Quinn the Dog Trainer

Not me rushing to pack goodie bags with a 3D printed wiggle dog and a few pieces of candy because I have an event in an hour and twelve minutes and did the fatal 'no, I'll have time tomorrow, it's cool' last night.

Anyway, Highland Park, looking forward to seeing you at the Ravinia Candy Stroll!

Ya know... Every time I am forced to interact with an evil corporation (and that's all of them), I get why clients get all giddy they can just text me and I'll answer. I don't think any corp believes in customer service anymore. 90% of my stress is just due to enshittification, it's so exhausting.

I deleted social media/chat apps from my phone, and WOW, it's been something special for my mental health! I read more books again, I have time for other things. It's been awesome.

BUT, I'm gonna try to take more dog pics, and post here more often for my, like, twelve followers, lol. Love you all!

Dog acting strange around 6/7pm lately? It's normal! Remember, it's getting darker earlier, and dogs don't have the best eyesight. Things that used to be easy to see aren't anymore, and your dog might be uncertain. Don't stress! Take it slow, let them feel it out. Most dogs adapt in a week or so :)

First K9K price increase in ~5 years, and it's the cancellation fee. It just jumped from $35 to $50. I'm going to get screamed at over it anyway, so I'm going to make it worth my while when people blow off their appointments.

Stop disrespecting indie workers. We're NOT your punching bags.

Sirius is a large breed puppy, tan and black with curly fur and perfect triangle ears. His nose is a shiny black, and his deep brown eyes are looking up to the camera. He has a gentle, thoughtful look on his face.

Who couldn't love a dog so young with eyes this wise? Mr. Sirius came for a little stay, and we had a blast hanging out together. 💜

It's a very humbling feeling to walk into a dog training arena, after thirty years of training dogs, and be the newbie. Genuinely loved it, and I'm enjoying learning a new thing with protection work. I have NO plans to ever teach it, haha, but the "malinwusky" and I are having a blast 💜

Would genuinely love to see a push to "rebuild" some extinct dog breeds, the St. John's Water Dog being chief among them. Every time I see Mishi's white spot, I'm reminded of the amazing breed long-gone that became the blessing that is my bestie.

Anyway, this post brought to you by having to buy one of those expensive leather harnesses, and remembering that moment of looking my employer in the eye and trying to figure out how to say "oh, that's the second dumbest thing I've heard today" without losing my job.

Back to my long weekend.

It's been over a decade and I'm still snickering at my old job, who bought a bunch of really expensive leather harnesses for tracking/agitation/etc., and wanted us to sell them as "no pull harnesses". Even if "no pull harnesses" were a thing, those are definitely not the droids you're looking for.

How do I keep going like it's a normal day while my neighbors are being terrorized? How do you stand outside a courthouse while someone is kidnapped, then show up to your shift, business as usual? How do you tend to your wounded friends and then ride off to work?

My heart is so heavy...

Six 3D printed articulated Labradors with K9kaliber.com printed on them are sitting on a white tablecloth with the K9 Kaliber logo and some business cards. My logo is a running Doberman sort of dog with a southwestern style pattern across his body.

Ta-da! My first articulated 3D print, I couldn't be more proud. They came out pretty darn good, if I say so myself, and some went to new homes today, haha.

Want one? Come find me at Peppo's Pets in Hoffman Estates next on 6/13, 3-6pm, and bring your weirdest dog questions for me!

Radio is a medium size dog, with a short, white coat. He has a black nose and dark eyes with pink around both, and rose ears. He's sitting in an entryway, looking to the camera.

Hello again, Radio! This smoosh was in a group class I taught a while back, and now he's got a baby sister who needs some help with building her confidence. She was feeling too camera shy to let me snap a pic of her, so you get to look upon Radio's big sweet face instead.

Kiki is a small breed dog, very light tan in color with a wavy coat, drop ears, and a black nose and black eyes. She's laying on a medium brown laminate floor next to a stuffed yellow ducky toy.

Lookie who had her first lesson! Among other things, Kiki learned how to go to her kennel by herself, a big accomplishment given that she has a negative association with kenneling... And also learned the value of "NO". Ripping up her owners' ankles and arms stops **now**.

Photo of a 3D printer at work. The item being printed is in the shape of a Labrador, flat and in a profile view like a cookie cutter laid on a countertop.

What am I up to? Gonna have to come find me at Peppo's Pets in Hoffman Estates next Friday and see 👀

For the laugh you just gave me, I hope you have the absolute best day ahead of you 😂

Kiki is a small breed puppy, apricot in color with darker ears. She has fluffy, slightly curly fur, drop ears, and a dark nose and eyes. She's sitting on a light wood laminate floor in a living room, sitting but a little splayed out.

Hello, Kiki! This little cutie has a mean streak to her. She's been terrorizing her owners and they're fed up. Excessive barking, biting, and a whole lot of bullying. We're going to nip this in the bud before she gets older and it becomes habit, so she can have a happy and healthy life ahead of her!

I think it's cool how dogs can be like "my nose is cold, I'm gonna stuff it in my big fluffy tail". They just do that, it's a thing they just know. That's so neat.

A black beetle is resting on a ground cover with thin, needle type leaves and small flowers. The back light is purple, and a small white light is shining on the beetle.

Got home to find this friend in my fountain! Poor thing isn't a great swimmer, so I grabbed a stick and hauled them out. Little while later, went out and they were resting on my ground cover, drying off.

Thanks for coming by, little one. Safe travels!

Biggest training mistake people make is thinking their dog will "outgrow" problem behaviors. They don't! As long as their behavior is fun for *them*, they have no reason to do anything else.

Don't wait for problems to fix themselves; train your dog and fix the problem for real!

Last, I'd be remiss if I didn't give a huge thank you to everyone who put money towards his bills or sent their emotional support. We felt so much love for him, and we're so blessed that so many people care about Tucker as much as we do. He's a very special little man! 💜

His surgeon recommended that he get a preventative ultrasound every 4-6 months, to be proactive, and we fully intend to do exactly that. We're going to start them with Mishi, too. For now, though, we are so fortunate to be able to celebrate his good health. I'm proud of this little trooper!

Tucker is a small breed, tricolor dog, chocolate brown with tan legs and face, and a white blaze on his chest. He has rose ears, gentle eyes, and a soft but alert expression on his face. He's standing in a kitchen, in profile to the camera.

Little dude is officially one week post-op! We got the call, his biopsy came back early. I am very, VERY happy to say that this guy dodged a massive bullet: his mass was a benign hematoma. I'm still in shock, there was such a tiny chance, and he made it.

1/3

Indy is a medium small dog, reddish tan in color with a white blaze on his chest that continues up and around his muzzle. He has a shiny black nose and dark eyes, and upright, rounded ears. He's wrapped in a towel, standing in a raised shower for dog grooming.

Scrub a dub-dub, it's a Corgi in a tub!

Indy and Marshall got their monthly grooming today, and they are blowing coat big time. Holy shed! 😂

Boba is a medium large dog, black with a white blaze on his chest. He has one ear dropped and one flying nun ear, and he's panting softly on a warm day.

Welcome to the K9K fam, Boba! Boba is going to be learning impulse control and manners. Right now, he's a wee bit of a wild man, and he's scaring his mom with his antics. We're going to rein in his enthusiasm and use it constructively!

Lucky is a medium breed puppy, yellow-tan in color, with drop ears and a black nose. She is laying in woodchips, with one giant wood chunk between her paws. Her expression is bright, and a little mischievous.

It was a very fun week with Lucky! This little puppy had a good time learning, making new friends, and building her confidence during her stay with us. Our own Rivet absolutely adored her, they're best friends now!

See you next time, kid 🐾

A photo of my dog, Tucker, resting his head in my hand. My other hand is on his head, petting him gently, and we're looking at each other. He's in a veterinary ICU.

It has been a very, very long 48 hours, but I'm so glad to say that Tucker's care team have decided that he can come home today!

We still won't have the biopsy results for a bit. But for now... I'm glad he's coming home.

He's a good soul. We're not out of the woods... But we aren't lost in them, either.

He had patches on his vest that said "even if we're breaking down, we can find a way to break through. Even if we can't find heaven, I'll walk through hell with you."

We're still a team. You got this, T-Dog 💜

Pic was taken before he went in for his surgery. He's out, sans a spleen. There's no sign it spread to the rest of his body, so that gives me a lot of hope. He's a little guy with a soft soul, but don't underestimate him, he's tough when he needs to be!

A photo taken by my partner. Tucker, my senior Chihuahua mix, is laying on a sherpa blanket, with an IV in his front right leg. He's tired, but awake and holding his head up. I'm laying on the floor next to him, my head against his, smiling at him.

A thousand thanks for all the well-wishes today. For those who don't know, Tucker is in the ER. He had a mass on his spleen (very likely hemangiosarcoma), and was bleeding internally.

F*ck cancer.