you could be doing that can contribute to their emotional state.

Removing that one signal can be incredibly powerful.

04/17/2026

I used to watch dog owners do everything "right" — treats ready, calm voice, patient approach — and still see their dog fall apart.

The missing piece? They were working *over* threshold without realising it.

Desensitisation isn't just about exposing your dog to scary things. It's about exposing them at the right intensity, for the right duration, and reading the subtle signs that tell you when to push forward — and when to back off.

Emotion changes first. Behaviour follows. And if you skip that part, you're not building confidence — you're just hoping for the best.

I've put together an infographic that breaks the whole process down visually — threshold, progression, stress signals, and how counter-conditioning fits into the picture.

Save it. It's one of those resources you'll come back to. 🙌

And if you want me to walk you through it properly, I made a full video on desensitisation and counter-conditioning 👇
🎥 https://youtu.be/Vza6suguWaA

04/17/2026

The best approach? None.
None at all.

I want a dog to feel safe.
Secure.
To understand, clearly, that I am no threat.

And the quickest way to do that?
Take the pressure right off.

No reaching. No leaning in and no stepping into their space.

Because the moment you move toward them, or bend down in an attempt to connect with them, you’ve already changed how it feels for them.

Dogs don’t need us to prove we’re friendly.
They need us to be non-threatening.

There’s a big difference.

And this isn’t just about them.
It’s about you too.

You may know nothing about this dog. That matters.

If you crouch down right in front of them, you’ve just put yourself in a compromised position.

Your centre of gravity is now off.
Your movement will then be slower.
Your ability to step away quickly is reduced.

If this dog reacts?
You’ve lost those crucial seconds and your face is right there directly in front of theirs.

So, try this instead

Turn your body.
Stay upright.
Give lots of space.

Let them decide if they want to come closer.

Because the clearest and best message you can send a dog is this:
I’m not here to pressure you.