Canine Assessment & Enrichment

Canine Assessment & Enrichment, Dogs

Rally Working on Leash Manners Video

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Rally is working on his leash manners through our Canine Behavioral Assessment and Enrichment Program. Madison says he’s doing very well. In this video, she’s teaching Rally to follow instead of lead which is why you see them changing directions when Rally gets too far ahead. The second part of the video shows Rally practicing to sit on command and look at his handler. Going on walks is great way to connect to your dog emotionally and should be relaxing and enjoyable for both of you! Rally’s getting a great head start for his future family 🙂

Canine Assessment & Enrichment, Dogs

Meet & Greet Video

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Check out Riley (blonde) and Java (black) playing!! Cute video right?! Well, yes, but we also want to explain how meet and greets go and why they are so important! This was done under the expertise of The Dawning of a New Dog – Dawn Pokorny /Dog Trainer​. Only after walking Riley and Java together, and letting them meet in a controlled setting, did Dawn let these two boys off leash to play together. There has to be structure to a meet and greet, one can not just throw dogs together, cross their fingers, and hope for the best. Even as playful and cute as this video is, it wouldn’t have been possible had Dawn not gone through the proper steps prior. This is why we always stress a meet and greet prior to adopting: 1- Dogs don’t have to like every dog they meet, and just because we’ve introduced them to a few dogs at the shelter does not mean that they like all dogs! 2- It is always best for dogs to meet on neutral territory. Your dog can get protective of their home, and cause a fight that would not have happened had you chose to introduce them on neutral territory. Just like people, introductions matter and we want to set them up for good impressions 🙂 3- Many people don’t fully understand the psychology behind dogs. Why do dogs meet nose to butt? Not only do they get the most information there, but it is extremely less intimidating than two dogs meeting face-to-face. Eye contact in the animal world is a threat! That’s why it’s important to start with a long, STRUCTURED walk where the human is leading. This lets the dogs relax and calm down. Then doing an on-leash intro, and then finally if all is good, letting them do a supervised off-leash intro. 4- It is best to find out before adopting what you are going to have to deal with. Are they best friends right away, will it take some time to bond, or is it an absolute “NO, I don’t like this dog!” You don’t get a refund. And it is very stressful to return a dog- not so much for you as the dog you’re returning! So find out before you ever take them home if a potential new dog will get along with your existing dog.

Canine Assessment & Enrichment, Dogs

Canine Treadmill Donation Video

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We have awesome news!! Shannon Duffy of Your Good Dog​ generously donated a canine treadmill to our Canine Behavioral Assessment and Enrichment Program at Summit County Animal Control. The treadmill is only to be used by people of the PIFFP team who are experienced in treadmill training a dog. Treadmills are a great tool for training, especially for shelter dogs that are cooped up the majority of the day. Often times a dogs behavior is wrongly judged in shelter environments. Dogs can come off as off-the-walls crazy hyper… but in reality, that’s due to lack of exercise and mental stimulation. Imagine trying to train a dog when he or she has been cooped up almost 24 hours a day… with this new tool for our Behavioral Team, we will be able to burn off that excess energy faster and get down to business in preparing a dog for their future home! Additionally, what a great perk for their adopters. Treadmills make it possible for your dog to get the exercise they need in rain, sleet, or snow! In this video: Houston!! This was his first time on a treadmill, and he was a natural! He took to it very fast. His handler Madison Morgan said this about his experience: “He got right on and had no issues. He walked for a solid 10 minutes and it seemed to really help him calm down!” Houston is the first of many that the treadmill will help! If you are interested in having your dog treadmill trained at home, please contact Shannon Duffy. Every dog is different. Some take to it right away and others need a lot of guidance. Shannon can help you every step of the way! Give him a call: (330) 690-6738.

Canine Assessment & Enrichment, Dogs

Training a Dog Is Loving a Dog

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Here at Pay It Forward For Pets, we believe training a dog is loving a dog! Dogs want to please us, and it hurts their feelings when their humans get frustrated with them. So it’s our responsibility to kindly and patiently show them what they need to know to be the best doggies they can be!! That’s why we have our Canine Behavioral Assessment and Enrichment Program to help dogs at Summit County Animal Control who are frustrated with being cooped up in a kennel and/or were never trained by their previous owners. READ MORE ABOUT THIS PROGRAM: Many dogs do not reveal their true personalities when they are stressed-out in a shelter environment. In an effort to reduce the possibility of euthanasia, a behavioral assessment is performed when a dog displays behaviors of concern. An activity and handling plan is designed after an evaluation. Pay It Forward For Pets utilizes local, well-respected Canine Behavioral Trainers to determine the unique characteristics of fearful dogs. This critical assessment ensures the proper handling by facility staff and volunteers. Many of these orphaned animals are often just requiring some extended time to decompress and this program assures this consideration. Additionally, the staff is educated to the unique needs of each dog so that they can better match them to an appropriate adopter with a specific lifestyle and family dynamics. As an added benefit, our Canine Behavioral Trainers will work with the public to assist in modifying behaviors once a dog is in its new home. This aids in reducing the number of dogs returned to the shelter. Funding this program extends a dog’s residency in the shelter. “Dogs want to please their families – they just need to be kindly taught what is expected of them!”

Canine Assessment & Enrichment, Dogs

Doggie Treadmill Video

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Check out Willow’s first time on our treadmill! She’s quite the natural 🙂 We know that this new skill will help Willow prepare for her forever home as a treadmill gets dogs to a calm state, where they learn the most! Olivia Mandala, part of our Canine Assessment and Enrichment program, says “Willow is an awesome dog! She is very attentive and responsive to training. She has great eye contact, and frequently looks at her handler on what to do next. Willow does need some guidance on how to politely react to other dogs, and we think the treadmill will be a useful tool in this process.” Willow does act overly excited, but we’d like to clarify that it’s not in a mean way. This loving girl is preparing for her forever home at Summit County Animal Control​! She’s a joy to be around, and we’ll continue to work with her until she finds her family 🙂

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