Humane Society of West MI Kids Camp

Another great day at The Kids Camp, Humane Society of West Michigan!  Team WHATADOG enjoyed showing the kids what a rescue dog is capable of learning and achieving.  Cole and Toula got to show the kids many if their movie dog acting skills while some of the kids even got to work with each dog.

New trick in Kelta’s repertoire!

Ketla continues to learn new behaviors as she begins her life as a movie actor and of course my companion and best friend.  Here is a quick video that shows her mastering the “Cover”.  She learned this in about 20 minutes! 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FBwC8U6qGaE

 

 

 

Back to School means getting your dogs on board with training!

It’s that time of year, let the learning begin for you and your dog.  Did you know that it is never too late to train an unwanted behavior out of your dog?  Whether it is pulling on a leash or simply jumping up on your guest, with our private dog training we can resolve that issue and you will have a well behaved dog by the holidays.  Think of it as a gift that you give your family.  If you are interested in scheduling a private in-home dog training session drop Christine a line at christine@whatadog.net.  It’s time to Unleash Your Dog’s Intelligence!

From shelter dog to movie dog in training!

They say one man’s junk is another man’s treasure, or shall I say man’s best friend!  Meet Kelta, the new member of Team WHATADOG.  At 7 months old, Kelta was dumped at a shelter in Ohio during the night, the next morning she was found by shelter staff.  Great Lakes Border Collie Rescue took her into rescue and I adopted her after she had been in a foster home (this is the same rescue I adopted Cole from).

Meet Kelta, WHATADOG’s new pack member

Finding the attributes and temperament I was looking for in a dog, knowing that this dog will be a movie actor and will be a daily part of my private dog training business, was not something that I rushed into. Finding a dog that fits with your lifestyle is something I preach, and this certainly was no different even though I train dogs for a living.   After looking for nearly a year for my “next” dog, and oh boy I looked at many, Kelta was exactly what I wanted!  I knew what I was looking for:  I wanted a young dog that had lots of energy (yep, this is something most people don’t want!), loved people and had a very fast recovery with distractions.

Kelta’s not perfect, not yet, nor did she come trained, but right now we are concentrating on focus work, tons of socialization with both humans and K9s, and basic obedience with texture work

Another thing that was so important to me was that Kelta be able to learn from my dogs Annie, Toula and Cole.  And the K9 pack learning has been awesome thus far just as I assumed it would be.  So the training and bonding begin for a life of a movie dog, and yes, you will see Kelta on the big screen just like Toula and Cole. Kelta will also be a participating in WHATADOG private dog training with clients.

My biggest concentration is building a bond with Kelta, that is what owning a dog is all about, the bottom line is that she is my pet first and foremost, an assistant with my business and movie actor are only pluses that she will come to know over the years.  It is WHATADOG’s mission to educate and show the public that rescue dog’s are capable of becoming very, very special dogs!

 

Flowers for Fido! Make today sweet for a rescue dog!

Happy Valentine’s Day! In lieu of buying flowers for your loved one today, please consider donating to a rescue group. Your donation will help a dog and can truly make a difference!

Vacationing with my dogs!

Our trip down to North Carolina went great,  thanks to having well traveled dogs and finding great pet friendly hotels.   Travelodge is one of the most pet friendly places I’ve ever stayed.  If you love dogs this is the hotel for you!  As I walked down the hall yesterday I could hear a variety of barks coming from nearly every room.  It was not obnoxious barking, just the kind of barking it makes you smile and think I’m home.  As I walked past the doors I wondered what breed and size of dog  was behind the door.  It made me realize that I am not the only 1 out there that loves travel with my dogs and specifically plans my vacation around ” my dog family.”
After a wonderful night’s rest we headed to the beach, it doesn’t get much better than the Outer Banks in North Carolina where dogs are welcomed on the beach which pretty much makes it the most wonderful place in United States!

Toula entertains Tree of Life School kids

Toula enjoyed an afternoon of entertaining the children at Tree of Life School in Kalamazoo MI.
Every child had the opportunity to personally meet Toula and some even got to work with Toula.
It was a great day and the kids did an awesome job!

Vacation for your dog? Camp WHATADOG!

When you go on vacation does your dog go too?  We all love the idea of taking our dog with us on vacation but sometimes the circumstances simply don’t allow.  So then what?  
Like most dog owners, Buddy’s owners wanted him to have a fun time while they were away on vacation.  So they called and asked me if he could come to Camp WHATADOG. 
Spending time with my pack,  playing in the lake and having a family dog setting is exactly the thing that gave them peace of mind while they vacationed.
Thanks to my WHATADOG pack every dog has a pal to play with at camp.
Camp WHATADOG is an elite vacation for dogs that want to have fun and go home tired!!!

Love is in the air…give to a dog that will truly care!

Make Valentine’s Day so much sweeter!   WHATADOG would like to ask fellow dog lovers to forego buying the flowers and chocolates today and instead use that money to make a donation to your favorite rescue group in your loved ones name.
The use of that money can help provide food, vet care and monthly Heartworm prevention medicine as well as so much more.
If you are unsure of a rescue group, look at http://www.petfinder.com, unfortunately there are hundreds of groups to choose from.

From all of the rescue dogs here at WHATADOG, thank you!

Watch Cole & Toula in the Chevy Volt commercial

It is rumored that this commercial may possibly air during the Super Bowl.  Keep an eye out for it and watch for Cole and Toula.