Invisible Fence Northwest Pet Training Blog

Save the Kitchen Scraps!

2011-02-25T20:26:00.000-08:00

Initially I was thinking this super-cool kitchen/garden product had NOTHING to do with pets. Rather, it was about converting smelly kitchen scraps to high quality plant food in days (similar to the pet waste recycler product I wrote about last April...which uses the same hungry micro-organisms to convert pet waste into nutrients for your ornamental gardens). But I've changed my mind. The

Guest Interview: Reading with Rover Founder, Becky Bishop

2011-02-13T12:34:00.000-08:00

Becky Bishop, well-known for her success as co-owner of Puppy Manners, a premier training and boarding facility in Woodinville, shares the challenges, successes, history, and future goals of her 10 year-old foundation, Reading with Rover. You can also learn about Reading with Rover when featured on King 5's Evening Magazine on Wednesday February 23rd. What inspired you to create Reading with

Ode to Andee the Wonder Dog

2011-01-05T18:20:00.000-08:00

I knew when I awoke today that I'd be saying good-bye to my dear companion and work partner, Andee. When Andee was diagnosed with cancer the afternoon of June 5th, I was told he wouldn't have much time. But I was given a gift. Seven months...almost to the minute. When Andee didn't eat yesterday, and barely the day before, I knew the end would be this week. Over these seven months, Andee had

A Calico Named Callie

2010-07-12T22:59:00.000-07:00

This is my cat Callie. She's the one on the left. I brought her over to meet a real-life Callie last February. Callie (the real one) was adopted by a lovely retired couple from NOAH (Northwest Organization for Animal Help). Callie instantly became a cherished family member. I met her shortly after she climbed out of her new yard to explore the neighborhood. I was asked to prevent her from ever

Thankful for Happy Moments

2010-07-04T21:41:00.000-07:00

I would normally use the word "shocking" to jokingly describe the static discharge generated by our training products. But a few weeks ago, "shocking" or more precisely, "in shock," more closely described my state of being when I was told Andee had lymphoma. Andee was his normal self on June 3rd when I left for work. My husband arrived home first and called me to say he thought there was

Finally...a simple, affordable pet health insurance.

2010-05-23T13:34:00.000-07:00

Just after I graduated college, I became an insurance agent and bought my first life insurance policy. It's hard to sell something you don't own, so even though my chances of dying were slim, I bought one anyway. I still own that policy...in fact, I own lots of insurance policies now. And if you knew how much I spent on insurance every month, you might say I'm an insurance junkie. But it helps me

How dog chow becomes plant chow.

2010-05-02T20:44:00.000-07:00

Cleaning up pet poop is the least-liked chore associated with pet ownership. Several surveys indicate that 60%–70% of dog owners claim to clean up after their dogs most or all of the time, leaving 30%–40% of pet owners who rarely or never do. Why not bury or compost it? Because pet waste is raw sewage. It's been estimated that for a 20-square-mile watershed draining into a coastal bay, a

Max - The Almost 3-Legged Dog

2010-03-28T14:34:00.000-07:00

Max celebrated his 10th birthday on Wednesday. I would have forgotten except for the card that came from his health insurance carrier (VPI). So he ate some chicken-apple sausage and lowfat chocolate ice cream for dinner. And so did I. Max has 4 legs, but nearly lost one when he was two-years old. It was a horrible accident involving a long piece of rebar (substituting as a baseball bat), a

The Luck of Maybelle O'Kitty

2010-03-21T08:19:00.000-07:00

I admit, Maybelle doesn't look too happy here, but believe me, she is. Maybelle, along with two other cats, grace the corridors and business offices of the Everett Senior Center. Years back, the Center partnered with the Everett Animal Shelter to foster cats and help them find homes with their members. For some reason, Maybelle wasn't snatched up right away, so the staff decided she was a keeper

Fun with Jack and Jill and DNA

2010-03-07T16:11:00.000-08:00

I recently met a dog named Jack...whose human companion is named Jill. Aside from the nursery rhyme association, I will say these two were meant to be together. Soon after we met, I questioned Jack's breed mix. Jill said she'd been wondering too. She recently adopted Jack, so had no information on his parents. Jill decided to unravel the mystery using modern science and ordered a DNA test kit.

Peace of Mind? Priceless.

2010-02-14T13:41:00.001-08:00

"What's the difference between your product and the one at the feed store?" How many times have I answered this question? Don't know. But in my mind, the answer lay in the words "product" and "service" and "solution". When folks buy Invisible Fence® Brand, they are buying a product, service, and solution that’s guaranteed. When folks purchase off-the-shelf, they're buying product-only (well, OK,

Livin' Free and Easy

2010-02-07T17:34:00.000-08:00

Most people I meet call because they are concerned about their pets leaving the yard. But in essence they are looking for freedom. Freedom from fear of their pet leaving the yard, freedom from supervising their pet each time it needs to relieve itself, wants to get some fresh air, check out something in the yard, go outside and play, and the list goes on. The irritation of 'high maintenance' can

Did I REALLY want to know?

2010-01-24T10:51:00.001-08:00

My customers consistently ask about Andee's breed type. I have always said he is a "Classic Mutt," or more scientifically, "Muttimus Classicus." Curious myself, I finally broke down and tried one of those DNA kits. They are very easy to use. The kit provides two long cotton-tipped swabs to collect saliva samples. Simply slide them into the envelope provided and send it off to the lab. Two weeks

Helping dogs learn from their own choices

2010-01-17T00:48:00.000-08:00

Andee is such a ham. That's why he's so good at helping other dogs learn their boundaries. Here he's barking and whining, but he's being very polite about it. He's not challenging the trainee, Bailey, merely inviting her to make her own choice about approaching him (notice how he's looking away). You can see by the slack in Bailey's leash She's being very cautious. She wants him...but those darn

Marking the spot...first things first.

2010-01-10T11:09:00.000-08:00

Yesterday I trained two dogs that are related by breeding but separated by 12 years of age. Gaby, a beautiful, reserved 12 year old Golden Girl, and her great nephew, Desi, a mere 9 weeks. As I drove into the driveway, I laughed as I watched Gaby do a tap-dance as Desi mouthed her feet, neck, and anywhere else he could get his baby teeth on her. They were so happy. Gaby is so graceful in her