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About the Shelter Dog Project Background The Shelter Dog Project was started by UC Davis veterinary students in 1997. Veterinary students worked with families in the community and 4-H Club members with the goals of saving the lives of shelter dogs, educating participants, and increasing the awareness of pet overpopulation. Shelter dogs, generally young adults, would undergo temperament evaluations and were placed in foster homes for 6-8 weeks. The foster families brought the dogs to weekly obedience classes and worked with the dogs on house training and socialization. The dogs also received all needed medical care, including vaccinations, heartworm testing, and spay/neuter procedures. Following graduation, the dogs were placed in permanent homes. Beginning in 2003, the Shelter Dog Project no longer functions as a rescue group. Instead we are focusing on training recently adopted shelter dogs to prevent them from being returned to shelters for behavior problems as well as working with area shelters to perform temperament training to help dogs get adopted into the right homes. How the Program Works Obedience training courses are offered twice a year to community members who have recently adopted a shelter dog. These classes will be taught by veterinary residents in behavior and shelter medicine with assistance by veterinary students. The class is designed to teach new dog owners basic obedience and leadership with their dogs using positive reinforcement techniques. Specific behavior issues will also be addressed. In addition, future veterinarians will learn how to teach obedience and get in-depth training in dog behavior. The class will meet once a week for six weeks and will take place on the UC Davis campus. Veterinary students will also participate in training animal shelter staff and volunteers in performing temperament testing to help dogs get placed in appropriate homes to increase the number of adoptions and reduce the number of returned dogs. Program Coordinators Omar Cabrera and Ashley Atkin |