As of March 8 the Paws for a Cause had been announced as suspended due to dog bites. This is very discouraging since the program was a win-win for the men, the dogs, the SPCA (we took at times a total of four dogs out of the SPCA's facility), and it was so rewarding to me, as their certified dog trainer. I enjoyed every minute of it.
It is my training program that I I merged to implement the AKC's Canine Good Citizen Program. This program, Paws for a Cause, gave the men and their dogs rehabilitation and a sense of value. Every one had smiles on their faces!
Note: All dogs adopted are in their new forever homes permanently! How rewarding is that! (It wasn't a question!)
The suspension was due to dog bites because the rules for a polite meet and greet, AKC and K-10 dog training style, were not followed. Everyone loved the dogs and couldn't keep their paws off of them...'they were just sooooo cute!'. This is were everyone gets in trouble and why many owners have terrible jumpers and even nippers to say the very least - something everyone must follow.
Want to help? Write your Delaware representative, Gov. Markell, your local commissioners asking to reconsider giving the Paws for a Cause another chance. It can work. It was working.
As an authorized mentor to the school, Animal Behavior College (ABC), I worked to train the men to train each other as to how to train the dogs and they themselves to become dog trainers for their next chance in life. It was working and in each session I saw team players, each building confidence in themselves and how to handle a dog and how to troubleshoot a situation.
And please pray and ask God to restore this awesome program.
Nancy LaFontaine
ABC certified dog trainer, mentor, CGC evaluator
K-10 Dog Training
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