Free Massage for Adopters

TAGS will lighten your mood!
CC image courtesy of Denis Savard on Flickr

Has all this snow and cold slowed you down, too? 

We know the feeling, so one of our volunteers, Elaine Brien, decided to organize a yearlong contest for our adopters.
 
Elaine is a registered massage therapist working in a Whitby massage salon. Starting in February, she will draw one name a month from among our adopters in 2013, and the winner will be entitled to a free massage!
 
If you're lucky, you can enjoy relaxing massage therapy—either one hourlong session or two half-hour massages—at CalmingFX. The draws will take place at the end of each month through December 2013. The winners will be notified by email or phone.

Good luck!

Top 5 Fun Winter Activities to Do With Your Dog

Despite the weather getting colder and colder, make some time to exercise with your dog. When it's mild and calm outside (usually right after it snows), grab your jacket and your dog and get out of the house for some playtime! 

Aside from the usual snowball throwing, there are other creative ways to tire the dog (and yourself) out.

Dawson is up for adoption. Like his photo on Facebook!

1. Hide-'n'-seek. Dogs are just like kids: they love to play hide-'n'-seek. Hide somewhere and call your dog's name until he finds you. It's a good practice for his obedience training, too.

2. Play in the snow. Your dog will find it hilarious to see you lie down and make a snow angel next to him. He will probably want to help you, so watch out for his wet kisses and cold nose!

3. Run. Race to the park with your dog. Dogs love a challenge! They love to get their muscles moving, and they are surely in need of some exercise after being in the house all day.

4. Under the snow. If you have durable, water-repellent gloves, then grab a stick and shove it under the snow. Start moving the stick right under the surface of the snow level so that your dog can see the movement. He'll have great fun trying to catch the mysterious, hidden object!

5. Socialize. Arrange a play date with a friend who also has a dog. Dogs are social beings who like to spend time with fellow furry friends. Let them chase each other and play games while you catch up with your friend!

These simple games do not require any tools that you have to purchase. However, you should always make sure that your dog is warm enough during your playtime, especially if he has short hair. Also, check the roads beforehand to determine whether walking on them is safe for your dog (salt or ice can be dangerous). Have fun!

TAGS Educates

TAGS feels that it's important to always educate people about pets. It seems easy to own a dog or a cat, but there is much more to it. We can always improve ourselves to better understand our furry companions. 

Chappie and Blossum (recently adopted) just graduated! Good job!

Hence, TAGS introduced a Dear TAGS section in the blog where you can send your questions about your dog's or cat's behaviour or any other topic that you might be interested in. Our certified trainers are ready to answer you! Submit your questions here.

TAGS is now officially back from the holiday vacation, which means that we are ready to launch our winter classes! Our first session starts on the 19th of January and is held in our dog park. Don't miss out—you can still apply by emailing us here or calling us at 905-263-TAGS (8247). 

You'll learn how to read your dog's reactions and how to communicate with him more effectively. If you want to read TAGS-approved training tips, please click here.

TAGS will always make sure that your dog feels comfortable and never threatened while being trained. To find out why TAGS disassociates itself from punitive techniques, read this informative blog post.

We'll also have puppy classes at Pet Valu starting on March 7. These classes will be most suitable for puppies of 8-12 weeks, so if you own a newborn dog, you can already mark your calendar for this date! More info will be posted as the date approaches.