Week 1, Day 2: DogTown!

If you have not watched the show called "DogTown" that used to air on the National Geographic channel, get yourself on Netflix and stream it right now! Today, I spent my entire day in DogTown. In the morning, we got a tour of Old DogTown. This houses the headquarters, medical clinic, training center, and tons of dogs in various runs and lodges. There were lots of people there volunteering, walking dogs on the trails, and staff members were incredibly busy! The dogs here all wear a collar and its color lets you know a little information about the dog. Green collar dogs are friendly and anyone can work with them. Purple collar dogs are most likely friendly, but you need to be cautious because they have at least one area in which they did not qualify to be a green collar dog. Sometimes it's something as simple as a medical situation. Other times, they're great with people, but not other dogs. Or maybe great with adults, but not children. Maybe they are incredibly shy and or have shown some aggression when they feel threatened. Finally, there are red collar dogs. Only staff are allowed to work with these dogs. They usually have been through something horrific and could be dangerous to a volunteer or intern who does not have the proper training to handle them well. These dogs are still not deemed unadoptable, even though most shelters would say they were. But at Best Friends, every dog is given a chance and there is no such thing as a "bad" dog. It's really great when a dog comes to the sanctuary expressing behaviors that make him a red collar dog and then gets rehabilitated to the point where he can become a purple or green collar dog.

We met (from a distance and with a tall fence between us) one of the red collar dogs and his story will always be with me. Prior to coming to Best Friends, his owner put him in his crate and shot him 6 times in the head and neck. Miraculously, he did not die. He came to Best Friends where he was given the help he needed to heal. He was incredibly aggressive out of fear, though. Wouldn't you be if the only human you'd trusted shot you in the head 6 times?! He was terrified and traumatized and his fear could turn to aggression if he felt he had no other choice. Since coming to Best Friends, the staff have already worked wonders with him. While we stood outside his dog run, and across a dirt road, he was obviously very anxious to see such a large group of people. But he did not even bark at us like he would have done in the past. He watched us with caution, and then eventually felt comfortable enough to sit, and finally lie down. That ability to relax around people is huge progress! I can't wait for him to find a forever home with someone very special who will show him for the rest of his life what love and kindness are all about.

After touring several areas within DogTown, participating in a training demo with one of DogTown's trainers, and doing a meet and greet with many of the DogTown leaders and managers, we headed off to Angel Village again for lunch. Today was so gorgeous outside, and we interns grabbed a terrific table on the deck. This is the view:

After lunch, it was time to do our first afternoon of non-orientation work. We were all really excited to actually get to work. I was assigned to The Fairway, which is part of DogTown Heights and houses green collared dogs, who tend to be younger and full of energy.

The fairway comprises two octagons that have indoor/outdoor runs. There are usually several dogs per run that live in a "pack." Each run is spacious and the dogs can move freely about, resting on a bed inside, or running around and playing outside. Here's one of the buildings:

This is the outdoor space of one of the dog runs. It's really a great amount of space and they all have areas of shade for the dogs and water buckets by the door. 

The very first thing I got to do as an intern at The Fairway was something we interns are lucky if we ever get to watch, even from a distance. But I was allowed to be right there and learning all about it while it happened. I'm talking about introducing a new dog to an already-established pack in one of the runs. The dogs get introduced one at a time and then as a group. Dogs in the runs on either side are kept inside for a few minutes, so that they don't cause extra commotion. We looked for signs of aggression or potential problems between the dogs. The little new girl was pretty intimidated, but she told the other dogs that in her doggy-way and they listened. It was fascinated to watch for someone interested in animal behavior! She won't stay in the run with her new pack at night for a while because we don't want something to happen when there isn't staff around to make sure everyone's safe. This is the little one who got introduced today:

After the introduction, it was time to get to the less glamorous side of dog care: poop scooping! I cleaned out all the runs in one of the octagons and refilled their indoor and outdoor water buckets. I actually really enjoyed myself! All the dogs stayed in their runs while I cleaned, so I got to meet them, observe their temperaments, socialize, and watch them play and just be dogs. Some ran right up to me (and jumped if they needed to work on their manners!) and others wouldn't come near me due to fear. 

This dog below was an interesting one: he was definitely afraid, and barking ferociously was his defense mechanism. He really wanted to be nearby me, but he barked like crazy at me anytime I was facing him. He was clearly saying, "back off, I'm scared of you and don't want you to come near me." But then he would follow me around and I'd often feel a nose at the back of my legs as he sniffed me and stayed quiet while I went about my work. If I turned around to address him though, I'd get the bark. He was truly a case of all bark and no bite. Here he is:

In another run, I had these two guys: the one on the left hardly ever left my side. He helped me poop scoop his entire run, just wanting to hang out nearby and receive some love while I worked. The one on the right, however, was one who was terrified of me and I never got close to him. But I could still tell him how nice he was in a calm, loving voice and he was definitely listening.

After making sure the dogs had clean runs, it was dinner time! While other staff and volunteers separated the dogs to eat, I prepared food for an entire run. They each get different amounts and we pay special attention to what each dog needs in his or her diet. I love that it's not just a one-size-fits-all approach. Here are the bowls I had filled when I was only about 3 dog runs into the job!

After we cleaned up from dinner, it was time to take the two dogs who are new to their runs back to the dog admissions center for the evening. First, the caregiver and I took them on a nice long walk through the nearby trails and then we each took one in our car to Admissions. It's definitely too far to walk, especially because there's a road closed with construction. I dropped off my puppy and was done for the day! I felt sweaty and dirty, having been slobbered on, jumped on with muddy paws, and kissed by lots of dogs! Not to mention the whole poop scooping thing. So the only thing I wanted as I drove home was to hop in a nice cool shower and clean up! It felt so good! I was tired and sore, but felt really rewarded for the work I'd done that day. Animals with rough backgrounds who managed to end up at this last-chance sanctuary got their needs met, in part due to my help. That is a beautiful feeling. They deserve the best from this point forward and I was glad to help give that to them.

After cleaning up, having a bite to eat, and drinking tons of water when I got home, I found out that there was going to be a free gathering at a dog park in our townhome complex with some of the trainers from Best Friends. They were reaching out to the community and offering free training. How cool is that?! So, with my hosts and some of their dogs, we all walked over on a beautiful evening to mingle with dogs and people. It was great for me to get to introduce myself to the trainers and talk about my interest in animal behavior. It was also fun to meet several other Best Friend employees who came out with their dogs. Everyone is so friendly!

Well, it's early morning now on Day 3 that I'm finally finishing up yesterday's post so I need to go get ready for work! Today I have a few more orientations (I believe with Feathered Friends and Wild Friends) and then in the afternoon, I'm working in Horse Haven! I can't wait!