Australian Shepherds are intelligent, high energy dogs who need a ‘job’ and physical activity. As a puppy Ruby was enrolled in puppy classes which helped her learn proper socialization skills with other puppies and their people. She moved into training classes where the focus was on manners and confidence building using reward based training. As she got older she enjoyed training in sports like herding and agility which allowed her to express her natural instincts in fun and appropriate ways. She was a member of the Paws4Ever Drill Team and she volunteered for 6 years as a Delta Society Pet Partner working with special needs children, adult and pediatric psychiatry patients, families at Ronald McDonald House, and humane education programs with schools and summer camps. She loved reward based training and it helped us to build a wonderful and trusting relationship.

Three legged, shepherd mix Big Sandy came from an animal shelter in Western Maryland with no manners to speak of.  She was a jumping, swirling ball of canine energy.  At our wit’s end on how to manage her, we enrolled in reward based training classes at Paws4Ever and learned how to get Big Sandy’s focus using treats, toys, and praise.  We loved the training process and we never needed to scold her, we just needed to give her a proper job.  Big Sandy went on to become a member of the Paws4Ever Dog Drill Team, a Canine Good Citizen, and a Delta Society Pet Partner.  She spent her golden years doing animal assisted therapy visits with special needs children, brain/spinal injury patients and severely injured veterans from Iraq and Afghanistan.  She even learned how to herd sheep, all using reward based training.