5 Of My Favorite Online Resources in 2022
I know a lot about some things.
I know a lot about dog allergies and dog rehabilitation. I know a lot because I’ve done hours of research out of necessity. It’s the whole reason that I wanted to start this blog.
I know a little bit about the many other things that dog owners want to know about. I know a bit about training, about what to do in an emergency, about alternative health care.
But I’m not an expert. When I need answers, I turn to the experts.
These are 5 online resources that I absolutely love. They will help you on your journey with your dog.
Namastay Training
Jennifer Skiba is the most awesome trainer in the history of the world.
Was that a bit over the top? OK, I’ll admit, I may be a little biased. She is Hazel’s trainer and Hazel is an awesome dog!
She approaches training in such an intuitive way. She wants you and your dog to be a team.
Jennifer reminds us that we are in a relationship with our dogs, and that the purpose of training is not to hold dominion over our companions but to work together toward common goals.
Taking classes with Jennifer taught us much more than just the course material.
I learned so much about dogs in general. And working with Hazel taught me so much about my dog in particular. I learned how to be a better teacher, Hazel learned how to learn, and we became a better team.
Understanding how to work together as a team has been invaluable. Team work has gotten us through allergies, major surgery, and every new challenge that we experience.
I will forever be grateful for that.
If you do not have that kind of relationship with your dog, start working with Jennifer right away. You will not regret it!
To sign up for coaching or in person classes check out her main website. You can also sign up for her email list to get weekly “Trainer Tips”. These tips are short, sweet, easy to digest, and absolute gold. She really should be charging a membership fee for these things!
If you’re an online, self-paced learner, she has a website dedicated to her awesome courses at NamastayUniversity.com.
Dog Wheelchair Life
I love this blog. Not only is it full of awesome information but I feel a kindred connection with Sharon and Sofie.
Sharon’s life was forever changed when her beloved dog Sofie became paralyzed.
She knows how scary it is to hear that your pet won’t walk again. Out of necessity she became an expert on life with a paralyzed dog.
I feel that.
Because she’s been there, she started her blog to help other pet parents navigate the confusing world of pet paralysis.
Hazel doesn’t have to be in a wheelchair, and I hope she never does. But if it ever came to that I’m glad that there is a resource like this out there.
Her website offers great tips and insights, totally awesome and useful free resources, and in-depth explanations of common and not so common diseases. Even if you don’t have a paralyzed dog, she has some great advice about life with a special needs pet.
K9 First Aid and CPR
Eric “Odie” Roth, literally wrote the book on canine first aid. He is super passionate about teaching people how to help dogs in an emergency.
He trains pet parents, business owners, and first responders. And he works with nonprofit organizations.
Eric has been in the fire service for over 22 years and currently works as a Safety and Medical Officer with the Fire Department. He developed K9 First Aid and CPR in 2009 and has taught over 2300 students.
Seriously, I think you’d be hard pressed to find someone more qualified to teach you what to do for man’s best friend in an emergency.
He offers in person classes, online classes, and of course, his book titled K9 Medic. Everything is totally affordable. In fact, the E-book version of his book is so inexpensive it is practically free. So, there is no excuse not arm yourself with all the information that you might need to help your fur friend!
I was lucky enough to take an in-person class with Eric and he is awesome! He is a great teacher with a real passion for helping pets.
Veterinary Cannabis
If you’ve ever been curious about the benefits of cannabis start here.
Dr. Andre has in impressive list of credentials including Director of the Colorado School of Animal Massage; President and Founder of Care for the Healer; Veterinary Medical Director and Vice Chair for the Rocky Mountain Medical Reserve Corps; and Branch Director of the Front Range Veterinary Medical Reserve Corps.
Whew! And that’s not even a complete list!
My point is this, the information that you will find on this site is not from a hippie who thinks that marijuana cures all things. The information on this site is well researched, science backed, and up to date.
Her site focuses heavily on educating vets and professionals in the cannabis industry. But there is plenty of information for us “regular” pet owners as well.
If your unsure of where to start she offers a 3 month “Guidance Program” that provides a case evaluation, product safety evaluation, plan guidance with a DVM and specialist, AND coordination with your primary vet.
Dogs First
Unless you live under a rock you’ve heard of raw food feeding. But, if you’ve ever tried to do any research on the subject, you know how much information is out there, and how much of that information is different or downright contradictory.
Enthusiasm for raw food and fresh food has been growing like a tidal wave over the last few years. And this website is FULL of awesome articles and information for anyone interested in raw food feeding.
The site is run by Dr. Conor Brady who studied the effects of nutrition on the behavior and gut morphology of mammals for his doctorate. That’s a pretty legit credential in my book.
Along with articles on raw feeding and general health the website also includes a feeding calculator. You just plug in your dog’s weight, age, and lifestyle and the calculator gives you a recommendation of how much to feed in weight and a target calorie count to hit.
This feature is a SUPER helpful starting point for anyone starting with home prepared food.
He’s written a book about nutrition and raw feeding that is super popular on Amazon. And he offers consults and webinars.
The webinars are not active yet, but I’m hopeful that they’ll be live soon. I’m excited to watch them because he seems so informative, funny, and authentic in his writing. I really want to watch him live.
And, if I’m being honest, I know that “.ie” is the preferred online address for businesses in Ireland; so, I really want to get a load of his accent!
Wrapping it up
For those of us owners who are “dog nuts” we can often be found going down the rabbit hole of research. There is a dizzying amount of information that we fell we need to know, or want to know.
I hope that I’ve made the search a little easier for you by providing some of my favorite online resources.
Wishing you love and wet kisses,
Jenn and Hazel
