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Dogs of Kelowna: Toby

Meet Toby, just one of the amazing dogs you can find living in the City of Kelowna
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Meet the dogs of Kelowna, this is Toby just one of the amazing dogs you can find in the city. His owners are Paul, Trish, Nicole and Neeva Matthews

Tell us about yourself, how your dog came into your life and your favourite thing to do in Kelowna?

Toby came into our lives when we went to visit some Komondor dogs on a sheep farm in Alberta. We were looking for a family pet and we fell in love with a 15 pound puppy. Komondors are very large dogs and he takes up a lot of space.

Our favorite thing to do in Kelowna is boating on Lake Okanagan and sampling wines from the great local wineries.

Tell us about your Dog?

Toby is almost seven years old. He loves to go for short walks and hikes, but his favorite activity is to watch what is going on around him while pretending to be asleep. After several years of training with Wayne Dorman (Dogzies), Toby is now an office dog. He goes to work almost daily and gets very involved in everyone’s business at Lawson Lundell. He is often referred to as Tobias by his dad. He has a special jacket that he wears to marketing events for the company.

What has been your dog’s favourite adventure?

Last year Toby went boating for the first time which (we think he really enjoyed). He has been on many adventures, once he learned to sit in a kayak. Toby often goes on weekly treks with his pack which allows him to get out of the office and enjoy nature.

Please share any challenges you have faced with your dog:

Although Toby is a great companion, he wasn’t always easy to manage. It is his nature, and his breeding, to guard livestock. Komondors were bred to live and think independently for months at a time and therefore his instincts to trust his own judgment are very strong. Often Toby stands between our kids and guests to avoid contact, and there was a time when the girls had trouble having friends over. He is not motivated by treats and will walk away from food which gives us very little collateral or bribery. His bark is enormous and he will scare the daylights out of anyone who startles him or knocks at the door.

How far has your dog come, with these challenges?

The fact that Toby can go to work everyday, ride the elevator to his floor and spend the day at the office is amazing. He still has protective instincts but his approach is much calmer and he listens when he is told to ‘come’ or ‘leave it’ etc. This was absolutely not possible for the first few years of his life. He still has a very strong mind of his own and will often push the limits to see if we have forgotten his training.

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Dogs of Kelowna is sponsored by: Dogzies Canine School and Doak Shirreff Lawyers.

If you wish your dog to be featured please contact: Breanna Nathorst at breanna.nathorst@kelownacapnews.com

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