Courtesy photos Debby Dobson, demonstrates to a teen how to get a dog’s attention while doing basic obedience training. A teenage girl tries her hand at teaching a dog some good manners.

 

By Philip Wright Staff Reporter

COTTONWOOD - Everyone knows of the positive things that happen when dogs visit nursing homes or hospitals. People just simply react with joy to the wag of a tail, and, for a few moments, troubles such as illness or loneliness are forgotten.

Debby Dobson, a certified recovery coach, experienced youth counselor and owner of Good Dog! Animal Behavior, knows that when troubled, at-risk teenagers and homeless dogs are put together, some remarkable things can happen.

She saw this first hand years ago while working with a teenage girl client. The girl was withdrawn and communicated only with one-syllable words: yes, no. Not knowing what to do during her time together with the girl, Debby took her to a local animal shelter.

Debby says she watched with amazement as the girl's "whole demeanor transformed the moment she stepped in.

"At the time, I was unaware of animal assisted therapy, but I knew I had stumbled onto something important, something that could be used as an effective tool to reach troubled teens."

Now Debby intends to put that tool to work in a repeatable program that helps at-risk teens and at the same time helps needy dogs. The program also will help the surrounding communities. She says the program is "truly a win-win-win situation."

To that end, Debby has founded C.A.R.E. (Canine Advocates for Rehabilitation and Education). She has learned about animal assisted therapy, and she says it is used across the country to help reach troubled teens. There are many such programs, and the success of these programs is documented.

Debby intends for her program to not only help at-risk teens but also to help dogs find desperately needed homes.

Her method will put the dogs and teens together by having the teens train the dogs in basic obedience. Being trained will make the dogs more adoptable while the teens are improving their self-image and learning some important life and social skills.

That will help shelters find homes for more dogs, and that in turn helps communities

"When you're around dogs," Debby said, "it doesn't matter if you're having a bad day. The dogs accept you no matter what."

She says there is no program out there that is a magic bullet, no panacea. "But when kids are around animals, they're relaxed, and when they're relaxed, I can talk to them.

"These dogs and these kids have a lot in common," Debby said. "No one has taken time to teach them. No one has invested any time in them."

She said the kids can see the positive effect on the dogs. "I want these kids to be able to see that what they are doing is helping the dog. That what they are doing has an immediate benefit."

Debby said the teens are helping the dogs because the dogs will have a better chance of being adopted. The kids will learn patience, responsibility, compassion, anger management and teamwork during the program. Some of the teens that go through the program will become leaders and mentors within the program.

Debby's goal is to have this program up and running this fall. But first, she must build some community interest and support, and she also must find some individuals and organizations that believe in the program enough to step forward with assistance and donations. Debby said that just the cost of liability insurance will cost more than $3,000.

For more information contact Debby Dobson at (928) 282-2550, or go online to info@caredogs.org. A complete program overview is available at caredogs.org.

Last modified: 04/27/11

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