The Pack – Cory the Dog Walker

Cory, the Dog Walker

I truly feel I was born to work with dogs. We had a Shepherd Mix, Max, when I was a baby and apparently he followed me all around and stood over me a lot. From that point forward, I felt very comfortable with dogs. In 2008 I first saw Cesar Millan’s show, The Dog Whisperer, and I suddenly realized that this was the way to be with dogs. I started walking packs of dogs in 2010 and never stopped. My canine learning accelarted when I met Rene DeRuiter who gave me the opportunity to live with his pack of 50 rescue dogs. There, I learned how to communicate with dogs using their language. After returning to the city in 2020, I began to assemble the current members of the pack. These days I am walking 14-17 dogs together every day. To me, love is demonstrated by what you do. I share love with the dogs by doing their favourite thing in life, walk.

Strengths

Weaknesses

Maggie

7 year old female German Shepherd. Client dog.

For many years, Maggie barked at us from her backyard every time we walked by. It wasn’t just one or two barks, but a charging the fence, loud, non-stop attack Shepherd type of bark. Sometimes, she bark-chewed her red rubber ball and said, “see this ball, well that’s your face, and this is what I am going to do with it if I get out of here”. We slowly started building our relationship by not reacting back and saying loud enough for her to hear, “she just wants to join the pack guys”. Years passed this way. A polite passing nod, then occasional conversations led to the day when finally my dream came true and I was able to meet Maggie in person. Turns out, Maggie’s aggressive tendencies began when she was one after returning home from a traumatic kennel stay. Her first pack walk literally shook the neighboorhood. It was LOUD for about 10 minutes. All the years of frustration came out for everyone to hear. I used a muzzle and every bit of experience I had. The 10 dogs with me that day did remarkably well considering Maggie’s intentions. Keep walking and stay calm was the key here. After months of work, the muzzle came off. Maggie now looks forward to see her friends, and really enjoys the pack walk adventure.

Strengths

Weaknesses

Gwen

1.5 year old female Lab Heeler mix. Client dog.

Gwen is a very high energy Lab Heeler mix. She lives in a busy family home, and over time, her demanding needs were not fully met. She became unmaneagble and practically unbearable to be around. Lucky for her, Gwen’s family are committed to the challenge of meeting her needs. She joined the pack in early February and has walked in 15 consecutive pack walks. Her behaviour is now under much better control. For the first time since she was a pup, her family is beginning to enjoy her company. Gwen is great with kids and people. As the pack teaches her proper canine social skills, she will become a trusted member of pack. Overall, a fabulous new member.

Strengths

Weaknesses

Jazzy

2 year old female Catahoula Leopard dog. Personal dog.

Jazzy is a dominant female Catahoula Leopard dog from Texas. She passed through a few different homes who all had difficulties getting her to behave. Jazzy recently became a personal dog and her transition could not have gone better. We walked with 7 dogs to meet her (Molly, Emory, Tulo, Milo, Roxie, Milo, and Indie) and then pack walked her back to her new home 15 kilometers away. This simlulated her migration. I’m surprised, amazed, and proud of all the dogs with how well she is now behaving. Her best playmate is Tsiye (of course).

Strengths

Weaknesses

Brian Engel

60 year old male human

Brian is a middle-aged high-energy man with extensive dog knowledge. He is the founder of the treat and supplement wellness canine business Happy Girl Puppy. Brian also worked as a dog trainer for 11 years. He unexpectedly suffered a heart attack 2 years ago. He was revived some minutes after his heart had stopped. Subsequent strokes resulted in difficulties using his right-side limbs, vocalizing his thoughts, and sight. The pack met Brian in the spring of 2022, his outstanding energy drew us over. His relationship with the dogs began in an explosion of positive emotion; the pack loved his child-like wonder and excitement. Brian is a rock-solid member of the pack, the dogs absolutely LOVE him!

Strengths

Weaknesses

Lita

7 year old female Long-Haired Dachshund, Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever mix. Personal dog.

Lita is a medium energy level street dog from Costa Rica. She was rescued as a puppy with poor rear end mobility and mange. Multiple surgeries were performed to repair her rear joints. Then, at one and a half, she had an accident that broke her back. Lita was paralyzed from the waist down. Surgical attempts were made to reconnect her spinal cord, but her physical ability and psychologial state began to deteriorate; euthanasia was considered. She joined the pack as a last attempt to save her life. Since then, Lita has steadily improved to the point of being able to walk unaided for over an hour each day. No dog in the pack shows more appreciation for life than Lita. Her energy is humorous, happy, and loving.

Strengths

Weaknesses

Rosie

3 year old female black Labrador Retriever. Client dog.

Rosie is a medium to high energy dog who has excellent social skills in the pack. She is a cornerstone dog among the younger dogs. Rosie has an ability to be liked by all dogs regardless of temperament. If I was to going to use a dog to meet ANY new dog for the pack, Rosie would be my first choice, hands down. Rosie is a rock solid trustworthy pack member.

Strengths

Weaknesses

Roxie

3 year old female German Shepherd. Client dog.

Roxie is a medium to high energy German Shepherd with excellent social skills. Due to a complication in surgery, she was unable to be fixed. This means males are over excited to meet her and females regard her as competition. Roxie is faced with a life of social challenges. On the other hand, Judi has her walked in the pack five times per week which meets her higher level needs thoroughly. Roxie is a safe German Shepherd and is an excellent, trustworthy, loved, member of the pack.

Strengths

Weaknesses

Sadie

3 year old female Husky, Boxer cross. Client dog.

Sadie is a complex dog. She’s high energy, which means her frustration levels get the best of her at times. The first year of Sadie’s life was spent nurturing a dying family man and she was rarely socialized with other dogs. As a result, her reactivity levels are higher. That being said, I still regard Sadie as the BEST overall young adult dog in the pack. She loves people, is great friends with all the dogs that she knows, and she holds a high level of respect for the pack leader. Sadie’s best friend is Rosie.

Strengths

Weaknesses

Gryffindor

6 year old Wirehaired Pointing Griffon. Client dog.

Gryffindor is a very high energy wirehaired pointer. He is the social centerpiece for all the younger dogs in the pack beacsue they all played with him first. Gryff is the strongest, most determined, endurable, athletic dog in the pack. He’s also a fantastic family dog who would provide protection if needed.

Strengths

Weaknesses

Emory

2 year old male Poodle, Springer Spaniel cross. Client dog.

Emory is a very high energy springer poodle mix with high intelligence and good overall demeanor. His family with two young children are first time dog owners. Emory became almost unmanageable for them in the first year. Fortunately, Roxie was introduced to him at a young age and they began meeting up every week, which helped keep him under social control. Emory has improved rapidly since joining the pack because his owners are open to ideas on how to create a calm, respectful, trustworthy dog. He’s adopting the role of helper dog in the pack. A much welcome addition!

Strengths

Weaknesses

Malibou

9 year old female Pug, Beagle, Cattle dog, Border Collie mix. Client dog.

Malibou is a medium energy level dog who joined the pack eight and a half years ago at 6 months old. Her best talents are being friendly with kids and people, she has a very likeable charisma. Malibou’s wisdom comes in the form of role modeling for the younger dogs. Every pack walk with Malibou is a good one. Her energy is overall upbeat and positive.

Strengths

Weaknesses

Milo

9 year old male Blue Weimaraner. Client dog.

Milo is a high energy blue Weimaraner who joined the pack at eight months old. ‘Grandma’ has cared for him well since his owner moved to Australia 6 years ago. Carol’s commitment in bringing Milo to live with the pack for weeks at a time has kept him balanced. Milo is well respected and liked by ALL members of the pack; he has no enemies. A loving dog, his energy towards people is welcome. Maybe just behind Malibou, Milo is my first choice when introducing dogs to inquiring pedestrians. He has great physical physique for his age too. I love Milo.

Strengths

Weaknesses

Oliver

3 year old male Collie mix. Client dog.

Oliver is a medium/high energy level collie mix. He’s the oldest of the young group of dogs and he lets them know it. Oliver can be a bit bossy and he doesn’t always play nice and fair. This makes him come across as slightly dominant. His owners have done a remarkable job in making him a trustworthy social dog. Oliver’s best quality is in rapidly responding to the commands of the pack leader. I really enjoy having Oliver in the pack.

Strengths

Weaknesses

Sadie

1 year old female Blue Heeler. Client dog.

Sadie is a high energy level heeler with good overall temperament. She lives with her big brother, Oliver. All the dogs like her. She listens well off leash, especially to come commands. Sadie loves playing, running really fast, leaping in the air, and faking out dogs. She’s a riot! Tsiye, the puppy, loves her so much. They play for 30 minutes every morning when she’s in the pack. Of the 8 heelers that have been in the pack over the years, Sadie is the easiest going of the bunch. We all really lucked out with sweet Sadie.

Strengths

Weaknesses

Raea

9 year old female Husky Lab Shepherd mix. Personal dog.

Raea is a mature medium energy level dog from northern Ontario. Raea has a complicated past. 6 years ago, after a very serious incident, she bacame a permanent member of the pack. She is an excitable dominant female who requires more rules, boundaries, and limitations than most dogs. Through discipline, Raea has become a friendly, trustworthy, sweet dog around people. Raea is the second most tenured member of the pack behind Sasha. Her best friends are Milo the weim and Charlie.

Strengths

Weaknesses

Jersey

6 year old female Mini English Bull Terrier. Personal dog.

Jersey is a very high energy bull terrier who joined the pack at one and a half. She came from a bull terrier rescue located in Rochester NY and is considered highly dangerous around animals. By far the most reactive and aggressive dog to have joined the pack, Jersey wears a muzzle at all times around dogs. She walks in the pack daily while wearing a 6 pound backpack that helps keep her calm. Her progress towards becoming balanced has been slow but steady. Tommy has been instrumental in that process from day one, they are best friends. Her sweet demeanor around people is remarkable and has shown talent for therapy work with people who have psychological issues. Of all the dogs to have walked in the pack, Jersey is the best at making people smile.

Strengths

Weaknesses

Milo

3 year old male Border Collie. Client dog.

Milo is a dominant, medium energy level Border Collie. In the beginning, Milo would snarl and snap at any dog that came into his space. It took about a month for him to settle in and become better behaved. A defiant dog, he requires a higher level of communication; experience really pays off with him. Milo is not very trustworthy around people and is the last one I would let be pet, if at all. Because the pack is highly structured, Milo really enjoys and improves the pack experience.

Strengths

Weaknesses

Indie

2 year old female Red Speckled Cattle dog. Client dog.

Indie is a medium to high energy level cattle dog, her brother is Milo the Border Collie. They live in a busy household with 4 children. She is sensitive to touch and shows insecurity around other members of the pack. It’s wise to handle her gently with awareness and confidence. Although not dangerous, it’s also important to move with precise calm flow around her. Indie is a calm follower and rarely causes any trouble; she responds very well to light verbal corrections. Shy, her confidence is growing which would be accelerated by the use of a backpack. Indie loves to be petted and is a sweet affectionate dog.

Strengths

Weaknesses

Molly

3 year old female Rottweiler, Rhodesian Ridgeback, Lab mix. Sister's dog.

Molly is a medium to high energy level dog who came from a reserve in northern Alberta. Molly is a difficult dog and would be very challenging for first time dog owners. She can be mouthy and excitable around people who are unsure about her trustworthiness. Molly has lived with the pack since January 2022. Since then, her friendliness has improved with strong leadership and by meeting her demanding physical needs. With proper training, Molly would make an excellent protection dog. Experienced handling and training is required for Molly. She is affectionate and very well socialized with other dogs.

Strengths

Weaknesses

Tulo

6 year old male Coonhound. Foster dog.

Tulo is a foster dog in the pack and has high energy. He left his previous family with one child because he was simply too energetic. Since then, Tulo’s needs for exercise have been met in the pack. Tulo is extremely friendly with people, but does tend to act dominant towards other male dogs who show dominance or excitement. He is unfortunately no stranger to bitting and fighting other males. That being said, I have found him to be extremely trustworthy at a dog park. However, he requires constant reminders to be nice to other male dogs. Tulo is ready for a new home who accepts his weaknesses and will work on them. His best skill is walking on leash.

Strengths

Weaknesses

Bean

7 year old female Poodle, Golden retriever cross. Client dog.

Bean is a medium energy level dog with 23 puppies to her credit. She’s the most balanced dog of the pack. When I met Bean 6 months ago, I knew she would be a fantastic addition. Bean has more than lived up to that expectation. All the dogs respect her. Emory and Tsiye both love her, especially Emory(must be a poodle thing). Bean walks in the pack once per week and acts like a veteran every time.

Strengths

Weaknesses

Tsiye

6 month old male Husky, Border Collie, Great Pyrenees mix. Personal dog.

Tsiye (Jee-yeh) is a medium energy pup being raised among the pack. Tsiye translates to the North star in the Mohawk language. The traditional story goes as follows: three hunters are led by their dog, Tsiye, to ward off a bear that’s pestering the village. Tsiye casts the bear out to the sky, and it turns into four stars. Tsiye, the north star, continues to keep the bear at large for the three hunters who follow the bear into the sky and become the stars that form the big dipper. Tsiye’s best playmates are Sadie, the Heeler, and Emory.

Strengths

Weaknesses

Penny

3 year old female black Labrador Retriever. Client dog.

Penny is a high energy Lab from Applemeadow Labs, her sister is Rosie. Shania Twain has one of her relatives from this reputable breeder. Penny lives in New York city and only joins the pack when she visits ‘Grandma and ‘Grandpa’. She has spent enough time in the pack that she really looks forward to joining the walks with Rosie and her boyfriend, Tulo. Although not apparent, Penny is a dominant dog who ignores other pack members. Friendly and trustworthy, Penny is an interesting dog who lives a traveling lifestyle. I need to be prepared when Penny is coming for the walk. I do appreciate a challenging dog!

Strengths

Weaknesses

Sasha

16 year old female Husky, Shelty Cross. Personal dog.

Sasha is a medium energy senior dog rescued from the Mississauga Humane Society at 11 months old. She was my first dog after leaving home and posed behavioral challenges. Excitable, defiant, Sasha moved me towards learning about dog psychology to meet her needs. She used to bark at people a lot which led me to understand myself better: my need for approval. Her best quality is teaching puppies respect. Never having bitten a dog or person, her bark is her weapon of choice. She is a sensitive dog who places herself at the back of the pack so she can watch everything. Thank you, Sasha!

Strengths

Weaknesses

Flipper

2 year old female Bloodhound. Client dog.

Flipper is a high energy bloodhound. Unfortunately, Flipper got hit by a car and broke her back leg badly. As a result, her exercise has been limited which contributes to her frustration around dogs. It has taken a few months, but her leg is finally healing, so her walks are getting gradually longer. Flipper has a very affectionate side and is a very pretty dog. Tsiye loves her so much and they play endlessly when she is visiting. Flipper’s great with puppies. This bloodhound can be loud, but her presence is enjoyable in the pack. Flipper only joins the pack when her owner travels.

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Weaknesses