Independence Day
Happy Independence Day! Today is a time to celebrate freedom, community, and the spirit of coming together. For many families, it also means a busy and stimulating day for our dogs with fireworks, gatherings, and extra activity in the environment. If your dog is part of the celebrations, remember to keep their comfort and safety in mind. Not all dogs enjoy loud noises or high-energy environments, and providing a calm space, familiar routines, and a place to decompress can make a big difference for their wellbeing. Whether you’re celebrating at home or enjoying a quiet day with your dog, take a moment to appreciate the freedom and the bonds we share with our families and communities.
Service Saturday Spotlight: Puppy Source & Train
Looking for the right puppy but feeling overwhelmed by the process? Our Puppy Source and Train program helps connect families with ethically sourced puppies from reputable breeders while giving your future teammate a strong start through professional training. Through our partnership with Doggit, we help match puppies based on your goals, lifestyle, and needs. Puppies then begin training foundations like house manners, kennel training, socialization, confidence building, and beginner obedience before coming home. Available to families regardless of location or distance. Reach out and let us help you find and build your perfect match.
Daily Dog
Meet Britta, one of our incredible therapy dogs making a difference every day! Britta serves at Ascension St. Francis Hospital, where she provides comfort and support to patients, families, and staff. Whether she’s offering a calming presence during a difficult moment or bringing smiles to those she meets, Britta reminds us of the powerful impact a therapy dog can have.
With her gentle personality, steady temperament, and love for people, Britta is a wonderful ambassador for the Dawgs at Work therapy dog program. We’re so proud of the lives she continues to touch and the comfort she brings to her community.
Feature Friday Breed Spotlight: Pembroke Welsh Corgi
This week’s spotlight goes to the Pembroke Welsh Corgi. According to the AKC, these bright, affectionate, and alert dogs were originally bred as herding dogs and may be short in stature, but they are packed with personality. Corgis are known for being intelligent, active, and full of confidence. Fun fact: those short little legs were actually helpful for avoiding cattle kicks while herding. Small dog, big job. Interested in adding a Pembroke Welsh Corgi to your family? Dawgs at Work proudly partners with Doggit to help connect families with ethically sourced dogs from reputable breeders. Reach out and let us help find the perfect match for your lifestyle and goals.
Partner Spotlight: Nickels Pub
We’re proud to shine the spotlight on one of our incredible community partners, Nickels Pub! For quite some time, Nickels has welcomed our service dogs, therapy dogs, and puppies in training, providing a real-world environment where our teams can practice important public skills while building confidence and experience. Businesses that support working dogs and training opportunities are invaluable to our program, and Nickels has been an outstanding partner every step of the way.
Nickels is also one of our favorite places because of the atmosphere. This classic Wisconsin dive bar has a welcoming, neighborhood feel that makes everyone feel right at home. Whether you’re stopping in to catch up with friends, enjoy a drink, or simply unwind after a long day, you’ll find a friendly community waiting for you. Even better? Nickels is dog friendly! Well-behaved dogs are welcome to join their owners, whether they’re there for training, socialization, or simply kicking back and relaxing with friends.
Having dog-friendly businesses in our community creates more opportunities for dogs and handlers to practice real-life skills while enjoying time together. We’re also excited to share that our partnership has expanded! Dawgs at Work is now hosting group training classes at Nickels Pub, creating a fun and unique training environment for dogs and their handlers. A huge thank you to the entire Nickels team for supporting our mission, our dogs, and our community. We are honored to partner with a business that values connection, inclusion, and a good time as much as we do. Great dogs. Great people. Great community.
Daily Dog
Meet North, our 7-year-old German Shepherd and one of the incredible therapy dogs at Dawgs at Work! North serves memory care communities, elementary schools, and behavioral health programs, where her calm, gentle presence brings comfort and connection to those she meets.
When she’s not out visiting the community, North has another important job as one of our mentor dogs. She helps guide our boot camp, board and train dogs, and puppies by modeling confidence, calmness, and excellent canine communication. We’re so proud to have North as part of our team and grateful for the difference she makes every single day.
Thinker Thursday
Try a “two step problem” game with your dog this week. Start by placing a treat under a towel or light blanket and letting your dog figure out how to uncover it. Once they succeed, immediately make it slightly harder by adding a second layer of challenge, like folding the towel tighter or placing the reward in a different spot. The goal is to encourage your dog to think through solutions instead of just relying on repetition. Games like this build confidence, focus, and problem-solving skills while giving your dog a fun mental workout.
