About Us!

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Welcome! Thanks for checking out Paws Next Door!

As you hopefully can see, we’re a doggy daycare facility located in Calgary.

How’d we get started?

Well the owner, that’d be me (Christine), has always loved dogs, but never had one. After several years of volunteering with various shelters and rescues, I took the plunge and got my first dog in early 2016.

Jasmine (Jas for short), is a lab/coonhound mix, and my life was never the same again. To be perfectly honest, there were times I hated her. Jas was not a good puppy. She was stubborn, wilful, and seemed to take serious pleasure in refusing to eliminate outside, but immediately upon re-entry to the house, relieving herself all over whatever happened to be near the door. Still, with all the sleepless nights, and sleepier days, there was something so heart-warming about watching her snooze in her bed at the office (in the weirdest positions), or pouncing in the grass during our breaks, or chasing me around a field trying to catch me, tumbling around as she ran so fast her little legs couldn’t keep up. She was pretty majestic as a pup when it came to poses though, and loved to sit pretty for pictures. She was and is a beautiful dog, and while she’s still stubborn, we’ve mostly come to an understanding in our relationship. Jas took over my life in a way that none of my hours of research could ever have explained, and I couldn’t imagine my life without her.

Just over three years later, my partner and I fostered a puppy. Originally Claudette, within two days we knew she was staying, and so we re-named our little rescue Belle. Belle is the happiest dog I’ve ever known. She doesn’t just wag her tail, she wags her whole body. And while she’s presenting different challenges as a puppy than Jas did, it just doesn’t seem as difficult. Probably because big sister Jas is a great nanny, as it turns out.

During my three years with just Jas, I often took her to daycares. They presented a great opportunity for socialization, play, and an awesome way for Jas to burn off some extra energy. Nothing tires dogs out more than playing with other dogs. Plus they gave me the chance to have a break, because 24/7 with her Highness got to be a bit much. (Did you notice both my dogs are Disney princesses?)

Almost three years with Jas also happened to match my three plus years at my office job. While there were some great perks (like getting to bring Jas to work with me), I’d been thinking for a while that I really wanted to do something different.

Slowly at first, but then with more enthusiasm, I started building the idea of Paws Next Door. I’ve been able to develop and start my current dream job, make it a viable business, and with little convincing, bring on an awesome team to help make it happen! Let’s be serious though, what dog lover wouldn’t want to spend their day surrounded by pooches. It didn’t take much convincing.

And that’s the story of how Paws Next Door started! Hopefully you’ll be joining us as we grow into something more, we’d love to have you and your furry friend come along for the ride!

Son of a tick

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The weather is warming up, the ground is thawing, and spring is here! As much as most of us have waited all winter for this, it also means tick season is coming.

So why do we care? Well, unfortunately, ticks can carry nasty diseases like Lyme disease, or cause tick bite paralysis, among other things. Lyme disease affects both animals and humans (but is not transferable from an animal to a human, it can only be contracted from the tick itself).

There are two common types of ticks that carry Lyme disease in North America – the western blacklegged tick, and the blacklegged tic (deer tick). 

The good news is based on current evidence collected by the government of Alberta, they have listed the risk of Lyme-spreading ticks as low, but there are other diseases that can be transferred by ticks. It’s always good to be on the lookout, especially if you travel with your dog, camp in wooded areas, or frequently take your dog hiking.

So what are you looking for?

Well, ticks are small, spider-like creatures. The most common ones looks like this:

Ticks will cling to you and your pet, and it’s easy to overlook them. Thorough checks of both you and your furry friend when leaving a potentially infested area can minimize the risk of these little hitchhikers coming home with you. (Trust me, you don’t want to see one of these crawling around your house.)

This however, is easier said than done, especially depending on your dog (fur thickness/colour, for example). While you may not find any ticks when you check your pooch, there are a few signs/symptoms your dog may have a clinger.

1.       If you feel a small bump when petting your pup, DON’T ignore it. Part their fur and check it out. If you find a tick, don’t panic. Tips for removal are just below.

2.       If your pooch is shaking their head a lot, that could be a sign of a tick in their ear canal. The ideal environment for a tick is a warm, damp place. This means a dog’s ears and their ‘underarms’ are both favourite spots for ticks.

3.       Scabbing is also a sign your pup may have a tick. Ticks lodged in your dogs skin are irritating for them, so they tend to do what we all do with bug bites – scratch at the area (and in your dog’s case, bite at it as well). This can cause tearing, and produce scabs. Closer examination can help determine if your dog has a tick bite.

4.       Finding a tick in your home is a skin-crawling experience. Been there, done that. Unfortunately, seeing one can mean there are several more you don’t see. Check yourself and your dog thoroughly if this happens, and then make like Sherlock Holmes and inspect your house top to bottom.

Now, how do you get rid of the pesky blood-suckers.

The important thing to remember when removing a tick is you need to get the whole thing out. Ticks will latch onto the surface of the skin, make a cut, inserts their feeding tube, and hold on. Some ticks can even secrete a substance similar to cement to help it stay in place. This makes removal a challenge, however it is doable.

First off, DON’T use your fingers. Not only are they going to be unable to grip the tiny body of the tick, you also risk exposure to any disease they might be carrying. Even if the tick is on you, resist the urge to get it off as fast as possible, because in the long run it will make it worse if you try and use your fingers.

Get a pair of tweezers, or a tick remover tool (available in some stores, and online). Place the end firmly against the skin outside of the tick. The key is to try and get a hold of the head/mouth of the tick, since that’s the part adhering to the skin. Once you’ve got the tick gently in your grasp (you don’t want to squeeze the tick as you may pull it apart and make removal more difficult), pull STRAIGHT UP. This is important. Don’t twist or jerk, as you’ll risk ripping the tick. You want to make sure you get the whole thing out.

Inspect the removal site closely to make sure the entire tick has been removed. Then you can clean the area with soap/antiseptic. Washing your hands is recommended.

DO NOT – apply matches, cigarettes, or petroleum jelly to the tick. These will not help remove the tick, despite what you may have been told.

KEEP THE TICK. Place it in a clean, empty container. Don’t put air holes in the container, but you can put a small damp tissue in the container to prevent the tick from drying out.

If you pulled the tick out of your dog, bring it to your vet for inspection. If it came out of you or another person, bring the tick to an Alberta Health Services Environmental Health Office (call first to make an appointment to drop it off). Submitting the tick for testing helps keep everyone up to date on the state of tick infestation, as well as aware of any potential outbreaks.

Your vet can help prevent your dog from tick bites and the various diseases they can transmit with oral or non-systemic treatments (topical). Talk to your vet to discuss your options.

For yourself or other people, stick to the trails as much as possible. Light-coloured clothing will help you see the ticks, hopefully before they find any skin to feed on. Covering up as much as possible will also help, as well as limiting any access points the ticks may have to get to your skin. A hat, long sleeved shirts, and long pants tucked into socks or boots will help prevent skin exposure.

Ticks are pests, but are avoidable. Keep yourself and your pets safe this season by keeping informed, and being aware.

Beat the heat

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While most of us are probably loving this temperature turnaround here in Calgary, you can bet some of our pooches aren’t going to be as enthusiastic. Summer heat for our furry friends can be rough. If you have a dog who is either elderly or very young, a snub-nosed breed (think pugs, bulldogs, Frenchies, etc.), or a long-hair/double coated breed, your dog is at higher risk for over-heating.

Since dogs have much more limited means to cool themselves than people do, it’s important to be aware of your dogs condition in the heat. Panting is your dogs best way to release heat, but excessive panting, especially when combined with stringy, sticky drool, is an indication your dog is overheating.

 So how do we keep our doggos cool? Well, we’ve put together a few tips for you. Keep in mind these are general hot-day tips. If you are trying to cool down a dangerously overheated dog, you’ll want to seek vet attention. You can check out our blog on recognizing the signs and symptoms of heat stroke/overheating, and some emergency measures you can take here. Please keep in mind this is not intended to override any advice your vet gives you, but is based off of the standard pet first aid guidelines.

1.       Always ensure your pup has access to shade. If you have an open backyard with no trees, consider creating a covered (but not enclosed) shelter where your dog can escape from the direct sunlight.

2.       Ensure your dog has access to water. Much like people, dogs can become dehydrated, as well as suffer from heat stroke. Check out our blog on signs and symptoms of overheating for more information.

3.       Consider getting a pet cooling mat (basically a giant ice pack), which will help keep your dogs body temperature down. This is especially helpful for those dogs noted above at higher risk for overheating. It is not recommended to cover your dog, even will cool or wet products, since their bodies cool much differently than ours and you run the risk of insulating the heat instead of allowing it to disperse.

4.       Do NOT shave double-coated dogs. While this might seem like the best idea to help them release heat, it will in fact cause more harm than good. Just as their fur will insulate them from the cold in the winter, double-coated dogs will also be insulated from some of the heat in the summer. Shaving their coat strips them of their natural protection, and exposes their skin which is unused to being open to the air and sun. Shaving your double-coated dog can also change the way their hair grows, which leads to other complications. Regular grooming (with a knowledgeable and experienced groomer) to keep their coat healthy, along with our other tips, is the best way to make your double-coated dog comfortable during the warmer months.

5.       Put out a sprinkler! This is likely to be great fun for you and your pooch, and a good way for them to keep cool while playing.

6.       Give your pooch a cool, wet towel to lie on. Remember, you don’t want to cover your dog as you’ll simply be insulating them. Having a cool surface to lie on will help your dog keep cool much more efficiently.

7.       Keep outdoor exercise limited to early morning and later evening hours if you can. Always check the pavement before you take your dog out. If it’s too hot to hold your hand on for a few seconds, it’s too hot for your dogs paws.

8.       Give your dog ice cubes or frozen treats. Frozen cutes of soup broth (the no sodium kind) are a great treat for your pup on a hot day.

9.       If you have the space (and don’t mind the mess), get a kiddie pool for your pooch! Check out this awesome idea for a multi-use pool/fireplace for your yard.

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And we hope it goes without saying, but never, ever, EVER, leave your dog alone in the car. The only exception is if you can leave your air conditioning on for them, but even still it’s debatable. And certainly not just with the windows down, not even for five minutes, because you never know what could happen. If you get delayed for any reason (a medical emergency for example), your dog could be left alone, and there’s no way for it to save itself. It’s just not worth the risk.

So, play safe, be aware, and beat the heat this summer!