Hi, I’m Sara McTavish, founder of TriDogs based in south Okanagan area. I’m a dog walker, lifelong animal lover, and lucky enough to spend my days helping dogs grow, explore, and thrive!
It has recently come to my attention that many of you are unaware of the reason behind my choice of name, TRI-dogs. So, I thought I would elaborate!
Fourteen years ago, I brought home the little nugget known as Dog. Though she wasn’t always called Dog. There was a brief time in her life when she was called Kaya. Everyone knows that one person with a bad nickname that stuck, and for her, that was Dog. Something else you may not know, in addition to her silly nickname, Dog only had three legs.
She did not come this way. She was born with four legs. Around her eighth run around the sun, Dog developed a mass on her front right paw. Lumps are fairly common in lab breeds, so I was advised to keep an eye on it. In the months to follow, the mass grew, the hair fell off, and Dog tried to take things into her own paws, so off to the vet we went. That was when I was faced with a difficult ultimatum. My only three options were partial amputation, full amputation, or to leave it and watch her deteriorate over time until euthanasia. Option three being completely out of the question, I was faced with a difficult decision. I chose a full amputation because it was the easiest recovery process for her. On that note, recovery was anything but easy (on me). I spent the next month carrying her up and down stairs so she could go to the bathroom. Watching her be completely exhausted after just taking a few steps. I wondered if I had ruined her life, but she had other plans! “No crying, Mom. We’ve got dog stuff to do!”
She honestly blew me away with how well and fast the recovery went from there. While I’ll admit she still didn’t have the stamina of her former young and four-legged self. She was an absolute ray of sunshine in my life, and she is the only reason your puppers get to enjoy the amazing adventures we have every week. The TRI dog herself, Kaya.
I’ve always had a natural knack for working with animals. Starting from a young age, they always fascinated me. I’ve had many types of pets over the years, including rodents, reptiles, cats, dogs, and even fish. My favorite by far has been my canine companions. Growing up, my family had rottweilers and other powerful breed mixes. At 19, I got my very first dog that was truly my own. I was incredibly proud of how well-behaved she became through my guidance, love, and support. I named her Kaya, but everyone knew her as Dog.
I began working with a local dog walker during my days off from my 9-5, about seven years ago. My passion grew and was cultivated over the next three years. I also worked at a local pet store in Penticton, where I learned about many other types of pets and animals. That started my journey to become a certified dog trainer. In the summer of 2022, I received my certificate in dog training and began my own business, which I’m proud to say is now thriving and brings me and my clients fulfillment and joy daily.
I firmly believe in training the dog in front of you, but not every method will work with every dog. Much like people, they are individuals, they have different personality traits, and not all of them learn in the same way. There are no blanket fixes for any behaviors. I believe in dog psychology and using all four quadrants of learning (positive/negative reinforcement, and positive/negative punishment) to optimize the learning experience and create lasting results. With exercise, discipline, boundaries, and guidance, I help dogs become the best version of themselves. A well-behaved dog is a byproduct of effective follow-through and clear communication.