POST FALLS, Idaho — Method K9 is a company that specializes in giving support to rescue and service animals.
Because these types of animals are trained to respond to their owner's every call, they are prone to higher levels of stress without the proper amount of attention.
This is what Stephanie Vachinsky, the owner of the company, teaches people who bring their dogs to her for help.
“It can’t just be a one way street,” she said. “Dogs are living, breathing things. They’re not robots. They need care too.”
Vachinsky has been working with dogs’ behavioral needs for ten years. She teaches classes on how to sense and respond to service animals’ behavioral changes.
“The dog can wind up suffering and being put into very stressful situations and not doing very well,” she said. “They definitely need emotional outlets for themselves.”
She focuses on helping them get a bit of relief and a chance to just be free.
She plays fetch with them, making sure they’re getting one-on-one attention, and teaches them how to communicate with their owners if they need more attention.
“They need really productive outlets where they can put their natural drives to use, so playing ball and using their noses. They need to be socialized and exposed to the world,” she said.
Vachinsky said this helps the dogs be better supports for their owners.
“Once we keep the dog balanced, then we can really help keep the person balanced as well,” she said.