Boosting their chances

By Susan Boyd, Special to the Beaver

News

Jun 27, 2008

Paws and noses pressed against the cage, tails wagging, eyes bright and expectant.  The faces are hopeful, waiting for the visitor to open the door and say, "Let's go home, you've got a family now."

The adoption room at the Oakville and District Humane Society is all about optimismThanks to new full-time animal behaviour co-ordinator Genevieve Hechtenberg, dogs in the shelter are much more likely to find a home.

"I'm seeing so many dogs here that wouldn't have had much of a chance before," said Hechtenberg. "This is an amazing program."

Oakville's humane society is the only shelter in the province (as far as executive director Johanne Golder knows) that has a full-time trainer.  Many dogs come to the shelter with little or no training, particularly if they are strays that have never been inside a house. Most require one-on-one attention to teach them how to be good family pets.  The new position is paid for by an annual fund-raiser called Cause for Paws. For seven years, a group of Oakville dog lovers has organized an annual, private fundraising party to support the shelter.

"Our event started out small -- the first years we raised a few thousand dollars. Then we asked the humane society if it had a wish list for things it couldn't hope to fund. That's where the idea for a full-time dog trainer came from. The event last June brought in more than $52,000, which meant the shelter could hire someone," said Beverlie Rockliffe, who hosts the party at her home.

TRAINING TO JOIN A FAMILY

Hechtenberg has made enormous progress with the dogs since her arrival last August.

It can take months of intensive work to get a dog ready for adoption. This is especially true if it has been abused, neglected, not socialized to being around humans or is unaccustomed to city life.  Hechtenberg begins by assessing its temperament, level of training and ability to interact with other dogs and people. Then she devises a daily reward-based program to help each animal overcome undesirable habits (like jumping up) and acquire good manners (like walking nicely on a leash and obeying simple commands like "sit" and "wait").

Shelter staff and volunteers are also taught how to reinforce the lessons customized for each dog.  The shelter is a warm, secure, safe place for the animals while they're waiting.  However it's not an ideal life: dogs can become despondent if they don't get the mental stimulation that comes from living with a family.

"Dogs are like us -- they enjoy the challenge of trying new things and succeeding," said Hechtenberg.

"When we create a consistent training program that rewards the dog for learning, we see an enormous change for the better. The dog is much happier. And a well-trained dog is much more likely to be chosen for adoption," she said.

TEACHING TRUST

"Some of our dogs have been through a lot. They have to learn to trust again. It's a really wonderful to see them relax and begin to understand that we're going to take care of them and not hurt them."

After the training program is completed, Hechtenberg helps match each dog with suitable owners (high-energy dogs fit in with active people, older dogs often need a quieter environment). She briefs the owners on their new dog's temperament and background, and teaches them how to continue building on the foundation she has created. This well-planned process increases the likelihood that the match will be permanent.  Hechtenberg also follows up with the new owners to make sure there are no problems -- and makes house calls if necessary.  In addition to working with dogs already in the shelter, she acts as a resource to the dog-owning public, who can consult her on animal behaviour.

"It's kind of preventive medicine. If I can work with them and give them advice or direct them appropriately over the phone regarding behavioural concerns with their pet, then maybe the situation won't get bad enough that the owner feels the only thing to do is give up the dog."

Before Hechtenberg's arrival, about 10 per cent of the dog adoptions didn't take and the animals were returned to the shelter. Currently only about three per cent of adoptions are unsuccessful. Before Hechtenberg started working with the animals, 50 to 60 per cent of the dogs weren't showing well to prospective owners because of their behaviour problems.  That's down to about 20 per cent, and counting.

"Now that the dogs looking for a new home are more comfortable in the kennel, they're showing well. People are picking them out, falling in love with them and taking them home -- and the dogs are staying with their new families. It's a real happy ending."

PATRICK'S STORY

Part hound, part goof, Patrick came to the shelter as a stray puppy. A big dog, his good looks weren't enough to outweigh his rough play. In a four-month period he was considered and rejected by 10 potential owners.  At the root of the problem was his habit of jumping up on people and "mouthing" them -- sometimes hard enough to cause bruises. His high energy level made him too excited to make a good first impression.  When Hechtenberg arrived on the scene, she removed him from the adoption room and set up a training program that included meeting lots of new people in order to calm him down naturally. Using treats, she painstakingly taught him to obey the command to settle and stay. Hechtenberg put together a team to work with him, including a staff member and six seasoned volunteers. They gradually introduced him to challenging situations, like behaving in stores and meeting other dogs on leash.

Patrick began to improve.

About four months into the intense training, a couple arrived at the shelter looking for an energetic dog that would go running with them and fit in with their very active lifestyle.

"Patrick greeted this couple and their dog beautifully. He turned out to be the perfect pet for them because he has so much energy and such a high mental capacity. This is a great Cinderella story."