Our Story
How a shutdown foster snuck her way into my heart
From Rescue to Real Bond
I never planned to keep her — but when a shut-down pup from Manitoba’s forest fires landed in my home as a foster, everything changed.
During the Manitoba forest fires, she came down with a large group of over 100 dogs from up north. She had been found with her puppies, suffering from mastitis, covered in dry blood, wounds, severely malnourished, dirty, and desperately in need of a home.
She was one-and-a-half years old, rough from the wild, and extremely shut down. For the first few nights she kept mostly to herself as she adjusted. Then, slowly each day, she started coming out of her shell. We built routines together and a deep bond began to form.
I had just started working at a dog daycare, and I researched everything I could to help rehabilitate her. Through that process, a serious bond was created. I learned how to redirect her uncertainty before she got overwhelmed. She is slowly learning that other dogs can be okay and even friendly, which isn’t easy coming from her past.
Having two loving brothers who are very patient with her helped tremendously. She has now fit right into the pack and is a true part of the family.
She really started my interest in dogs and opened my eyes to how I could possibly help more dogs in the future. Since then, I’ve been digging into dog psychology, dog cognition, and dog bodywork. I now have over a year of experience working at a dog daycare with all sorts of breeds and quirky personalities in packs. I also plan to volunteer with rescues in the near future.
And that’s how Wags & Wellness came to be... working with and creating meaningful bonds with canine companions in many different ways.
Progression Momentos
How it started
How it’s going
Our Recommended Sniff Spot
If you’ve rescued a dog with some trauma and other dogs aren’t really your pup’s jam, I feel you. It’s not easy finding a safe place to let your dog truly roam free and express themselves — until you find a place like this.
This is where some of her best memories have been made: playing with her brothers, and me getting to see her run full out until she taps out.
