Let’s Meet A Local Pet!
Have you ever been curious about how a service pet is trained and how they support their owner?
This interview with Sarah Labatt and her Alaskan Klee Kai, Link, digs into the difference between therapy pets and service pets, and the kinds of jobs that they do.
Find Sarah, Link and the rest of the Zoo here –
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/link_akk/
Now, let’s get to the interview!
Transcription:
Laura Wombwell
Hi there, it’s Laura from Laura Wombwell Photography. And today I am joined by Sarah Labatt and her amazing dog Link for another episode of the southwestern Ontario pet collective. Hi, Sarah. I’m so excited to see you.
Sarah Labatt
Thank you so much for having me. This is a great honor and Link is super excited, I think, though he’s more excited about the treats than anything.
Laura Wombwell
So today’s interview is all about getting to know a local pet and the people who love that pet. So I know you have quite a few pets living with you right now. So I would love to hear about them.
Sarah Labatt
Oh my goodness, I have so many pets. And when you guys are frustrating me in the morning, I just felt like you’re all going to the zoo. Give me so much you guys handling. So I have Link, my who is my personal service dog. And also my pet. I also have two cats, Milo and Squeaks. And we have my COVID tortoise, like COVID splurge tortoise named Bowser? And yeah, so it’s quite the full apartment. When we get busy.
Laura Wombwell
Amazing. So the tortoise is a new addition to the family?
Sarah Labatt
Yeah, so um, so last year, actually, a year ago, tomorrow I had I lost my horse and I he ended up having be put down. So he we ended up putting him down and my husband and I just to like help kind of take my mind off everything. And we went to PetSmart. And he fell in love with this tortoise. And I kind of said, you know, babe, I said, I’m like, you know, I just put my horse down. Like, can we take a minute? And so then later, like a week or so later, can you lie down?
And so we were actually sick. And we had like a cold the flu thing. And he’s like, we have to go to the hospital. We have to go to the hospital. We’re sick. We have COVID because this is right when COVID started. And I’m like you don’t have COVID I’m like riccione of COVID. He’s like, No, we need to go hospital. We need to go get acid I’m like, okay, and I’m just like dying in bed. I’m just like, you know what, you go to the hospital. And when they tell me that, um, that you think they have COVID all go get tested. So they just said like, yeah, you’re fine. You just have like a cold, like, you know, so I guess that meant he I woke up and all of a sudden he’s like, yeah, the hospital said we were fine. But I brought home a tortoise.
I’m like, that’s why I call my COVID tortoise cuz I’m just like, apparently we went from dying and having COVID to just having a cold and so that means I went to PetSmart and got a tortoise.
Laura Wombwell
It sounds like a pretty full house, but I’m sure they make you smile every single day.
Sarah Labatt
That’s a word for it, isn’t it? Oh, my goodness, one’s got to go the bathroom at 6am and Milo he’s such a glutton like you just walk out of a room and he almost takes your feet out because he’s going to the kitchen. Because he thinks you’re going to the kitchen to feed him and like you. Can you get off? There’s no cookies up there anymore. You ate them off. And, you know, it’s just it’s mommying. Like you’re such a Mom. Don’t do this. Don’t do that. You get off there you up there. What do you want? What do you be you But yeah, it’s definitely it’s you couldn’t imagine your life any other way really? Because you wake up. It’s like having kids. You know? They’re our kids and our little family.
Laura Wombwell
So Link is an Alaskan Klee Kai, which is a breed that some folks may not have heard of?
Sarah Labatt
Yes.
Laura Wombwell
Now I know when you’re looking for reputable breeders, you know, bloodlines and all of that is super, super important. As well, you know, a lot of breeds will end up showing. So I know you mentioned that Link does some of the local dog shows. And how did you come into that?
Sarah Labatt
So so his mom Maeve and Jace is uncle Jace because they’re from the same breeder Taylak Klee Kai. And so Jess was kind of, you know, she wants to uphold the Alaskan Klee Kai thing, and she had mentioned the puppies when we were going through she was kind of deciding which ones were going to be part of a breeding program. So that was something that she kind of asked of us as new owners Is that something you’d be interested in with? Is that something you’d want to try? etc etc. And I said and at the time I wasn’t really sure about the breeding community out here or let alone the breed itself and breeders so I said well you know I said I really careful because I don’t want to be a backyard breeder I said stuff like that little did I know like we have like all these organizations that she’s a part of and you know, in finding out proper ways to find breeders and stuff so we did that. And then to do the shows. She’s like a grand champion may like she’s, she’s got done shows in Chicago and she goes everywhere and she’s amazing dog. So just just as you want to come bring your puppy it’s free puppies. So the puppies are free. It’s a new booster that we’re doing or so get the puppies if the mom if the parents are there, the puppies get in for free. Just to show so it was like Okay, so we just did that and it was amazing. Like just like um, you know, I I’ve never done anything regarding show dog showing. Nothing and next thing I know she’s like buying me like the special show leash and showing you how to do it. And when he was, he was good. Like, I mean, he was the only puppy. So, instance first. You did so good. I’m actually there’s I have a video somewhere on my phone during his initial first confirmation check. And these are a tabletop brief, because they’re small, so you have to bring them up onto a table. Well, Link thinks he’s going to the vet. So he backed up and actually slipped off the back of the table, while like I’m trying to like, hold my bait like my hot dog and try and get him to stand still for this for this guy to come up and feel him and like check his teeth and like was just like, oh my god, I’m going to the bat. So there’s actually a video of me actually catching him. mid air and he Meanwhile he at the time, he was like, besides my hand like he was so little. We do them with the Grand River Kennel Club, which is part of the United Kennel Club. Because the dog these guys don’t show because they’re not classified as a breed under American Kennel Club and Canadian Kennel Club. But in if, say you wanted to go do? What’s the big one in the states like the one that’s always held the Westminster? Yeah, yeah, they can show in there, but not as a breed. So they’ll do something like agility?
Laura Wombwell
So Link has come a ways in his training now. Yeah. And, and he is now trained as a service dog.
Sarah Labatt
Yes.
Laura Wombwell
I would love to hear about how that process works. Because I know there’s there’s such a need for service dogs.
Sarah Labatt
Yeah.
Laura Wombwell
And it’s just a fascinating area of training.
Sarah Labatt
It is. And it’s a very grey area. So like, even in my earlier Facebook posts, Instagram posts, I mean, with in regards to, like naming, so I was like, Oh, he’s a therapy dog. He’s not a service dog. He’s a therapy dog, or he’s an emotional support dog. And then you and so there’s pictures of him like or a video of us walking on campus at the university. And people are saying, Well, if he’s a therapy dog, why is he on campus? Like, oh, if he is a support dog why is he on campus, and I didn’t realize the language. So finally, I saw a girl who had a service dog. And I stopped her. And I’m like, excuse me, like, Can I please pick your brain? I said, I’m trying to get this service dog, like, you know, and she kind of taught me to terminology. So a service dog is this dog who provides a service or a task for you when you’re out in public, and they have access to all public spaces. Within reason. Like I know, like, even going to the zoo, you’re allowed to bring your service dog to the zoo, but you have to call them ahead of time and let them know. And of course, it’s certain things you’ll have to be aware of. So that you know they have the peacocks I just run around the zoo, so you got to make sure your dogs really well trained for that. So that’s your service dog. So that’s like, you know, letting you know that you have to take your medications, providing calming tasks, alerting, whatever. So then you have therapy dogs, which are actually their dogs that go in just regular dogs that owners can bring in or organizations where they come in and they go to hospitals or they go to homes and stuff like that to help and then you have an emotional support dog which is a dog who is like a service dog but they don’t provide tests and they’re not allowed in like you could bring them to like winners but you can’t bring them to like Tim Hortons or Walmart anywhere there’s food. So that’s the kind of exception with service dogs. So and I’m not sure about like the certification for like a therapy dog. But I know for a service dog everyone’s like Well, what’s the certification was there is not so for a service dog legally all you need is a dog is a letter from your doctor stating that this is a service dog in you know it doesn’t have to be super. It doesn’t have to be super like in depth. Oh he provides this task this person suffers from this is just this is a letter from your nurse, your doctor your psych whoever stating this is a service dog. And please accommodate them. Oh, so and usually for owner training owner train service dogs He Honestly, I think the best thing to say in my knowledge from what I’ve gathered from my community is that training, being in training, versus being a full service dog, it’s kind of up to you. So if you feel that your dog is up to par up to snuff bands are no longer in training. So that’s kind of where it kind of goes back and forth. As I said, like sometimes link kind of goes back into training mode where we have to go to Walmart, we have to do practice something. There’s some tasks and stuff like that.
Laura Wombwell
So you mentioned that you went the owner trade route, and they had a fantastic trainer who helped you dead. I’d love to hear about your trainer.
Sarah Labatt
Oh, my God, Angela, with K9 Lifelines. Um, she’s amazing. She. So when I first like, met Angela, I had contacted her and this was after I had picked this girl’s brain who was out with her service dog at the campus. And I said, you know, who can I go to and she goes, we can go to this person, I though this person helps train. And Angela actually was working for Canadian Lions Club. And she helped with and she was also part of the collective. So if you ever go to the University of wealth, you will see little lab puppies and golden retriever puppies, everywhere. And it’s adorable, because they come there. So they can be socialized. So they learn to go to school, they learn to come there. And they are part of it. And they’re all like in the in training or, and they have little purple vests or though green vest that says future service dog or future guide dog or whichever social issue is part of that collective. So I caught talked to her. And I think link at the time was like only like a few months old, like he was still little and I had a vest on him at gwelf. And of course, you stop everybody that’s there, because he’s so damn cute. So, um, and I met up with Angela, and we haven’t done the most consistent training with her just due to time, because I only really came to school like part time. So I was driving from Hamilton dwells, right. So but we worked with her and she, she actually has her own two service dogs that she has. And she was helping other local people. And people that were trying to own our train. And then she ended up moving up and starting a business, officially. So she’s worked with some of the other puppy raisers and trainers that were helping with the Canadian Lions Club or the national service dogs and all that. So, and all these other dog trainers.
Laura Wombwell
Excellent. Now, given that Link is really well trained, and really well socialized. I know, it’s kind of led you to another project, where you take Link to a ton of local businesses.
Sarah Labatt
Just I kind of started it with COVID. Um, and I was really concerned about my local businesses. So for me, I actually live over top of like a little local business Plaza. So there’s four stores below us. And there’s four apartments where we live. So Victoria, who owns A Greener Place, she had just opened pretty much like I think, I don’t even think she was like, six months old, and COVID had hit. And so I was like, Oh, my God, like, like, I was so worried about, you know, kind of like everyone else. Like they had to get shut down and losing their businesses and losing in you know, everything they were hard for in their dream. And so I said to Victoria, I said, I’d love to just do like little picture with you in link and just see, do a little blurb about your business and who you are. And it just started to kick off. I don’t really know how it just became a thing. I only really got like a few posts. So I think I don’t even have like eight shop local Saturday features I’ve done before I kind of had to shut it down and be like, Hey, now I need to kind of protect myself for COVID especially with the new UK variants and whatnot. So it just was a way I wanted to help promote my local businesses and be a part of our community.
Laura Wombwell
Nice once once things have calmed down and vaccines are further rolled out. Do you think it’s something you’ll start back up?
Sarah Labatt
Oh, absolutely. Yeah, definitely. For sure.
Laura Wombwell
Are there any local, especially pet specific businesses, that you would love to give some shout outs or some local love to?
Sarah Labatt
Absolutely, I definitely want to give a huge shout out to Chew’s Raw in Watertown, which you’ve actually been to you helped. I learned. Chris and Elaine are fantastic. Like, they’re such an amazing couple. And it’s been really like, a huge pride for me to see them grow. And to like, I mean, when I first came in there, they only had the one set of freezers, which was just like the door freezers. And then I watched them build the big back indoor freezers, and I’ve watched them like add things and add things and like, every time you go in there, it’s like your local family shop and like they’re just, they’re amazing. They’re and they’re so knowledgeable and they provide so many great things. So I love my local choose. Love them love them well, and personally, and you guys are awesome. I love you so much.
Laura Wombwell
They’re a fantastic, fantastic bunch of folks there. I am hoping that they will come on and have an interview. So we’ll see.
Sarah Labatt
Oh my god, I’ll message them and tell them like you need to do this. You need to I’ll just message Elaine, like, please do an interview. So there’s so there’s them. Also, one place I really want to give a shout out to is Animazing Pet Ppa in Hamilton. They’re fantastic. The guy who owns it actually patented, I’ll have to get him to do it interview with you as well or something because, um, he invented this dog washing technology, which is kind of similar to like a, like a carpet cleaner. Where it’s a handle, and it’s got water jets on it and it sprays right into the undercoat. And then it sucks as it’s doing that. So it’s like this bathing system, and he’s actually patented it he invented it. And you walk in there, there’s no appointments, and they’re so affordable, like PetSmart I wanted to get link because, you know, everyone’s like, do to click I shed. Yes. So when link blows his coat, and like, especially when it gets really hot in the summer, and I noticed like he’s really like, you’ve got puffs coming you know, you’re like plucking like a chicken, right? Um, PetSmart quoted me like $120 to get him a just a bath. And they do it for like 45 bucks. And they do it right there. It’s instant. 15 minutes you’re in, you’re out, they do a great job, they clip his nails and they’re so good. They’re so um, they used to have a Burlington location as well, but they ended up closing it, especially in Burlington where they were there was like the old bingo hall. And they were completely flattening that all out for for condos. So he kind of had a decision either, you know, sell my business to someone and get them to move, or we’ll just kind of close the business. So but they still have their Hamilton location. And they also get discounts for service dogs.
Laura Wombwell
That sounds incredible. I will check out this. This pet washing technology.
Sarah Labatt
Yeah, Animazing Pet Spa in Hamilton.
Laura Wombwell
So I have a few rapid fire questions to end off with for you.
Sarah Labatt
Okay,
Laura Wombwell
Are you ready? Oh Link is ready.
Sarah Labatt
Are you ready? Can you sit? Okay.
Laura Wombwell
All right. So we’ll jump right in.
Cat or dog?
Sarah Labatt
Dog.
Laura Wombwell
Favorite breed?
Sarah Labatt
Labs? I don’t I don’t know. I have so many. Um, if I were to pick one that would like my dream dream dream dog would probably be a Neapolitan Mastiff
Laura Wombwell
Excellent. All right. What are your pets favorite treats?
Sarah Labatt
Um, Milo anything. Squeaks doesn’t really have any. Um, Link, like bully sticks. He’s on special low fat treats right now because he’s got some stomach issues. So. Hi, just see the ears
Laura Wombwell
Does the tortoise get treats?
Sarah Labatt
Just lettuce, or dandelions. Dandelions. He likes dandelions.
Laura Wombwell
Alright, are your pets full of beans full of dreams are full of something entirely different?
Sarah Labatt
Full of beans. Full of dreams for Milo and Squeaks and Bowzer. Link is the most high maintenance one, he is the most energetic.
Laura Wombwell
All right, if a human actor were to play your pets in a movie, who would it be?
Sarah Labatt
That’s a hard one. Oh, I don’t know. I feel like Squeaks because she’s like such a princess. She would be someone like super proper and super like pressing. Like Katharine Heigl or something. Milo I don’t know. I don’t know anyone. That’s like Link I feel like he’s like a young boy like a young like a child actor. Or something like a really hyper child actor, maybe like Dennis the Menace? And then Milo I’m not sure does anyone who’s just like really lazy maybe like Cheech or something? Or Tommy Chong , he’s always really hungry. Oh, no, you know what he’s like? He’s like Kevin from The Office. I think, Kevin, in The Office where he’s just like, always want to eat.
Laura Wombwell
Amazing. All right. If money were no object, what incredible thing would you do with your pets?
Sarah Labatt
Oh, I think honestly, I would probably just want to get a horse again and have a horse. So I would love to have a big horse farm. And just fill it with dogs and animals and a million animals, I think we’d have to say probably a barn and get another horse again and get a few horses and more dogs and big crazy things.
Laura Wombwell
Wonderful. And finally, if your pets could say one thing to the Southwestern Ontario community, what would they say?
Sarah Labatt
Oh, I don’t know. Ah, I think Link would probably be for reputable breeding. Probably, you know, make sure you research your breeders. And look up proper breeders don’t go through Kijiji go through like the Kennel Club websites, essentially, because I’m a huge advocate for that really want to see people who really put the time and energy into their dogs. So for that, I believe Bowser, I think would be in my mind would be for proper tortoise and reptile care. Because a lot. Something we noticed that with PetSmart especially is they do not provide you the right information when it comes to your animals. So we get a ton of people in our Herman tortoise Facebook group, which is has owners from around the world. And people will come in there, Hey, I just got a tortoise and they’ll have a little tank with like no UV lights and stuff we all had to learn. So I think you’d probably be about proper reptile care education if phazzer had an option. And I just think, Milo and Squeaks, just cats.
Laura Wombwell
Amazing. Well, it has been such a pleasure chatting with you, Sarah and getting to see parts of Link.
Sarah Labatt
Yeah, he’s passed out now. Oh, my goodness.
Laura Wombwell
Well, I really enjoyed our chat today. And is there anything that you would like to say to the southwestern Ontario pet community?
Sarah Labatt
Ah, I don’t know. It’s so hard. I didn’t even think about all these questions. Um, I would just say just, you know, every day try to be a better and better owner and educate those around you and try to further everyone’s education about animals. And, you know, we’ve had dogs and cats so long, we forget how much work that they really are. And so always bettering yourself as an owner in a pet lover, for sure.
Laura Wombwell
That is the best advice I’ve heard all day.
Sarah Labatt
Link, stop. Someone’s just impatient.
Laura Wombwell
Well, I will let you go. So you can tend to his needs.
Sarah Labatt
Mr. Prince.
Laura Wombwell
Thank you so much for being here. And
Sarah Labatt
Thank you so much for having me.
Laura Wombwell
You’re so welcome. And thank you to everyone for listening. This is Laura from Laura Wombwell Photography and I am joined by Sarah Labatt and by the gorgeous Link and we all hope that you and your pets have an awesome day. Bye!
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