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!

Doggy park do’s and don’ts

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The dog park is a place of wonderful doggy freedom and fun. What’s better than watching your fluff ball run and play with abandon along with their fluffy friends? There is a lot to be said for the positive influences and play dogs can have at an off-leash park. It’s a great opportunity for socialization, our pals get to run their crazy out after maybe being inside for the day (can anyone say zoomies?), and we get our own exercise in walking through the park with them.

That being said, to make sure it’s fun for everyone, us humans should try to keep a few things in mind when releasing our furry friend to the masses at an off-leash park.

1.       Basics

It is highly recommended your dog be vaccinated and healthy if you’re going to take them to a park. There are a lot of aspects in an off-leash park you will have no control over, so protecting your dog as much as you are able is a good start. If you have a puppy, you want to wait until they’ve had all of their puppy shots before exposing them to other dogs. It’s also highly recommended your dog be spayed or neutered before the go to the park, especially if they are over about six months of age. This will reduce the risk of aggression/fighting with other dogs, and avoid any risk of unwanted/unexpected pregnancies.

If you’re bringing a puppy to the park, you need to keep an extra close eye on them. Puppies learn a lot in their early months, and are much more prone to traumatization from negative experiences at an early age. You want to make sure all your puppy’s interactions are positive to reduce the risk of reactive/defensive behaviour in the future.

2.       Start slow

For new dog owners, an off-leash park might be overwhelming. There are a lot of dogs everywhere, there’s probably a lot of open space, and depending on your dog, their first instinct may just be to bolt to the farthest corner they can find. This can encourage negative behaviour and lessen the strength of your recall command if you have to yell repeatedly at your pooch to try and get them to return. It is highly recommended you have a strong recall bond with your dog before you go to an off-leash park. Some parks also have smaller enclosed areas where you can work on that recall with your dog while in a distracting environment. You can also use these pens for small group play-dates with other dogs.

3.       Don’t keep your dog on-leash at an off-leash park

There are cases where you may want to use your leash for a period of time (to lead your dog away from something/another dog, to lead them out of the park, or for short ‘time-out’ breaks), but for the most part you need to be able to let your dog roam. Leashed dogs may become reactive/aggressive to off-leash dogs approaching them, and vice versa.

4.       Watch your dog at all times

It only takes a second for play to get out of hand, and it happens. Just as you don’t get along with everyone you meet, neither will your dog. Keep an eye on your pooch and their playmates, and make sure you can safely intervene before play gets out of hand. Remember, NEVER reach into the midst of dogs who have gotten out of hand – you might lose yours. Watch for stress cues from your dog, like a tucked tail, excessive yawning, unusual snapping/baring of teeth, growling, raised hackles, etc. Call your dog to you, and lead them away from the situation.

If you’re new to dogs, signs of healthy play include a perky tail, frequent ‘bowing’ (when a dog lowers their front legs/chest to the ground), mild growling, and role reversal playing (chaser becomes the chased, and vice versa).

There are fine lines which can be hard to spot, but if you feel uncomfortable with the situation, call your dog and move on. Try to keep in mind a dogs idea of play is going to be different than yours, and make sure you know the difference if an off-leash park is somewhere you plan to take your dog to.

5.       Leave your toys at home

Even if your dog has no problems sharing their favourite ball, other dogs may be reactive or possessive of toys. This doesn’t mean they are a bad dog, it’s probably something their owner is working on, but it will make their park visit much less enjoyable. If you really want to play fetch with fido, be considerate of others. Don’t throw toys for someone else’s dog, or when other dogs are in your area. Avoid peak times so you have more space to play. And prepare to lose whatever toy you bring, because it’s bound to happen at some point.

6.       NEVER feed someone else’s dog without asking

Food aggression is also a common trait in dogs, and you never know what sort of allergies or intolerances another dog may have. Beef and chicken allergies are more common than you think. But more importantly, most people don’t want their dog begging for treats, especially from other people. It only encourages behaviour the dogs owner probably doesn’t appreciate.  It might be cute for you, but for the owner it’s probably not. Give affection instead, something you can all appreciate.

7.       Pick up after your pup

There is nothing worse than going to the park for some play-time and ending up with a dog covered in poop. Nobody wants that. On top of that, animal poop will attract other animals. Picking up after your dog is part and parcel of the deal. Nobody likes doing it, but it’s what you signed up for when you got a dog.

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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.