Dog Training

Say YES to Training!

Many people who surrender pets to our shelter blame problem behaviors. The good news is that often these behaviors can be easily corrected or prevented with training.

According to research

• Work by the National Council on Pet Population Study and Policy (NCPPSP) has identified behavior issues as a leading cause of euthanasia in cats and dogs.

• The NCPPSP found behavior issues represented major reasons for relinquishment of dogs and cats to shelters, especially for pets over four months of age.

• Dogs of owners who reported receiving helpful behavioral advice were at a 94% lower risk for relinquishment.

Does the SHS still offer public training classes?

Unfortunately, due to budgetary challenges, the SHS no longer offers obedience classes for puppies and dogs. We encourage you to look for qualified dog trainers who utilize positive reinforcement based methods. These methods produce reliably trained dogs while minimizing the risk of potential side effects often seen when more punishment based methods are used. (Read why we do not recommend punishment based training.)

Positive reinforcement training is powerful and can be used for teaching any skill, from the most basic obedience exercises to advanced behaviors seen in working and performance animals. The Association of Pet Dog Trainers offers excellent resources to help you find the right trainer for you and your pet. 

In-shelter programs

The SHS believe that it is just as important to address the behavioral health of animals in our care as it is to address medical health.  Volunteers are needed to help staff provide enrichment for animals staying with us.  Enrichment includes petting timid animals, making condos for cats, walking a dog, stuffing frozen KONG toys,  and training shelter dogs.

If you would like to volunteer your time and talent to help us with these efforts, please read about  becoming an SHS volunteer.