Darcie Jennings's blog

Freedom is Earned, It's Not a Right

Darcie Jennings — Tue, 12 Apr 2016 01:11:03 +0000

I know how important it is to you to be able to give your dog(s) off leash freedom. And as a trainer, I want nothing more than to help you teach them to listen reliably when they are off leash.

You have to remember that your dog doesn't come hard-wired with an understanding of how to live safely in this world. He doesn't know cars could kill him and that he should look both ways before crossing the road. He doesn't understand the concept of property lines and boundaries and that wandering out of your unfenced yard is a faux pas and could potentially cause conflict with your neighbours.

All he knows is there is something really interesting over there and he sees no reason why he shouldn't go check it out. And because he's off leash, there's nothing stopping him from doing that.

What he needs from you as you help him learn those important boundaries is safe management. Quite simply that means that while you are in the process of teaching him to come reliably when called and to otherwise stay in close proximity to you, you keep him on a leash, long line, tether or simply put him away if you can't keep a close eye on him.

If you don't, continuing to let him run free and uselessly calling him when he doesn't or won't listen will allow him to rehearse and solidify the behaviours you don't like - such as ignoring you, running away, chasing after people or other animals and not coming when called.

It could even get him killed.

The bottom line is don't give your dog more responsibility than he is ready to handle right now or more than he actually knows how to handle.

Off leash freedom is earned, it's not a right. So unless your dog is in a safely fenced area, keep him on leash until he can prove to you that he's capable of handling more.

His life truly depends on it.

Darcie Jennings

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CommuniCanine's List of Dog Friendly Stores In and Around Greater Victoria

Darcie Jennings — Sat, 02 May 2015 23:37:08 +0000

This list was created by Darcie Jennings of CommuniCanine Training & Behavioural Counselling. Please contact me directly at [email protected] to have your store name added or removed from this list.

***PLEASE NOTE: Although these stores may be dog friendly, some of their shoppers may not be. Be courteous and respectful. Keep your dog on a leash beside you and under control at all times. And if your dog goes to the bathroom, it is your responsibility to clean it up. Let's do what we can to maintain the privilege of taking our dogs to these places with us.***

Dog Friendly Businesses - Brentwood Bay/Saanichton

All Pets Food & Supplies (East Saanich Rd)
BC Liquor Store (Wallace Drive)
Beacon Community Services Thrift Store (West Saanich Rd)
Buckerfields (Keating X Road)
Butchart Gardens
Canada Post Office
CIBC (Saanichton)
City Scribe Print & Stationary
CO-OP Gas Stations - the dogs are welcome inside (all locations)
Everything Old (7120 West Saanich Road)
Flying Fish Winery (#3 - 6782 Veyaness Rd)
Glo Hair & Body (West Saanich Road)
Home Hardware (East Saanich Road)
Law Office of Daleen A. Thomas (#4 - 828 Verdier Ave)
Royal Bank (7188 West Saanich Road)
Salvation Army (West Saanich Rd)
Save-on-Gas
Slegg Lumber (Keating X Road)
Windsor Plywood (Keating X Road)
Venture Supplies - metal roofing sales (6820 Veyaness Road)

Dog Friendly Businesses - Cordova Bay/Royal Oak

A Stable Way of Life (Mattick's Farm)
ArtSEE Eye Wear (Royal Oak Drive)
Bank of Montreal (4470 West Saanich Road)
BC Liquor Store (Broadmead Village)
BCAA (Broadmead Village)
Canadian Tire (Broadmead Village)
Cannor Nursery (beside the Howard Johnson Hotel)
Christie Phoenix Insurance (#101 - 4430 West Saanich Road)
CIBC (Broadmead)
CO-OP Gas Stations - the dogs are welcome inside (all locations)
Dig This (Broadmead Village)
Eclectic Vape (#205 - 4500 West Saanich Road)
Flower Affairs Florist (Royal Oak Shopping Centre)
Hallmark Cards & Gifts (Broadmead Vilage)
Heirloom Linens (Broadmead Village)
Liquor Plus (Royal Oak Shopping Centre)
Mark's Work Wearhouse (Broadmead Village)
Matticks Farm (5325 Cordova Bay Road)
Monk Office Supply (4430 West Saanich Road)
Pacific Telephone/Bell Mobility (Royal Oak Shopping Centre)
Penna & Company Kitchen & Giftwares (Broadmead Village)
Pets West (Broadmead Village)
Royal Bank (Broadmead Village)
Running Room (Broadmead Village)
Save-on-Gas
Scotiabank (5116 Cordova Bay Road)
Suzanne's & Jenny's (Broadmead Village)
Sweet Delights (Broadmead Village)
TD Bank (Broadmead)
Timeless Toys (Broadmead)
True Boutique (Broadmead Village)
Wildwood Nurseries (4660 Elk Lake Drive)

Dog Friendly Businesses - Sidney

Animals for Life Thrift Store (they have cats for adoption so dogs must be well behaved)
Arbutus RV (10040 Galaran Road)
Baden-Baden Boutique (2485 Beacon Avenue)
Barbara's Boutique (2392 Beacon Avenue)
BMO Bank (Beacon Avenue)
Bosley's (Bevan Avenue)
Bowlin Photo (Beacon Avenue)
Cameron Rose (Beacon Avenue)
Capital Iron (Beacon Avenue, No large dogs)
Cloverdale Paint (5th Street in Sidney)
CO-OP Gas Stations - the dogs are welcome inside (all locations)
Cottons and Blues (Beacon Avenue)
Flush (Beacon Avenue)
Harbord Insurance
Home Hardware (Beacon Avenue)
Island Blueprint (Beacon Avenue)
Itzyu Clothing (Fifth Street, Sidney)
Madrona Massage Therapy & Chiropractic - your dog is allowed in the treatment room with you (#2 - 2490 Bevan Ave)
Marks Work Wearhouse (Fifth Street)
Miss Bliss (2389 Beacon Ave)
Monk Office Supply (9839 Fifth Street)
Muffett & Louisa (Beacon Avenue)
Peden RV (10049 Galaran Road)
Pharmasave (Beacon Avenue)
Philosophy of Old (Henry Ave on the Industrial Side)
Pitt & Hobbs (Beacon Avenue)
Reigning Cats & Dogs (Fifth Street)
Richlock Rentals (10115 McDonald Park Road)
Royal Bank (Beacon Avenue)
Salon J (Beacon Avenue, dog friendly dogs only)
Save-on-Gas
ScotiaBank (Beacon Ave)
Sidney Beauty Salon (plaza behind Woodshed)
Sidney Feed Barn (McDonald Park Road)
Sidney Pet Centre (Fifth Street)
Sidney Pier Hotel (End of Beacon Ave on Seaport Place)
Simply Cremations & Funeral Services (#2 - 2075 Henry Ave)
Slegg Lumber (McDonald Park Road)
Sparling Real Estate & Insurance (Beacon Avenue)
Suzanne's & Jenny's (Beacon Plaza)
Tanner's Books (Beacon Avenue)
The Source (Beacon Avenue)
Triangle RV (McDonald Park Road)
United Floors
Walk in Comfort (Beacon Avenue)
Waterlily Shoes (Beacon Avenue at First Street)
Wine by You (9769 Fifth Street)

Dog Friendly Businesses - Victoria

A Pet's Life (2019 Cadboro Bay Road)
Aaronson's Pharmacy (1711 Cook Street)
Abkhazi Garden (Fairfield)
Aloyd Fitness (#7 - 415 Dunedin Avenue)
Ark At Home Fireplace Shop (#6 - 1950 Government Street)
ArtBox Printing (2504 Douglas Street)
Artina's Jewellery (1002 Government Street)
Artist Salon (753 Yates)
ArtSEE Eyewear (Oak Bay Ave)
Aveda Institute/Paul da Costa Salon (1402 Douglas Street)
Bay Street Castle Building Centre (220 Bay Street)
Bayside Press - have an office dog, as well (412 John Street)
BC Liquor Store (Oak Bay, next to Safeway)
BC Liquor Store (Blanshard)
BC Liquor Store (225 Menzies Street)
BC Smoke Shop (2624 Quadra Street)
Beacon Hill Petting Zoo (not inside the goat area)
Bed, Bath & Beyond - dogs must be carried or put in a shopping cart (Finlayson Ave)
Best Buy (Uptown Mall)
Black Ball Coho ferry from Victoria to Port Angeles (pet friendly in their main lounge and observation deck, and all outside decks)
Bloom Health Clinic - Acupuncture and TCM (Oak Bay Village)
BMO Bank of Montreal (2219 Oak Bay Avenue)
Book King Software (#103 - 415 Gorge Road East)
Bosley's (all locations)
Breathe Athletica (Fort Street)
Campus Honda (506 Finlayson Street)
Canadian Tire (Admirals Road & Douglas Street locaitons)
Capital Iron (Store Street)
Cascadia Liquor Stores (Quadra Village and Uptown)
Cask & Keg Liquor Store - please be cautious if your dog has a big, sweeping tail. Lots of breakables. (852 Esquimalt Road)
Castle Hardware (1720 Cook Street)
CEV Store (940 View Street)
Chapter's (Douglas Street)
Charmaine's Past and Present (1083 Fort Street)
Chintz & Company (1720 Store Street)
CIBC (Shelbourne Street and Hillside Centre locations)
Cloverdale Paint (1616 Cedar Hill X Road & 555 Ardersier Road)
CO-OP Gas Stations - the dogs are welcome inside (all locations)
Coast Life and Style (#115 - 2187 Oak Bay Avenue)
Coastline Surf & Sport (1417 Broad Street)
Coca Cola Head Office (105-765 Vanalman Avenue)
Complete Residential Property Management (3267 Tennyson Road)
Cook Culture (1317 Blanshard Street)
Cook Street Castle Hardware (Cook near Caledonia)
Creative Bliss (1032 Fort Street)
Crescendo for Hair (1001 Douglas Street)
Cridge Family Pharmacy (641 Fort Street)
Curious Comics
Custom Stamp & Engraving (163 Langford Street)
Dales Gallery & Framing Studio (Chinatown, 537 Fisgard)
Decora Tile (3205 Quadra Street)
Dial-A-Geek & Sneakers Computers (880C Esquimalt Road)
DM & Company (535 Yates Street)
Design District Studio (1826 Government Street)
EB Computers (1827 Fairfield Road)
Eddie Bauer (Government Street)
Ellswear Dance & Activewear (3180 Harriet Road)
Esquimalt Trading Ltd. (897 Esquimalt Road)
Flavour/Decade (#113 - 3500 Uptown Blvd)
Flavour Vintage (581 Johnson Street)
Footloose Shoes (637 Fort Street)
Fotoprint (975 Pandora Ave)
Four Mile Liquor Store (#101 - 1505 Admirals Road)
Free Spirit Botanicals (549 Johnson Street)
Freedom Kilts (1919 Fernwood Road)
Fresh Hair Design Inc. (1465 Hampshire Road)
Frontrunners (Vancouver Street)
Gap (1319 Government Street)
Gala Fabrics (1483 Douglas Street)
Gallery Salon - there is also a fenced in patio if your dog prefers to wait outside (1030 Yates Street)
Gardenworks (Blenkinsop and Oak Bay Ave)
Gaslight Heat Services (3376 Burns Ave)
Gazzola Tile (1625 Quadra Street)
General Paint (4099 Shelbourned Street)
Glass-Smith & Company (3311 Tennyson Ave)
The Good Planet Company (764 Fort Street)
Gorge Point Pub Liquor Store
Gorge Video
Graham Kia (2620 Government Street)
Great Canadian Dollar Store (James Bay)
Harbord Insurance
Harris Green Liquor Express (930 View Street)
Heart Pharmacy (all locations - Finnerty Rd, Shelbourne St & Cadboro Bay Rd)
Heart & Sole Shoes (1023 Fort Street)
Heartwood Boutique (1322 Broad Street)
Hillside Liquor Store
Hive Hair Salon (714 Cormorant Street)
Home Hardware (Oak Bay Ave, Burnside Road)
HomeSense (beside the Designer Shoe Warehouse on Blanshard Street)
Horticultural Centre of the Pacific (505 Quayle Road)
HSBC Bank Canada (869 Douglas Street)
Hub International Barton Insurance Brokers (2640 Douglas Street)
Hudson Yoga
IBEW Local 230 (#103 - 2823 Jacklin Road)
Illuminations Lighting (601 Boleskine Road)
Island Blue (905 Fort Street)
Island BMW Motorrad (735 Cloverdale)
Ivy's Bookshop (Oak Bay Avenue)
Jim Pattison Toyota/Lexus (3050 Douglas Street, entrance to service is on Burnside Road)
Kay's Korner (337 Cook Street)
Kenmar Flower Farm (1490 Burnside Road West)
Liquor Depot (across from Wal-Mart, next to Boston Pizza)
Liquor Express (Tillicum Mall & Esquimalt locations)
Liquor Plus - all locations (Saanich Centre @ Quadra & McKenzie, Royal Oak Shopping Centre by Country Grocer, 2915 Douglas Street @ Topaz by Wheaton GM and in Cobble Hill Shopping Centre by Country Grocer)
Liquor Store (Gorge Road, next to Heckler's)
Liquor Store (Tillicum Mall, privately owned)
Loki Tiling (3164 Gamma Street)
Lululemon
Lumberworld (Quadra Street @ Reynolds)
Lunds Auction House (Fort Street)
Mark's Work Wear World
Maude Hunters Liquor Store (Shelbourne Street)
Mayfair Optometric Clinic (3196 Douglas Street)
McMullen Mechanical (5390 Spartan Road)
Moksha Yoga (Fort Street)
Monk Office Supply (all locations)
Monkey Tree Liquor Store (4025 Borden Street)
Mother Computers (3551 Ravine Way in the Saanich Plaza)
Mynx Boutique (Uptown Mall)
Munro's Books
New Balance (Government Street)
North Park Bike Shop (1725 Quadra Street)
Ocean River Sports
Olive the Senses (Victoria Public Market, 1701 Douglas Street)
Optiks International (Uptown Mall)
Opus Framing & Art Supplies (512 Herald Street)
Oscar & Libby's (795 Fort Street)
Pacific Mazda (1060 Yates Street)
Pain Free Tax & Bookkeeping (in Saanich near Uptown Mall)
Paradise Boutique (613 Johnson Street)
Paul da Costa Salon/Aveda Institute (1402 Douglas Street)
Paws on Cook (359 Cook Street)
Pedego Electric Bikes (2039 Oak Bay Ave)
Performance Bicycles (3949 Quadra Street)
Pet Supply Stores (all are dog friendly to my knowledge)
Pharmasave (Esquimalt Plaza)
Pharmasave (230 Menzies Street)
Pharmasave (2200 Oak Bay Ave)
Pick-A-Flic (Cook Street Village)
Pier 1 (Finlayson Ave)
Plumbers & Pipefitters Union Local 324 (919 Esquimalt Road)
Rain Bird Boutique (240 Cook Street)
Red Art Gallery (2249 Oak Bay Avenue)
ReStore - Habitat for Humanity (3311 Oak Street)
Roberta's Hats (1318 Government Street)
Robinson's Outdoor Store (Broad Street)
Rosie's Cold Beer & Wine (3020 Blanshard Street, under Redds Pub)
Royal Bank (all locations)
Running Room (1008 Douglas Street)
Russell's Books
ScotiaBank (Douglas & Yates)
ScotiaBank (Hillside & Douglas)
ScotiaBank (Oak Bay Ave)
The Shieling Gifts (3849 Cadboro Bay Road)
Sitka, clothing side only (1219 Government Street)
Sneakers Computers & Dial-A-Geek (880C Esquimalt Road)
The Soap Exchange (Hillside & Cedar Hill)
Sorensen Books (1027 Cook Street)
Spinnakers Liquor Store (James Bay Square)
Sport Chek (805 Cloverdale Ave)
Sport Chek (1644 Hillside Ave)
Sports Traders
Stampers (2630B Quadra Street)
Staples (please check with customer service to verify before going in)
Starline Windows (477 Boleskine Road)
Stephen Fortner Goldsmith (1490 West Burnside Rd)
Stewart Johnston Law Corporation (1521 Amelia Street)
Still Life For Him & For Her (550 & 560 Johnson Street)
Susan James Store - adult products and lingerie, adults 18+ only (942 Hillside Avenue)
Sweet Delights (Oak Bay Ave)
TD Bank (Fairfield Plaza)
TD Bank (Fort and Douglas)
TD Bank (Millstream Village)
TD Bank (Tillicum)
The Thirsty Vintner (4071 Shelbourne Street)
Three Point Motors (2546 Government Street)
Thunderbird Insurance Brokers (1032 Yates Street)
Tile Town (3098 Nanaimo Street)
Timeless Toys (Oak Bay)
Tonic Jewelry (Market Square on Johnson)
Topliss Law Group (1931 Lee Avenue)
Town and Country Insurance (Uptown Mall, on the roof next to Moore's clothing)
Triple Spiral Metaphysical Gifts (Fan Tan Alley)
United Floors (3335C Oak Street)
Upstairs Hair Salon (4088 Shelbourne Street)
Urban Barn (Uptown Mall)
Vancity Credit Union (752 Fort Street)
Vessel Liquor (1609 Fort Street)
Victoria City Hall (1 Centennial Square)
Victoria Compounding Pharmacy (1089 Fort Street)
Victoria Conservatory of Music (900 Johnson Street) - they even ask that you bring your dog by the office for a visit.
Virtual Sun Tanning Salon (Saanich Plaza)
Volkswagen Victoria (3329 Douglas Street)
Wes-Tech Irrigation Supply (625 Alpha Street)
Western Financial Group (2950 Douglas Street)
Whirled Arts (#105 - 3 Fan Tan Alley)
Wild Birds Unlimited (Shelbourne Plaza)
Wilk Stove Ltd. (160 Burnside Rd)
WIN - Victoria Women in Need Community Co-operative (1803 Cook Street)
Zydeco Gifts (565 Johnson Street)

Dog Friendly Businesses - Western Communities

Aloyd Fitness Equipment (880 Attree Avenue)
Best Buy (779 McCallum Drive)
Bosley's
The Brick (2945 Jacklin Road)
Canadian Tire
Cap-it Victoria (#106-2374 Millstream Road)
Capital Iron (975 Langford Parkway)
Cascadia Liquor Store (Langford Parkway & Hatley Park Plaza locations)
CEV Store (#102 - 751 Goldstream Ave)
CIBC (2945 Jacklin Road)
Cloverdale Paint (1057 Langford Parkway)
CO-OP Gas Stations - the dogs are welcome inside (all locations)
Danielle's Paint-Your-Own-Pottery (#129 - 735 Goldstream Ave)
Dial-A-Geek & Sneakers Computers (847 Goldstream Avenue)
Dollar Tree - only dogs that can be carried in your arms (Millstream Market)
Everything Wine (Millstream)
Fennels RV Repair (1612 Island Hwy)
Frontrunners (755 Goldstream Ave)
Galaxy Motors (1772 Old Island Hwy)
GardenWorks (Old Island Highway)
Goldstream Bicycles (694 Goldstream Ave)
Home Hardware (Sooke)
JB's Colwood Langford Auto Supply (895 Goldstream Ave)
KMS Tools & Equipment (1652 Island Highway)
Lee Valley Tools (314 Wale Road)
Little Elf Garden Centre (1062 Goldstream Ave)
Liquor Planet (Langford)
Lynn's Little Elf Garden Centre (1062 Goldstream Ave)
Mark's Work Wearhouse (Westshore Town Centre)
Penelopes Bookstop - they have a store dog, so make sure yours is dog friendly! (6 Mile Market at 1610 Old Island Hwy)
Pet Supply Stores (all are dog friendly to my knowledge)
Pharmasave (2401 Millstream Road)
Pier 1 Imports (#117 - 2401C Millstream Road)
Princess Auto (Langford Parkway)
Quilts Etc. *dogs must be brought in through street entrance* (Westshore Mall)
ReStore - Habitat for Humanity (849 Orono Ave)
Richlock Rentals (2994 Jacklin Road)
Rona (Langford Parkway)
Royal Bank (all locations - Colwood Corners, Westshore Mall, etc.)
Running Room (Millstream Village)
Saunders Subaru (1784 Island Hwy)
Savage Cycles (2956 West Shore Parkway)
Slegg Lumber (Sooke Road)
Sneakers Computers & Dial-A-Geek (847 Goldstream Road)
Sooke Fax & Copy Centre (6649 Sooke Rd)
Sport Chek Westshore Village (#109 - 2955 Phipps Road)
Staples - check with customer service to verify before going in
Stokes Kitchen (Millstream Village)
This N That Smoking Deals (#106 - 6596 Sooke Rd)
Travel Centre (in Westshore Centre)
Two Thumbs Up Video (778 Goldstream Ave near Western Foods)
Valhalla Pure Outfitters (2401 Millstream Road, Millstream Village)
Vancity Credit Union (800 Kelly Road)
Visions Electronics (2401 Millstream Road)
Waterwheel Liquor Store (2778 Peatt Road)
Westshore Music Academy (#134 - 1039 Langford Parkway)
Westshore Spring & 4X4 (1652 C Island Hwy)
WildPlay Element Parks Victoria - dogs must be leashed (1767 Island Hwy)

Dog Friendly Patios

17 Mile House Pub (5126 Sooke Road)
Barb's Place Fish and Chips
Bubby's Kitchen - two designated tables in front of Paws on Cook for people and their dogs (Cook Street Village)
Cafe Brio
Caffe Fantastico (both Dockside and Parkside on Humboldt)
Cambie at the Esquimalt Inn (856 Esquimalt Rd)
Canoe Cove Coffee Shop (Canoe Cove Marina)
Carlos Cantina (Fourth Street in Sidney)
Cherries Breakfast Bistro (Wilkinson Road)
Cottage Bakery & Cafe (1267 Fairfield Road)
Delicados
De'Lish Cafe
Demitasse Cafe & Garden Centre (2164 McNeill Ave)
Fernwood Inn
Georgia Cafe (Sidney Pier Hotel, Beacon Ave)
Heron Rock Bistro (James Bay)
Highland's Fish and Chips (Resthaven Drive)
Koto Sushi (Fort Street)
Logan's
Mai Mai's Bistro (6676 Sooke Road)
Mason Jar Eatery (Cordova Bay) - Dogs can't be left unattended
Mocha House (Cook Street Village)
Mosi Bakery Cafe & Gelateria - have a covered patio (5303 West Saanich Road)
Nando's Flame-Grilled Chicken (Millstream Village)
The Nest Cafe (2311 Watkiss Way)
Olive Olio's (Cadboro Bay)
Ottavios Italian Bakery & Delicatessen (Oak Bay Avenue)
Pier Bistro - inside and outside patios (Beacon Avenue)
Pilgrim Coffee House (1910 Sooke Road)
Queen Margaret Restaurant (Head Street, Vic West) - has now changed names
QV Cafe & Bakery (1701 Government Street)
Red Brick Cafe (Beacon Avenue)
Red Dragon
Rusticana Coffee Ltd. (803 Deloume Road, Mill Bay)
Sabhai Thai (Beacon Avenue)
Sarah's Place (vegan restaurant on Johnson St, check with staff first)
Serious Coffee (Beacon Ave)
Shirleydelicious Cafe (in Shirley, 15 minutes out of Sooke)
Solstice Cafe - Be advised there is resident cat who also frequents here (Market Square)
Stick in the Mud Coffee House (6715 Eustace Road, Sooke)
Starbucks (Beacon Ave, Broadmead, Cook St. Village, probably many others)
Stone Street Cafe (Beacon Avenue)
Superior Street Bistro
The Roost Farm Bakery **Be forewarned: There are loose chickens wandering around! (McTavish Road @ East Saanich Road)
Third Street Cafe (Beacon Avenue)

Would you like your dog friendly business added to the list or have you come across a business from here that is no longer dog friendly? Email me directly at [email protected] so I can appropriately update it.

And in case you'd prefer the list alphabetically rather than by region:

Dog Friendly Stores (Alphabetically)

A Pet's Life (2019 Cadboro Bay Road)
A Stable Way of Life (Mattick's Farm)
Aaronson's Pharmacy (1711 Cook Street)
Abkhazi Garden (Fairfield)
All Pets Food & Supplies (Saanichton)
Aloyd Fitness Equipment (880 Attree Avenue & #7 - 415 Dunedin Avenue)
Animals for Life Thrift Store (they do have cats for adoption so dogs must be well behaved)
Arbutus RV (10040 Galaran Road)
Ark At Home Fireplace Shop (#6 - 1950 Government Street)
ArtBox Printing (2504 Douglas Street)
Artina's Jewellery (1002 Government Street)
Artist Salon (753 Yates)
ArtSEE Eyewear (Oak Bay and Broadmead)
Aveda Institute/Paul da Costa Salon (1402 Douglas Street)
Baden-Baden Boutique (2485 Beacon Avenue)
Barbara's Boutique (2392 Beacon Avenue)
Bay Street Castle Building Centre (220 Bay Street)
Bayside Press - have an office dog, as well (412 John Street)
BC Liquor Store (Blanshard)
BC Liquor Store (Brentwood Bay)
BC Liquor Store (Broadmead)
BC Liquor Store (225 Menzies Street)
BC Liquor Store (Oak Bay, next to Save-On-Foods)
BC Smoke Shop (2624 Quadra Street)
BCAA (Broadmead Village)
Beacon Community Services Thrift Store (Brentwood location only, West Saanich Rd)
Beacon Hill Petting Zoo (not inside the goat area)
Bed, Bath & Beyond - dogs must be carried or put in a shopping cart (Finlayson Ave)
Pacific Telephone/Bell Mobility (Royal Oak Shopping Centre)
Best Buy (779 McCallum Drive and Uptown Mall locations)
Bloom Health Clinic - Acupuncture & TCM (Oak Bay Village)
Bosley's (all locations)
BMO Bank of Montreal (Beacon Avenue)
BMO Bank of Montreal (2219 Oak Bay Avenue)
Bank of Montreal (4470 West Saanich Road)
Book King Software (#103 - 415 Gorge Road East)
Bowlin Photo (Beacon Avenue)
Breathe Athletica (Fort Street)
The Brick (2945 Jacklin Road)
Butchart Gardens
Cameron Rose (Beacon Avenue)
Campus Honda (506 Finlayson Street)
Canada Post Offices
Canadian Tire (Admirals Road, Broadmead, Douglas Street & Westshore locations)
Cannor Nursery
Cap-it Victoria (#106-2374 Millstream Road)
Capital Iron (all locations, no large dogs at the Sidney Location)
Cascadia Liquor Stores (all locations)
Cask & Keg Liquor Store - pls be careful if your dog has a big, sweeping tail. Lots of breakables. (852 Esquimalt Road)
Castle Hardware (1720 Cook Street)
CEV Store (#102 - 751 Goldstream Avenue & 940 View Street)
Chapter's (Douglas Street)
Charmaine's Past and Present (1083 Fort Street)
Chintz & Company (1720 Store Street)
Christie Phoenix Insurance (#101 - 4430 West Saanich Road)
CIBC (Broadmead)
CIBC (2945 Jacklin Road)
CIBC (Saanichton)
CIBC (Shelbourne Street and Hillside Centre)
City Scribe Print & Stationary (Brentwood Bay)
Cloverdale Paint (all locations)
CO-OP Gas Stations - the dogs are welcome inside (all locations)
Coast Life and Style (#115 - 2187 Oak Bay Avenue)
Coastline Surf & Sport (1417 Broad Street)
Coca Cola Head Office (105-765 Vanalman Avenue)
Complete Residential Property Management (3267 Tennyson Road)
Cook Culture (1317 Blanshard Street)
Cook Street Castle Hardware (Cook near Caledonia)
Cottons and Blues (Beacon Avenue)
Creative Bliss (1032 Fort Street)
Crescendo for Hair (1001 Douglas Street)
Cridge Family Pharmacy (641 Fort Street)
Curious Comics
Custom Stamp & Engraving (163 Langford Street)
Dales Gallery & Framing Studio (Chinatown, 537 Fisgard)
Danielle's Paint-Your-Own-Pottery (#129 - 735 Goldstream Ave)
Decora Tile (3205 Quadra Street)
Design District Studio (1826 Government Street)
Dial-A-Geek (880C Esquimalt Road & 847 Goldstream Ave)
Dig This (Broadmead Village)
DM & Company (535 Yates)
Dollar Tree - only dogs that can be carried in your arms (Millstream Market)
EB Computers (1827 Fairfield Road)
Eclectic Vape (#205 - 4500 West Saanich Road)
Eddie Bauer (Government Street)
Ellswear Dance & Activewear (3180 Harriet Road)
Esquimalt Trading Ltd. (897 Esquimalt Road)
Everything Old (7120 West Saanich Road)
Everything Wine (Millstream)
Fennels RV Repair (1612 Island Hwy)
Flavour/Decade (#113 - 3500 Uptown Blvd)
Flavour Vintage (581 Johnson Street)
Flower Affairs (Royal Oak Shopping Centre)
Flush (Beacon Avenue)
Flying Fish Winery (#3 - 6782 Veyaness Rd)
Footloose Shoes (637 Fort Street)
Fotoprint (975 Pandora Ave)
Four Mile Liquor Store (#101 - 1505 Admirals Road)
Free Spirit Botanicals (549 Johnson Street)
Freedom Kilts (1919 Fernwood Road)
Fresh Hair Design Inc. (1465 Hampshire Road)
Frontrunners (1200 Vancouver Street & 755 Goldstream Ave)
Gap (1319 Government Street)
Gala Fabrics (1483 Douglas Street)
Galaxy Motors (1772 Old Island Hwy)
Gallery Salon - there is also a fenced in patio out front if your dog prefers to wait outside (1030 Yates Street)
Gardenworks (Blenkinsop, Oak Bay Ave and Old Island Highway locations)
Gaslight Heat Services (3376 Burns Ave)
Gazzola Tile (1625 Quadra Street)
General Paint (4099 Shelbourned Street)
Glass-Smith & Company (3311 Tennyson Ave)
Glo Hair & Body (West Saanich Road in Brentwood Bay)
Goldstream Bicycles (694 Goldstream Ave)
The Good Planet Company (764 Fort Street)
Gorge Point Pub Liquor Store
Gorge Video
Graham Kia (2620 Government Street)
Great Canadian Dollar Store (James Bay)
Hallmark Cards & Gifts (Broadmead Vilage)
Harbord Insurance
Harris Green Liquor Express (930 View Street)
Heart Pharmacy (all locations - Finnerty Rd, Shelbourne St & Cadboro Bay Rd)
Heart & Sole Shoes (1023 Fort Street)
Heartwood Boutique (1322 Broad Street)
Heirloom Linens (Broadmead Village)
Hillside Liquor Store
The Hive Hair Salon (714 Cormorant Street)
Home Hardware (all locations)
HomeSense (beside the Designer Shoe Warehouse on Blanshard Street)
Horticulture Centre of the Pacific (505 Quayle Road)
HSBC Bank Canada (869 Douglas Street)
Hub International Barton Insurance Brokers (2640 Douglas Street)
Hudson Yoga
IBEW Local 230 (#103 - 2823 Jacklin Road)
Illuminations Lighting (601 Boleskine Road)
Island Blue (905 Fort Street)
Island Blueprint (Beacon Avenue)
Island BMW Motorrad (735 Cloverdale)
Itzyu Clothing (Fifth Street, Sidney)
JB's Colwood Langford Auto Supply (895 Goldstream Ave)
Jim Pattison Toyota/Lexus (3050 Douglas Street, entrance to service is on Burnside Road)
Kay's Korner (337 Cook Street)
Kenmar Flower Farm (1490 Burnside Road West)
KMS Tools & Equipment (1652 Island Highway)
Ivy's Bookshop (Oak Bay Avenue)
Law Office of Daleen A. Thomas (#4 - 828 Verdier Ave)
Lee Valley Tools (314 Wale Road)
Little Elf Garden Centre (1062 Goldstream Ave)
Liquor Depot (across from Wal-Mart, next to Boston Pizza)
Liquor Express (Tillicum Mall & Esquimalt locations)
Liquor Planet (Langford)
Liquor Plus - all locations (Saanich Centre @ Quadra & McKenzie, Royal Oak Shopping Centre by Country Grocer, 2915 Douglas Street @ Topaz by Wheaton GM and in Cobble Hill Shopping Centre by Country Grocer)
Liquor Store (Gorge Road, next to Heckler's)
Liquor Store (Tillicum Mall, privately owned)
Loki Tiling (3164 Gamma Street)
Lululemon
Lumberworld (Quadra Street @ Reynolds)
Lunds Auction House (Fort Street)
Lynn's Little Elf Garden Centre (1062 Goldstream Ave)
Madrona Massage Therapy & Chiropractic - your dog is allowed in the treatment room with you (#2 - 2490 Bevan Ave)
Mark's Work Wear World (all locations)
Matticks Farm (5325 Cordova Bay Road)
Mayfair Optometric Clinic (3196 Douglas Street)
McMullen Mechanical (5390 Spartan Road)
Miss Bliss (2389 Beacon Ave)
Moksha Yoga (Fort Street)
Monk Office Supply (all locations)
Monkey Tree Liquor Store (4025 Borden Street)
Mother Computers (3551 Ravine Way in the Saanich Plaza)
Muffett & Louisa (Beacon Ave)
Munro's
Mynx Boutique (Uptown Mall)
New Balance (Government Street)
North Park Bike Shop (1725 Quadra Street)
Ocean River Sports
Olive the Senses (Victoria Public Market, 1701 Douglas Street)
Optiks International (Uptown Mall)
Opus Framing & Art Supplies (512 Herald Street)
Oscar & Libby's (795 Fort Street)
Pacific Mazda (1060 Yates Street)
Pacific Telephone/Bell Mobility (Royal Oak Shopping Centre)
Pain Free Tax & Bookkeeping (in Saanich near Uptown Mall)
Paradise Boutique (613 Johnson Street)
Paul da Costa Salon/Aveda Institute (1402 Douglas Street)
Paws on Cook (359 Cook Street)
Pedego Electric Bikes (2039 Oak Bay Ave)
Peden RV (10049 Galaran Road, Sidney)
Penelopes Bookstop - they have a store dog, so make sure yours is dog friendly! (6 Mile Market at 1610 Old Island Hwy)
Penna & Company Kitchen & Giftwares (Broadmead Village)
Performance Bicycles (3949 Quadra Street)
Pet Stores (all are dog friendly to my knowledge)
Pharmasave (Beacon Avenue, Oak Bay Avenue, Esquimalt Plaza, Menzies Street, Millstream Road)
Philosophy of Old (Henry Ave on the Industrial side)
Pick-A-Flic (Cook Street Village)
Pier 1 (Finlayson Ave and #117 - 2401C Millstream Road)
Pitt & Hobbs (Beacon Avenue)
Plumbers & Pipefitters Union Local 324 (919 Esquimalt Road)
Princess Auto (Langford Parkway)
Quilts Etc. *dogs must be brought in through street entrance* (Westshore Mall)
Rain Bird Boutique (240 Cook Street)
Red Art Gallery (2249 Oak Bay Avenue)
Reigning Cats & Dogs (Fifth Street)
ReStore - Habitat for Humanity (3311 Oak Street & 849 Orono Ave)
Richlock Rentals (2994 Jacklin Road & 10115 McDonald Park Road)
Roberta's Hats (1318 Government Street)
Robinson's Outdoor Store (Broad Street)
Rona (Langford Parkway location only)
Rosie's Cold Beer & Wine (3020 Blanshard Street, under Redd's Pub)
Royal Bank of Canada (all locations)
Running Room (all locations)
Russell's Books
Salon J (Beacon Avenue, dog friendly dogs only)
Saunders Subaru (1784 Island Hwy)
Savage Cycles (2956 West Shore Parkway)
Save-On-Gas Bars
ScotiaBank (all locations)
The Shieling Gifts (3849 Cadboro Bay Road)
Sidney Beauty Salon (plaza behind Woodshed)
Sidney Pier Hotel (End of Beacon Ave on Seaport Place)
Simply Cremations & Funeral Services (#2 - 2075 Henry Ave, Sidney)
Sitka, clothing side only (1219 Government Street)
Slegg Lumber
Sneakers Computers (880C Esquimalt Road & 847 Goldstream Ave)
The Soap Exchange (at Hillside & Cedar Hill)
Sooke Fax & Copy Centre (6649 Sooke Rd)
Sorensen Books (1027 Cook Street)
Sparling Real Estate & Insurance (Beacon Avenue)
Spinnakers Liquor Store (James Bay Square)
Sport Chek (805 Cloverdale Ave)
Sport Chek (1644 Hillside Ave)
Sport Chek Westshore Village (#109 - 2955 Phipps Road)
Sports Traders
Stampers (2630B Quadra Street)
Staples (please check with customer service to verify before going in)
Starline Windows (477 Boleskine Road)
Stephen Fortner Goldsmith (1490 West Burnside Rd)
Stewart Johnston Law Corporation (1521 Amelia Street)
Still Life For Him & For Her (550 & 560 Johnson Street)
Stokes Kitchen (Millstream Village)
Susan James Store - adult products and lingerie, adults 18+ only (942 Hillside Avenue)
Suzanne's & Jenny's (Beacon Plaza)
Suzanne's & Jenny's (Broadmead Village)
Sweet Delights (Oak Bay Ave & Broadmead Village)
Tanner's Books (Beacon Avenue)
TD Bank (all locations)
The Thirsty Vintner (4071 Shelbourne Street)
This N That Smoking Deals (#106 - 6596 Sooke Rd)
Three Point Motors (2546 Government Street)
Thunderbird Insurance Brokers (1032 Yates Street)
Tile Town (3098 Nanaimo Street)
Timeless Toys (Oak Bay and Broadmead)
Tonic Jewelry (Market Square on Johnson)
Topliss Law Group (1931 Lee Avenue)
Town and Country Insurance (Uptown Mall, on the roof next to Moore's clothing)
Travel Centre (in Westshore Centre)
Triangle RV (McDonald Park Road)
Triple Spiral Metaphysical Gifts (Fan Tan Alley)
True Boutique (Broadmead Village)
Two Thumbs Up Video (778 Goldstream Ave near Western Foods)
United Floors (9752 Fourth St & 3335C Oak St)
Upstairs Hair Salon (4088 Shelbourne Street)
Urban Barn (Uptown Mall)
Valhalla Pure Outfitters (2401 Millstream Road, Millstream Village)
Vancity Credit Union (752 Fort Street & 800 Kelly Road)
Vessel Liquor (1609 Fort Street)
Victoria City Hall (1 Centennial Square)
Victoria Compounding Pharmacy (1089 Fort Street)
Victoria Conservatory of Music (900 Johnson Street) - they even ask that you bring your dog by the office for a visit.
Virtual Sun Tanning Salon (Saanich Plaza)
Visions Electronics (2401 Millstream Road)
Volkswagen Victoria (3329 Douglas Street)
Walk in Comfort (Beacon Avenue)
Waterlily Shoes (Beacon Avenue at First Street)
Waterwheel Liquor Store (2778 Peatt Road)
Wes-Tech Irrigation Supply (625 Alpha Street)
Western Financial Group (2950 Douglas Street)
Westshore Music Academy (#134 - 1039 Langford Parkway)
Westshore Spring & 4X4 (1652 C Island Hwy)
Whirled Arts (#105 - 3 Fan Tan Alley)
Wild Birds Unlimited (Shelbourne Plaza)
WildPlay Element Parks Victoria - dogs must be leashed (1767 Island Hwy)
Wildwood Nurseries (4660 Elk Lake Drive)
Wilk Stove Ltd. (160 Burnside Rd)
WIN - Victoria Women in Need Community Co-operative (1803 Cook Street)
Wine by You (9769 Fifth Street in Sidney)
Windsor Plywood (Keating X Road)
Zydeco Gifts (565 Johnson Street)

Because Of A Dog

Darcie Jennings — Mon, 16 Mar 2015 22:15:05 +0000

My first dog was a black and white Springer Spaniel. A very regal and handsome looking boy who was more like a stately gentleman than a dog.

When he and I were out together, people used to come up to me all the time telling me how they used to have a Springer, too. They’d tell me stories about their dogs and how much they loved them as they’d fawn all over my handsome guy.

It used to get tiresome for me. I’d hear someone say “Oh, I used to have a black and white Springer!” and I’d think “I know, I’ve heard this story, like, five hundred times before.” I became bored and impatient with it after a while.

But then my Springer died. And his death and absence left a huge vacant space where he used to reside in my heart.

All of a sudden, I became one of those people who approached others on the street when they were walking with their Springer Spaniels, especially the black and white ones. I turned into the one now saying “I used to have a Springer, too!”, telling them all about him and what a great guy he was as I fawned all over their handsome dog.

And that sacred place in my heart that I’ve held him in for all these years bursts wide open just for a moment. And I feel grateful for the opportunity to feel him there again, even though he’s been gone for many years now.

It took me a long time to get it, but I finally understood.

I understood why it was so important for all of those people to share their stories about their own dogs with me. I understood how important it really was to them to share that time with my dog and what that meant to them to feel, just for a moment, the love they once had for their own dog reflected back to them in my own. I’ve been humbled by the moments of grace and joy that were provided to all of those people without even knowing what was happening.

And I understand now when people approach me to pet my dogs and share stories about theirs, that something more magical then I realize may be happening and I give them the time and space to have that moment.

Such a simple gift.

And all because of a dog.

Darcie Jennings
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Who's the Boss?

Darcie Jennings — Thu, 14 Aug 2014 00:22:18 +0000

No, I’m not talking about the 80’s TV show. I’m talking about the question I regularly get asked by my clients about my dogs’ relationships to one another.

My answer? All of them are.

Contrary to what some dog trainers might have you believe, hierarchy is not fixed or constant. It is fluid and will vary depending on the circumstances and dogs present.

Most dogs, like humans, don’t even care about being in a leadership position. Not all the time, any way, so they willingly go with the flow, stepping up to the plate only when necessary or when something truly matters to them.

If you’re surprised to hear this, think about it in human terms. We, like dogs, are pack animals and also have a social hierarchy. The Prime Minister is arguably the “alpha” of the country. But does that mean he’s alpha in every situation, everywhere he goes? Not likely. Just ask his wife. Or his mom. Or his proctologist. If he’s smart, he knows when to stand down.

If we examined his other relationships, we would find dozens where he would be in a more subservient role. Not because he isn’t truly a leader, but because every relationship calls for a different role to be played out. And, let’s face it, if he tried to be the boss of everyone all the time, he wouldn’t have many friends, family or even certain professional relationships to speak of, now would he?

We are all leaders and we are all followers. No one of us is ‘alpha’ or ‘omega’ all of the time. And with dogs, most don’t have any interest in being the alpha vigilante’s our TV shows have made them out to be. It takes too much effort and, quite honestly, most dogs don’t have the desire, or even the confidence, to pull it off.

It takes guts to be a leader. And while a lot of dogs do have what it takes to carry out that role, they understand the responsibility (read: stress, pressure, enormous weight on their shoulders) that comes with such an important role and so choose not to take it on.

The Journey is the Destination

Darcie Jennings — Mon, 26 May 2014 20:07:09 +0000

I was talking to a client after class the other night about some of the challenges he’d been having with his young pup, the biggest of which being that she wouldn’t come when he called her. He mentioned that he'd been spending 1 to 2 hours every day training her and couldn't understand why he couldn't get her to listen, despite all of the practice.

Curious about the amount of time he was spending on her training, I asked him why he was working with her for such long periods at a time. His reply was honest in saying that he just wanted to do the best he could and didn’t want to make any mistakes with her.

Now believe me, I know what it feels like to want to do everything right. To never make a mistake. To want to raise that so called “perfect” dog that so many books and articles say you can have if only you follow a particular training formula.

But raising a dog isn’t about “getting it right” or creating perfection, especially not in the first few weeks of that dogs life with you.

Raising a dog is first about creating a relationship with that dog. Then, as you do that, you start teaching it some basic ground rules. Boundaries. Then you start setting up expectations that become increasingly more challenging for the dog until, one day, you get to the point where your dog is now living proof of all the effort you put in to it.

You’ll open your front door and forget that the dog once used to bolt out. You’ll clip the leash on and relax knowing your dog will walk nicely beside you. Guests will come over and you won’t even think about what to do with the dog while they’re there because you’ll know the dog has manners and will trust it to behave well.

But none of that happens in a day. It’s a step-by-step process, a gradual progression of building up one small behaviour at a time.

Your puppy is only young for a short time and your new rescue will only take a short while to experience all of the firsts it will have in its time with you. So take it slow.

And if you remember nothing else, remember this:
The journey IS the destination, so enjoy it while you can.

Until next time,
Darcie Jennings
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How to Get the Perfect Dog

Darcie Jennings — Sat, 01 Feb 2014 23:37:26 +0000

Imagine taking your dog to the park or on a hike, letting him off leash and trusting him to come back when you call him? Or bringing him on your next family trip with the confidence that he will be an appropriate guest in your relatives’ home? That’s what training your dog will do for you.

Training is a great way to establish a common language between you and your dog. English is not your dog’s first - or even second - language, so creating a common vocabulary that you both understand is necessary if you want your dog to listen when you speak to him.

One of the biggest benefits I have experienced from having my own well-trained dogs is that they are welcome almost everywhere I go. They come shopping to dog friendly stores with me, accompany me to a lot of my activities and are an integral part of my social life.

Dogs don’t come perfect. They become good dogs because of how we raise, train and socialize them and teach them how to fit in to our lives. There is an initial investment of time, but you won’t regret the effort once you can confidently tell your dog to do something and trust that he is going to listen.

As posted in Monday Magazine February 2014
http://www.mondaymag.com/best_of_mondaymag/241565911.html

Dogs and Calculus

Darcie Jennings — Wed, 14 Aug 2013 19:10:53 +0000

When we raise our children from babies, it is understood and expected that they won’t understand our language or know our rules. We know that it will be our job to teach them, step by step, and then to remind them of these lessons daily as they get older.

When we send our kids to school, we also understand that they must go through different levels of learning (ie. Grades 1 through 12). Each level increases in difficulty from the last, in order to achieve a complete and solid understanding of the subjects being taught and to be able to perform any tasks to the highest level of difficulty that we may ask them to. No parent would expect their child to perform college level calculus without first having learned basic math and successfully gone through all its levels in grade school.

That’s why, when we teach our dogs a new concept such as sit or down or to come when called, it is our job to break down those lessons into small achievable tasks that only gradually build on the level of difficulty from the first one. So when we get to the dog park and call them to come while they are in the middle of wrestling with their buddies (college-level calculus), they’ve already passed grade school and are very clear about how to perform the task. We need to have the same expectations of our dogs ability to learn new and more complex subjects as we do of our children’s and to give our dogs the same courtesy as we, ourselves, would expect while being taught anything new.

Keep in mind that dogs come with a huge disadvantage. They don’t speak English. And if you speak Spanish or French or Hindu or Japanese or anything else, they don’t speak any of those, either. So we’re not just teaching them to do a specific task when we give them a particular cue or command, we’re also teaching them an entirely new language in the process. They’re like ESL students! (In case you’re wondering, their primary language is body language. They read visual cues from us and each other which is why so many dogs seem to be able to “read your mind”- because our bodies give cues about what we are thinking as soon as we begin to think it and long before we verbally announce it.)

So be patient, with your dog and yourself. Give yourselves time to get from point A to point Z. Be patient and persistent in teaching your dog or pup what you need him to do. It could take weeks. It could take months. (Rome wasn’t built in a day.) Decide what different levels of difficulty you’re going to have to train through to achieve the ultimate college level response you desire and give him the opportunity to succeed at each level before moving on to the next.

And, if you forget and get impatient with him when progress seems fleeting, put yourself in his shoes and think of what it would feel like to be in a foreign country, being taught foreign customs and behaviors and all in a foreign language. Because that’s exactly how it must feel to him.

Until next time,
Darcie Jennings
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Lessons From a Dog Trainer: How I Got in My Own Way

Darcie Jennings — Thu, 28 Feb 2013 20:23:17 +0000

Some days when I am out with my dog, Cricket, I act like anything BUT a dog trainer. I repeat commands, I get angry and irritated and I lose all sense and reason.There have even been days when I’ve felt like re-homing the little beast and questioned why I kept her!

For the most part, I’m really no different than any other dog owner. Except that maybe I should know how to better deal with my own because training dogs is what I do.

So if I have the knowledge and experience to train Cricket, why am I not using it?

It’s not that I don’t have the skills to handle her more effectively. It’s that emotionally she pushes every one of my buttons in a way none of my other dogs ever have.

The truth is, dog training is so much more than intellect and mechanical skills, as much as we need those to accomplish our goals and be good at what we do. Dog training, from the human end at least, is also very personal and can be quite emotional. And the emotional obstacles we come up against throughout that process can be just as challenging to overcome as it is difficult to learn the mechanical skills of a new technique.

Recently I read a post describing twelve easy steps to loving yourself more. (Key word there being “easy.”) Things like ‘Stop all criticism,’ ‘Be kind to yourself,’ and ‘Take care of your body’ were among them.

But here’s what I couldn’t figure out. If attaining any goal, in this case experiencing self love, was as easy as following twelve simple steps, why aren’t we all there already? What’s stopping us from consistently choosing encouraging thoughts instead of critical ones? Or from talking ourselves up rather than down and eating better food and exercising more instead of filling up on ice cream and making love to our sofas every night like we currently do?

If it’s that easy to achieve anything you set your mind to, regardless of whether you are talking about dog training, a state of mind or even planting the perfect garden, what stops us from taking the knowledge available to us and using it?

I considered those questions after I came across this statement in Brene Brown’s book “The Gifts of Imperfection.” She said,” I don’t really study “how-to” be joyful and have more meaning in our lives. I know a lot about these topics because I study the things that get in the way of joy, meaning, and connection.” (Emphasis mine.)

So maybe accomplishing our goals isn’t just about creating a path and walking it. Maybe it’s about examining those goals and reflecting on what might be stopping us from believing we can have them in the first place.

When I considered my own challenges with Cricket, one of the biggest reasons I was having such a hard time moving ahead with her was because I was terrified of how it would feel if I actually got there, so I unconsciously sabotaged my own progress. Yes, success was my perceived enemy because it meant opening my heart and mind to a new realm of possibilities that I wasn’t ready to embrace yet.

(Which reminds me of a quote a good friend of mine regularly directs me to called ‘Our Deepest Fear’ by Marianne Williamson.

Here’s a snippet:

Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate;
Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure.
It is our light, not our darkness, that frightens us.
We ask ourselves: who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented and fabulous?
Actually, who are you not to be?
…….

See the full quote here)

The next biggest obstacle I discovered was how scared I was of fucking it all up. And I mean…Fucking. Up. BIG Time. I was terrified to try anything because what if I got it all wrong? Or even just a little wrong? What if I completely destroyed my dog and her personality? And for me, that was enough to stop me still in my tracks and to accept mediocrity as the status quo instead of striving for inconceivable success.

And finally, I discovered I was too rigidly trying to follow a particular method and failing to be authentic and in the moment with the dog that I was with. I wasn’t allowing myself any flexibility to do it any other way and I ended up hating the path that I chose and it showed in my relationship with my dog.

So we’re not talking about minor obstacles here. We’re talking about some big fears and strongly held beliefs that were holding me back.

As it turns out, not being able to train my dog the way I thought I “should” has taken me to a new level of self awareness and understanding than I ever thought possible. It has forced me, sometimes through gritted teeth, to find the willingness to be honest at a depth I didn’t even know existed. It has taught me how to look at my deepest fears with excitement instead of terror and to embrace my weaknesses as opportunities instead of obstacles. It even challenged me to delve into the dirty depths of my past and to heal some long outstanding wounds. But I have found my way to the point that I can now move forward again with confidence, clarity and, for the first time with Cricket, even calmly.

So, next time you’re feeling stuck and keep asking the question “Why can’t I do this?” just listen to what you hear. Because the answer may not come from finding something you are lacking. It may come from seeing what you already have within you and transforming it into something better.

Until next time,
Darcie Jennings
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"Why?" And Other Questions: Finding Your Own Way When Training Your Dog

Darcie Jennings — Sun, 17 Feb 2013 02:40:29 +0000

As a society, we are usually taught to follow what others tell us. Following the rules as they are laid out is favoured to critical thinking. When we're told that drinking two cups of milk every day is necessary for good health, we do it. And then 6 months later, when a new study comes out that says dairy is bad, drinking wine is good, we drop dairy and pick up wine. Then six months after that, another study comes out that says only red wine is okay and a little dairy isn't so bad after all so, again, we change our habits.

It seems that asking questions and formulating our own opinions about what is right, wrong, good or bad for our own selves is frowned upon more than it's admired or encouraged.

When it comes to dogs, over and over I hear clients say to me, "But aren't we supposed to [do this, say that, make my dog do X, Y or Z]? Such and such a person, trainer, book or the internet told me so."

Well maybe it is true....in some cases. But in many cases, maybe it's not. How do you know if you've never stopped to question it?

Here's the thing: Just like our dogs personalities, the relationships we have with them are not absolute. They aren't designed in cookie cutter fashion and they don't all fit into pretty little molds. They are fluid, they are dynamic, they are unique and most of all, they are YOURS. And no matter what any professional or anyone else says to you, if something in your body or mind tells you it's wrong, then it is, at least for you, and you have every right to walk away from it and find a different solution that works better for you and your dog.

When faced with a suggestion from any well meaning individual, some of the questions we need to ask ourselves are:

a) How is this relevant to me and my dog?

b) Why is it necessary that I do it that way or think that way?

c) Is this going to make my relationship better or just add stress to one or both of us?

d) Does this information even make sense given my own nature and the personality of my dog?

I recently had pause to question some of my own beliefs and habits. And I had to wonder, how much of what I do is simply because someone else said so, instead of because it rings true in my own heart? I'm still digging into that question, but needless to say, it's been insightful so far.

The bottom line is the only one who knows what's best for you is you. Seek out and ask for advice any time you need it, and then ask yourself, "Does this really work for me and my dog?" If something in your gut feels even a little off, pay attention. You may only need to make some small adjustments to what you're learning to make it work for you or you may need to walk away from it altogether and continue searching for answers from different sources or professionals until you find something that fits.

Until next time,
Darcie Jennings
https://www.facebook.com/CommuniCanine
www.communicanine.ca

From Alpha to Understanding: A Dog Trainer's Journey

Darcie Jennings — Thu, 17 Jan 2013 18:17:03 +0000

I used to be one of the many trainers who taught using dominance as my base for all behaviour. Even after I transitioned into positive training, when a dog would act up I would still use that as my behavioural model, pulling out the standard "he's trying to be alpha and you need to be more assertive with him" or some line like that.

If a dog a dog sleeping on the couch growled at someone that walked by and pet it, I would say, "He's really challenging you. You need to be more assertive, a better leader. He doesn't respect your authority."

But gradually over the years my perspective changed and I really started listening to and hearing what the dogs were saying. Some might say I started to see what was right in front of me all along.

Where I used to say, "This dog is trying to be dominant" I now started looking at what the dog might be trying to communicate. I looked at environmental factors, experiences with the people and dogs he regularly interacted with, patterns of behaviour and, one of the most important, his body language.

When I started to notice the dogs body posture, I began to see that the dog snapping and snarling at the hand reaching down to pet it was actually leaning away from the person, with its ears back, tail tucked tight under its belly, paw raised and averting its gaze among other signals. All classic signals of fear, insecurity or discomfort. And quite the opposite of what one would expect a "dominant" dog to act like.

Now changing my perspective didn't mean I developed a passive attitude. I still set boundaries, sometimes use aversives or punishment in my training and have rather high expectations of my dogs behaviour, probably more so than most. I am not a purely positive trainer. And, let's face it, some days neither is my attitude.

But what this shift in perception meant for me was where I would previously have jumped to the label 'dominant,' now I would observe the actual dog in front of me to see where it might be coming from. After all, the motivation for any one behaviour in a dog can be as dynamic and unique as they are with people, but you can't see what you aren't looking for. My new labels became things like "confused," "anxious," "unclear of the owners expectations," "uncomfortable," "stressed," or "in pain." (Physical and medical conditions comprise a significant amount of behavioural issues, but tend to get overlooked if no one is looking beyond the dogs behaviour.)

Now I look at the sleeping dog on the couch who growls at the person trying to pet it and think "How would I respond if I were in a restful sleep and someone - uninvited - came and started messing with me?" The answer, unequivocally, is I would be very upset. Even my dogs know not to wake me up before the sun comes up.

And when I started to put training into terms that related the dogs experience to the same or a similar human experience, the dogs behaviour started to make more sense to me. And how I dealt with a particular issue changed even more dramatically. Instead of trying to fight to remain on top (I'm sure the dogs were laughing and saying, "Haha, we get it, you're in charge. Quit trying so hard. Even WE don't work to prove it to each other that much."), it became about how I could teach the dog to enjoy the experience or about training the behaviour I needed instead of the one I was getting.

The positive side on the human end is that I noticed a shift in my human clients, as well. People became less tense and anxious that every move their dog made was an attempt to overthrow the government. They started to relax and enjoy life more with their dogs, especially the people who themselves were not naturally inclined to be "alpha" or authoritarian. I found other ways of dealing with dogs who seemingly had a big attitude that were just as effective, if not more so, than my old ways of training. Some clients were more than relieved when they found out they didn't have to pretend to be someone with their dogs that they weren't or simply didn't want to be.

This shift for me didn't happen in an instant. It took years. I was not particularly open to having what I believed to be true for so long challenged. (Okay, I'll admit it, I wasn't open even a little.) And let's face it, it's very unnerving to start from the ground up in unchartered territory using ideology where the result is unknown to you. And I'll tell you my ego wasn't thrilled either about the possibility of having been wrong.

But I eventually pushed through all that. It took listening, over and over, to, hearing and being open to seeing what some of my colleagues were telling me. Then it took finding the courage to change what I believed, trying a new approach and seeing for myself if it was actually true and gonna work.

But when the dog who previously snapped at the owner trying to pet it while it rested on the couch transitioned into a dog who's tail wagged and eyes lit up when people approached it, I knew I was on the right track. And when the dog who previously flipped out so bad she needed to be sedated to have a nail trim transitioned into a calm, relaxed dog who would allow me to hold all of her paws and trim each of her nails while she watched, I was sold.

All it took was my willingness and curiosity to explore things from the dogs perspective instead of my own.

I know the idea about dogs and how they should be trained using an alpha attitude has been around for a long time, but I will leave you with this thought....What if, after all these years, we were wrong?

Yours in training,

Darcie