The passion we have for dogs began with the forgotten population of shelter dogs and we have been so lucky to have been an integral part of the transformation of an open admission shelter from a sad place where more than 30 dogs lived, most of whom had no enrichment, no evaluation, no contact with other dogs, and a very small chance of finding a forever home to a place that is now a save haven for these thrown away dogs where they WILL find happiness. From 2011-2015, I worked with a wonderful group of volunteers to not only change the lives for the dogs but change the minds of the public about this shelter and about the dogs all called "pit bulls," regardless of what size, shape, or color they were. I evaluated and got to know each dog that entered the shelter and then determined the best approach to take to provide the best care for the dog as well as created biography's and videos of the dogs carefully explaining what type of home would be the most successful. Thanks to donations and volunteer labor, I was able to design a beautiful enclosed play-yard filled with clean sand, ramps, and pools where I created playgroups for dogs and allowed as much socialization as possible with other dogs and the adoption rates increased dramatically once we were able to show the play videos on social media which was fantastic. The dogs that were not ready to play off-leash were carefully buddy walked around other dogs and any reactivity was slowly and properly worked with so the future owner would have a dog who knows how to act regardless of whether or not he/she enjoys the company of other dogs. The roller-coaster of emotions is tremendous when you become part of an animal shelter community and the highs could not be better and lows are heart-wrenching....I encourage you to become involved in your local shelter and make a difference. After almost 5 years at the shelter, the resident dog population of 9 DOGS was the lowest to date so the training and the time put into these dogs worked.. The forgotten dogs I met found homes and are bringing joy into people's lives everyday, Please feel free to contact me if you have questions how to get involved or if you know a facility that could use some help jump-starting an effective training program that ensures safety and well-being for dogs and humans alike. I am available for volunteer training, consultation, or lectures. This is my passion to which I have donated my time for more than 10 years and will not stop.
