By Meredeth Barzen

Lisa Sellman of Aloha Pet Care with Sadie the Wonderdoodle.

When Lisa Sellman of Aloha Pet Care & Dog Training invited us to participate in her TTouch and Animal Communication class last month, we were excited about the TTouch part (any method of lowering stress in the Wonderdoodle household would be accepted wholeheartedly) and excited/nervous for the Animal Communication part (what if Sadie started whining that we don’t give her enough treats or throw the ball often enough?) But by the end of the night, we were both comfortable with the TTouch techniques, and confident that our dog really did love us.

Sidewalk Dog, Sadie the Wonderdoodle, and about 15 other dogs and their people gathered at Auntie Ruth’s Animal Care & Wellness Center in Minnetonka for the class, which started with Lisa guiding us through a handful of “touches”—or light, acupressure-like massage techniques—that we could use to lower stress in both our dogs and ourselves and to bond with our four-legged pals.

“These techniques are for whenever your dog is stressed—the vet’s office, the groomer’s, fireworks, thunderstorms,” Lisa explained, while rattling off a list of Sadie’s worst nightmare situations. “They’re a way to be in the moment, and to give our dogs the gift of being present.”

Then, we practiced those techniques on our own pups and our neighbors’ dogs as Lisa came around the circle and worked with each one of us individually. Sadie the Wonderdoodle, you’ll be curious to know, carries tension in her shoulders, just like her mom. Car rides are her Achilles heel—she got sick on the drive out to Minnetonka—so Lisa showed us some calming muzzle touches for the future.

Susan works on her TTouch skills with her dog, Jeri.

While we were working on our TTouch skills, Animal Communicator Ilga Cimbulis held short, individual sessions in a corner of the room. With all the misconceptions that abound about animal communication, we were interested to see what a session entailed. Ilga, with a  calm, easy manner, concentrated on Sadie (who was busy trying to snag a cookie from the refreshments table behind us) for a few seconds, then announced, “She’s telling me she’s your star, that she’s known or recognized.” Sounds like a certain Wonderdoodle has been reading too much SidewalkDog.com.

Ilga went on to discuss Sadie’s willingness to be out in the world, to help people. She said she had a healing nature about her and that she could be a therapy dog if we wanted to pursue it. But most importantly, she said we had done a good job; that Sadie was well-mannered and happy. Of course we know that Sadie loves us when she climbs up on our knees and kisses our ears, but the effect of someone actually telling you that your dog likes you cannot be underestimated.

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If you’d like to hear what your dog thinks of you (and to learn some massage techniques that might swing her affection more in your favor), Lisa and Ilga have another class coming up February 21—you can find details here.

Or, if you’re looking for more rustic relaxation for you and your pooch, Lisa also holds TTouch classes at the always-dog-friendly Gunflint Lodge’s Dog Lovers’ Weekends. The next one is March 18-21—find more details here.  And, as a special treat for Sidewalk Dog readers, Lisa has seven $100-off coupons for Gunflint Lodge (one per cabin) to give away to the first seven readers to e-mail her at Lisa@alohapetcare.us with their addresses.

Photo by Joy Green

By Meredeth Barzen

During the dog days of winter, it’s tempting to hibernate with your pooch, laying around on the couch all day and nodding off now and again to episodes of Animal Planet’s “Pet Star.”

NO! BAD DOG OWNER! Just because it’s winter doesn’t mean you have license to turn into a slug. You owe it to yourself and your pet to get out into the world and take in some fun, some exercise and some fresh air, and one of the best ways to do that in a Minnesota winter is skijoring—or, as Kristine Zellmer of local group Skijor Now puts it, “dog-assisted cross country skiing.”

Zellmer points out that skijoring has actually been around for more than 100 years. “It started when some Norwegians went to Alaska during the gold rush,” she says. “They saw dog sledding and brought the idea home to Norway and adapted what they saw to skiing behind horses and reindeer. The actual term means ‘ski-driving.’ With time, dogs started to be used.”

To skijor, you’ll need a dog that’s at least 30 pounds and loves to run. For equipment, you’ll need a harness for the dog, a belt for you, and lines to connect you to your dog. Ultra Paws sells this gear as a package for $115.95. Then, you’ll need somewhere to go and someone to show you how to do it—you can find these in the resources listed below.

If you’d like to get a jump on your skijor training before you get out on skis, Zellmer recommends leash-training your dog to respond to the main commands one at a time. They are:

‘Whoa’ = Stop

‘Hike’ or ‘Let’s go’ = Go

‘Gee’ = Turn right

‘Haw’ = Turn left

‘On-By’ = “Keep going—do not stop to smell the tree, chase the rabbit or examine the passing dog.” When you think your dog is going to be distracted from the trail, say the command. When she passes the object by, praise her.

And remember: You don’t have to be a speedy, big-shot racer to enjoy skijoring. By working with their dog, anyone can enjoy the sport as a casual, fun wintertime activity.

Photo by Joy Green

Skijoring Resources:

Clubs:

—Skijor Now

—Midwest Skijorer’s Club

Information:

—”Ski Spot Run” by Matt Haakenstat and John Thompson

—Midwest Skijorer’s Club Instructional Power Point

Places to Get Gear:

—Ultra Paws

—Skijor Now

—Midwest Mountaineering

Events:

—Sat., February 6: Chuck & Don’s Skijoring Loppet. Uptown Minneapolis starting at 1 p.m. The world’s largest skijor race—last year there were 107 teams and more than 2000 spectators.

—Sat., February 13: Midwest Skijorer’s Club 10th annual winter skijor event, sponsored by Ultra Paws. Starting at 9 a.m. at Ham Lake Park, with clinics for beginner, intermediate and advanced skijorers, plus pro sport and novice classes.

Places to Skijor:

—Midwest Skijorer’s Club Trail Guide

If you’re looking for dog-related or just plain dog-friendly events in the Twin Cities, then you’ve come to the right place. From the Events page on our Web site to our monthly newsletter to our Facebook page to this very blog, we’re constantly telling you what you and your dog should be doing. (Hope that’s okay!)

Below is a sampling of what’s happening over the next couple of weeks.

Various dates/times/locations – Play groups. Each one has a unique spin, so be sure to check out a few before taking your pick: Just Paws Puppy Training’s Mini Paws, The Canine Coach’s Playtime, Pampered Pooch Playground’s Tiny Tails and Fresh Air Training’s Pint-Sized Play.

Thursday, 1/21 – Talk2theAnimals Wisdom Behind the Whiskers radio show. Have you ever had the feeling your pet was trying to tell you something? Join animal communicator Janet Roper of Talk2theAnimals as she defines and talks about the benefits of animal communication. 1-2 p.m. on Diva Toolbox Radio.

Sunday, 1/24 – Animal communication/TTouch workshop. Get in touch with your dog! For just $25, you’ll receive an animal communication reading from Ilga Cimbulis and learn relaxing and calming TTouches from Aloha Pet Care & Dog Training’s Lisa Sellman. 4:30-7:30 p.m. at Auntie Ruth’s Animal Care & Wellness Center in Minnetonka. More info.

The Canine Coach's newest course: Canine Inspired Change

Saturday, 1/30 – Canine Inspired Change info session. The Canine Coach is offering a new course called Canine Inspired Change in which pet partner teams will learn to foster emotional growth and teach social skills to people of all ages in various educational settings. Attend for free or make an optional donation to Red Lake Rosie’s Rescue. For more info, click here. To register, click here.

Saturday, 1/30 – Shure Pets at the Ladies Shopping Expo “Shop to Your Heart’s Content” event.* Visit the Shure Pets “Puppy Love” booth for a special opportunity to buy direct from local consultant Stephanie Thompsen (i.e. the nice lady who comes to your house to show you snazzy pet items). The expo, which will be held at the Andover Community Center, starts at 10 a.m. and ends at 4:30 p.m. For more info, contact Stephanie via her Web site. (See “Pet Parties are a Fun Night In.”)

Sunday, 1/31 – Peaceful protest at Petland. Join the Animal Rights Coalition for a peaceful demonstration from 11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. outside St. Paul’s Petland, a store that sells puppies obtained from commercial breeders who mass-produce animals. Some posters will be available. Better yet, make your own from artwork obtained here. (See “Saying No to Puppy Mills: Peaceful Protest at Petland” for a photo from a recent demonstration at Shakopee’s Petland.)

Thursday, 2/4 – Dog Day at the Metrodome. Indoor, off-leash play plus pet-related vendors in the concourse from 5-9 p.m. Only $1 per dog and FREE parking (enter at Gate B). Dogs must be licensed and tagged. Minneapolis Animal Care & Control will sell licenses on-site. Questions? Contact Adam Kocinski at adam@podiumsportsmarketing.com  or at 651.238.2651.

*Note: The Ladies Shopping Expo “Shop to Your Heart’s Content” event is not dog-friendly.

Truffle (left) and Mae amp it up at American Guitar & Band

By Meredeth Barzen

Rock ‘n’ roll is alive and well in the suburbs (we don’t mean the band), and it just so happens to be dog-friendly. For almost 10 years, American Guitar & Band in Maple Grove has been a second home to owners Cory and Stephanie Lake’s dogs, which share the space with customers, music students and other visiting pups. Sidewalk Dog chatted with Cory, a guitar enthusiast and recording engineer, and his wife Stephanie, a design historian and museum curator, about keeping their store friendly to both dogs and rock stars.

Tell us about your dogs.

Cory: Two of our three dogs are at the shop every weekday. Suki, a black pug and the first store dog is now 11, retired from her post, and cruising around in a wheelchair at home. Truffle, our 4-year-old black pug, and Mae, our 4-year-old Bug (Boston terrier/pug) “work” at AG&B.

For years, we talked about getting Suki a friend. During brunch one morning we decided to get a dog—that day. Stephanie and I drove hundreds of miles all over the state, playing with puppies until something clicked. We knew the moment we saw Truffle that she was the one.

Mae arrived from Los Angeles late last year. Stephanie was visiting her sister who had just taken on a huge new job and felt enormously guilty about not spending enough time with her dog. Mae had had a string of bad luck, too, losing a toe to a coyote, an eye to a car accident, and a broken tail somewhere along the way, all of which only made her that much more endearing.  Stephanie adored her and so she asked her sister if she could take her back to the Twin Cities. When she called on her way to the airport, she told me she would be flying home with “one-eyed Mae.” The next day she was snapped into her seatbelt and on her way to work with Truffle.

Owner Cory Lake with Mae and Truffle

How do Truffle and Mae react to other dogs in the store?

Stephanie: We love to see other dogs in the shop and our dogs love it, too—lots of running and chasing, and the occasional crush develops with the regulars. There are a few dogs that they are absolutely crazy about.

How do they feel about customers? How do the customers feel about them?

Stephanie: They are both incredibly sweet and happy to meet everyone. Sometimes they have a lot to say, sometimes just tails wagging. Mae is a superb greeter and we have to admit that Truffle is a bit more jaded. Everyone knows to look for her on Cory’s desk chair. For our music students, getting Truffle’s attention becomes a goal—they bring in treats and toys to win her over. There is a great sense of accomplishment when she gives her approval. The customers love seeing the dogs, and most accept that if they sit down in our coffee lounge they will have one in their lap. We rarely see anyone with a fear of dogs, but if someone is uncomfortable we just pick them up and keep them at bay.

What do you like about having a shop dog? Are there any frustrating moments?

Cory: One of the best things is that they instantly put people at ease and in a better mood.  How can you not laugh when these two little dogs come bounding over? They look ridiculous and it just cracks people up. It also makes it much easier to avoid stilted retail introductions and forced conversations. There is a lot of attitude in music retail, but ours is a fun, friendly shop, and the dogs instantly set the tone.

The most frustrating thing is that they will eat anything—Mae developed a rock-salt-eating habit, and Truffle likes packing peanuts. It is a bit harder to keep them safe in a public space, but they also have a lot of people that watch out for them.

You'll have to visit AG&B to find out if Truffle can hold a beat ...

Do you think having a shop dog draws people to patronize your store?

Cory: Without question. If they are at home, I get asked about them all day. It definitely gives people another reason to look forward to stopping in. They also are a huge draw for our music lesson program. We teach hundreds of elementary and junior-high school students, and seeing the dogs each week provides extra incentive to get to their lessons. It is a perk for parents, too, who can bring in their younger kids to play with the dogs and stay entertained.

We love our dogs; they are our family, and we want to have them around us as much as possible. We are incredibly lucky to own a business where they have roles and where they have fun.

By Meredeth Barzen

Minnesotans may not know it, but they’re living in the same state as a huge celebrity. No—not Prince or Garrison Keillor—Wallace the Pit Bull, the incredible flying dog.

When Andrew “Roo” Yori rescued Wallace from a shelter, the pit bull was in danger of being euthanized. But with lots of training and love, Wallace showed natural skill in canine flying disc competitions. Now, at 6 years old, he’s won the titles of Purina IDC National Champion and Cynosport World Champion in the sport, is the charter member of the Minnesota Disc Dog Club, and has his very own Web site where his fans can watch videos of him competing and learn about issues in the pit bull community.

“Any dog of any size of any breed can play disc. We create a fun positive game with the disc, so the dog enjoys the experience and wants to work for more. If Wallace does what I ask of him, the game continues and we have a lot of fun in the process. If he doesn’t, the game gets boring and no fun. He’s out there because it’s what he truly loves to do,” Yori says.

Yori is dogged in his love for rescue animals. Last year, he and his wife Clara adopted Hector, one of the pit bulls rescued from the Michael Vick fighting operation. Yori brags about his accomplishments like a proud parent listing their 4th grader’s test scores: “In just one year with us, he passed his Canine Good Citizen test and his Temperament Test through the American Temperament Test Society, and has become a Therapy Dog through Therapy Dogs International. We’ve started doing therapy dog visits to hospital patients at the Mayo Clinic down here in Rochester. He’s got scars all down his chest and legs, but now is happy going for strolls in our neighborhood, meeting other people and their dogs, and laying out on our deck soaking up the sun.”

Though Yori agrees that the stigma surrounding pit bulls is too complex an issue to make any brief statements about, he wants people to know that dogs aren’t good or bad because of their breed—they have individual personalities and should be judged on those rather than what they look like. He references A Rotta Love Plus‘ work towards correcting the public’s perception of the breed and helping people understand how to act safely around any dog.

And Wallace is about to become even more famous—Yori says we can expect a documentary on the dog and his life with the Yoris before the end of the year. “I’ve always said I’m not only out here to talk about [dog rescue], but I’m out here to show it,” Yori says. “We put the action behind our talk and it’s a little hard to argue with the success we’ve had with both Wallace and Hector.”

If you’re a local pit bull lover, you can show your pittie pride on National Pit Bull Awareness Day, October 25th. MN Bully Lovers will be hosting “All-American Dog Fest” in West St. Paul that day, and all breeds are welcome. There will be three stages of guest speakers, dog demonstrations including dog safety for kids, Tellington TTouch and animal communication, as well as live music and family-friendly activities. Sidewalk Dog will be there and will post more information on the event as it gets closer.

Lori Carlson practices cobra pose as her dog keeps close watch. (Photo by Leah Shaffer, www.plamerican.com)

If you’ve ever participated in a basic yoga class, you’re familiar with certain physical postures, such as tadasana, warrior pose and – everyone’s favorite – savasana.

Now there’s a new yoga class taking place around the Twin Cities where your dog is welcome and encouraged to practice right alongside you. Novices and advanced yoga practitioners alike are attending k9-connection “Zen Pooch,” yoga classes that include your dog.

Many of the classes take place at Pampered Pooch Playground dog daycare in St. Louis Park, MN.

Recently, local reporter Lisa Carlson and her dog attended a class and featured their experience in a feature article. Read the full article and find out more information on upcoming Zen Pooch classes, or other events by k9-connection, at their web site at www.k9-connection.com or call 612-501-2986.