More Dogtown!

So now that I'm finished with rotating around each of the areas, I get to spend a lot more time in Dogtown! I just love seeing how the dogs are treated at the sanctuary - each dog is an individual who's needs are carefully considered by the caregivers and trainers. Dogtown is separated into small buildings, most of them are octagons - and each building has a small team of caregivers assigned. The most impressive part about this model is that it allows the caregivers to really get to know the dogs in their care, and gives the dog a few people to bond with. Every day is an adventure - I've met some clown dogs, some shy dogs, some escape artists, even some feral dogs. I've also met some of the Vicktory dogs. Here's Squeaker, one of the Vick dogs. She's a sweetheart, and it's so heart-wrenching to wonder what she's been through. But it doesn't seem to have dampened her spirit, she's a sweet girl who has a lot of admirers at the sanctuary.

Each of us had to pick a project dog to work with as part of the internship. The trainers provided a list of dogs who need a little extra one on one time, for a variety of reasons. Some are nervous, some have endless energy, each has their own quirks and issues (don't we all?). And all of them need a little extra time to learn some basic rules that will help them become more adoptable. I took one look at the list and saw the only name I needed to see: T-BOY! This dog is fascinating - he's stubborn, high energy, sweet, non-aggressive towards people or other dogs, and is totally confident. Not to mention that he's absolutely adorable! He's just the kind of dog I want to work with. So here goes nothing! We'll attend classes taught by Dogtown trainers, and we'll have scheduled one on one time with our project dog. This is why I'm here!