Ventura County Animal Services: Dogs Playing for Life Mentorship Grant Report

How did this grant help your organization and the pets in your care?

The funding allowed me to attend the Dogs Playing for Life Mentorship II.

At the mentorship, I learned new techniques that are helping our shelter dogs. I learned kennel routine and fancy footwork, which have been implemented. Our dogs are learning to not bolt through open doors and how to walk well on-leash. I also learned new techniques and gained more knowledge on running playgroups. I have attended both DPFL mentorships and have learned so much from both. DPFL is a great organization; thank you for the opportunity to learn from them again!

How many pets did this grant help?

Thousands, the kennel routine and fancy footwork are now integrated into our training for staff and volunteers.

Please provide a story of one or more specific pets this grant helped.

Chachia (first photo) was relinquished to the shelter as an owner-surrender. Chachia did not have any leash manners; she would come running out of the kennel and not many volunteers were able to walk her. She was enrolled in Mutt Manners, which is a volunteer group that works with dogs in pack walks. Chachia was pulling very hard on leash at the start of the pack walk, but after using fancy footwork, she started to learn that it is easier to look at the handler, not pull on-leash, and enjoy the walk. Chachia is still at the shelter and still participates in pack walks. She still needs work, but without fancy footwork, she would be limited in who could walk her and we would have been challenged to find a way to train her. Meet Chachia here.