The Humane Society of the South Platte Valley has ramped up a dog- training program in the hopes that more pets will be adopted and then stay in their new homes.
The animal shelter, which sees 1,700-2,000 animals a year — including cats, dogs and other small mammals — is now offering sessions with behavior specialist Ahmia Bennett, who has been training her own dogs to be protection dogs for years.
“We’re just really excited with the direction she’s going,” said Leslie Maisonneuve, shelter director. “She’s implemented a lot of enrichment programs for our dogs, which has helped them show much better in the kennels. They are just better prepared to go into an adopter’s family.”
Maisonneuve said the shelter takes in more dogs than cats. The training program helps with dog adoptions, but there is a limit on the number of dogs that can be trained. The shelter is looking to build a new facility in five to seven years to expand.
For the training, Bennett uses positive reinforcement through a number of activities, including taking the dogs rollerblading and playing in a group. The animals learn to sit and stay, not to jump up on people and how to stay on a leash. Bennett also addresses any other special needs the dog has.
“Good habits are just as hard to break as bad habits, so if we can get those good habits established here, they’re going to take it when they take it home with one of the adopters,” Bennett said.
Bennett said the most challenging part of her job is training the owners.
“Usually it’s the people — trying to teach them how to understand their dog. Once we can get that connection built, and people understand their dog and how to communicate with their dog, everything else is smooth sailing,” she said.
Building that connection has been huge for Heather Richey, who lives in Highlands Ranch and adopted Rusty, a 5-year-old cattle dog, in June from the Littleton shelter.
“The one thing I took away from training (is) it’s a bond in which it gives you a connection with the animal that can’t be explained — they understand you, you understand them,” Richey said. “It’s an extremely positive experience.”
Classes can include a six-week obedience training, agility training and more advanced courses.
to service the sheltering needs of Englewood and Littleton and has expanded to serve Arapahoe County and Cherry Hills Village.
Alex Bowen, who lives in Littleton and adopted Hooligan, a pit bull mix less than a year old, learned that the training he and his dog received is only as good as the hours he puts in reinforcing it outside of class.
“The vast majority of issues people have with their dogs — whether it’s anxiety or pulling or mild aggression or excitement — a lot of those things can be helped with basic training,” Bowen said. “If you don’t take the time to reinforce the good behaviors and build that relationship with the new dog or even a seasoned dog … you really have no place to blame that dog if it misbehaves because it doesn’t know any better.”
Clayton Woullard: 303-954-2953, cwoullard@denverpost.com or twitter.com/yhClayton
Humane society of the south platte valley
Where: 2129 W. Chenango Ave., Littleton
Hours: 11 a.m.-6 p.m. most days; 3-6 p.m. Wednesday and noon-5 p.m. Sunday
Contact: 303-703-2938 or info@hsspv.org
