Dynamic
Dog Training Services
| Home | services | prices | about me | contact us |
|
|
|
||||||
|
|||||||
Collection of
Newspaper articles/Magazine articles
Written about Susan Parker
|
| Drooling is allowed at charm school for rescued pit bulls |
|
|
|
| Written by DIMAIO, LISA Cranston Herald | |
| Wed, May 30 07 | |
|
By LISA DIMAIO
Out of the pits of an animal shelter and into the Ritz of a loving home, pit bulls that have been tagged with a death sentence just because of the their breed can now move into homes of responsible pet owners thanks to doggy charm school. Despite its name, this is not an easy class – it is a reinforcement of the training the dogs receive in shelters. Last Saturday, in the blistering heat, 12 pit bulls graduated as Dynamic Dog Training Academy and the Little Rhodie Bully Breed Club’s “Out of the Pits and into the Ritz” canine class of 2007. These dogs, along with their owners, have also received an AKC Canine Good Citizen certificate and made a committed promise to be responsible pit bull owners. After adoption from an animal shelter, all pit bulls and their owners are welcome to join the training academy for a fee or for free, if necessary. The new pit bull owners are taught the dos and don’ts of ownership and the dogs learn basic training and social group skills. After the six weeks of training, they participate in a graduation ceremony. The ceremonial gathering of 12 pit bulls, which occurred with no scuffles, made a statement in itself: that these dogs can be trained to be great pets. “In the proper hands they’re well-behaved dogs,” said Susan Parker, trainer and president of the Little Rhodie Bully Breed Club, who trains many of the dogs at the Cranston Animal Shelter. “Many of these dogs have never known what love is.” The dogs and their owners formed a parade and marched along the bike path near the West Warwick animal shelter. The pet formation made its way to a small grassy area next to the path, where each dog received a certificate and, afterward, listened to speakers. In her commencement speech, Parker was quick to talk about her love of the breed and their history as nanny dogs. Also, she made an efforts to dispel popular misconceptions of the breed and said many of these so-called throwaway dogs that are sitting on death row at various shelters move on to become pet therapy dogs. Her mission is to change public perception of the breed and to highlight it in a positive light. “It’s the irresponsible owners you should be frightened of … not the dog,” said Parker. During the graduation ceremony, she had all of those in attendance take a moment of silence for all of the dogs who have never been thought of or have ever had someone care for them. For Paul and Lisa Dercole of Cranston, when they heard the story behind their pit bull, they knew it was the dog for them. Socco, 2, had been found by a West Warwick police officer roaming the streets and when the police officer opened the door the dog jumped in and licked his face. At the time, the dog weighed in at a mere 30 pounds and had been abandoned. Socco – like many of the other pit bull and pit bull mixes found at the shelters – “just has a bad rep … it’s basically doggy profiling,” said Paul. Over the course of three months, Socco’s weight has gone up to a healthier 50 pounds and she has also excelled in the training. “She’s better at listening [and] her temperament is very docile,” said Paul, adding, “You need to be constantly vigilant [with all dogs]. Other people [can be] irresponsible – they walk their dogs without leashes.” For all of the pit bull owners, their dogs have a story and rugged past because of improper treatment and training. But, they add, the dogs are really affectionate and just want to be loved. “[They are] highly intelligent and highly energetic,” said Linda Farrington of Warwick, who is a pit bull owner and a veterinarian. “[But with the proper training] there isn’t a breed with a bigger heart.” |
WEST WARWICK — On Saturday, 14 pit bulls graduated from “Out of the pits and into the Ritz,” an obedience program started by Susan Parker, a member of the Little Rhody Bully Breed Club, to help change the reputation of the breed.
“When people see a pit bull, they think they’re killers,” Parker said. “That they’ll eat animals. That they’ll eat your children. But these dogs are very active, loyal, smart, admirable, tenacious and strong.”
Saturday’s graduation, cosponsored by the club and Parker’s Dynamic Dog Trainer Service, was held in the park behind the West Warwick Animal Shelter, on Hay Street.
Parker has been turning dogs into good citizens for three years, and has graduated about 25 dogs from the program, she said. Through her work with both family pets and dogs from shelters around the West Bay area, she said she has never had to flunk a dog. Her clients include a high school teacher, chemist, and medical secretary — a far cry from the hard-core image the dog gives off, Parker said.
“A lot of people look at the breed for status,” Parker said. “You have to be conscious of who you are giving the dog to. When people come into the shelter looking for a certain breed, we steer them away from the [pit bull breeds].”
The pit bull is not a formal breed, but rather a catch-all term for a series of purebred or mixed-heritage bull terrier breeds. The American Staffordshire terrier and the Staffordshire bull terrier, the most common breeds, are generally muscular and are easily stimulated, according to the American Kennel Club.
The club says the bull terrier’s “indomitable courage, high intelligence and tenacity. . . coupled with its affect for its friends, and children in particular, its off-duty quietness and trustworthy stability, makes it a foremost all-purpose dog.”
Indeed, the animals can make good family pets, said Mary R. Burch, director of the American Kennel Club’s Canine Good Citizen Program.
“It requires an owner that understands what this breed is about,” she said. “They have high prey drives and may need fences, but they are wonderful family dogs and can participate in all activities. And because of their strength and size, they need an owner who is consistent when it comes to training.”
Going through the Canine Good Citizen Program helps owners do just that, Burch said. The program is a 10-step class where a certified trainer teaches responsible ownership and basic training and good manners to dogs. The certification means that each of Parker’s students can meet friendly strangers, tolerate petting, walk through a crowd and perform a number of other tasks that show they are under control.
“We believe that there aren’t really any bad dogs,” Burch said. “What you have is a problem with owners who need to be more responsible and who need more training on how to communicate and recognize when there’s a problem and they need help.”
The program, which began in 1989, nationally has certified 500,000 dogs as good citizens, Burch said. Owners of any number of breeds with bad reputations — Rottweilers, chows, Dobermans and bull breeds — have also been able to obtain homeowners insurance as long as the dog receives the good-citizen certification, Burch said.
“They’re telling the the data shows it makes a difference,” she said. “The best parallel is to driver’s education. If you train teens, they are less likely to have an incident. If you give breeds and owners training, you are less likely to have an incident.”
But even with programs such as these, incidents do occur.
Earlier this month, a 3-year-old girl was bitten in the face by a family dog — a pit-bull mix— while she played at her aunt’s Cranston home. The toddler was taken to Rhode Island Hospital where she required stitches to the cheek and lip and above one eye.
The dog, a 3-year old named Tyson, was taken to the city animal shelter. The owner said she would not take the dog back, even if officials determine the dog is not a threat if properly supervised.
Parker said it’s all about knowing your dog, and training it properly.
“I’d trust my dog as golden around my granddaughter,” she said.
Like Parker, Burch said that with proper training and supervision, any dog can be obedient.
“Some people like to write off pit-bull breeds,” she said. “They look at the aggression in the breed, but in terms of responsible dog ownership, it can be a great family pet if the breeder makes sure it’s in the right home, under the right conditions and is trained properly to prevent problems.”
More information about Canine Good Citizen programs can be obtained from the AKC’s Web site — www. akc.org — and from pet stores. Parker’s course, lasting six to eight weeks, costs $165, but she provides training for shelter animals for free.
“We believe that there aren’t really any bad dogs. What you have is a problem with owners who need to be more responsible and who need more training…”
>American Kennel Club’s Canine Good Citizen Program
West Warwick
Susan Parker, Owner of Dynamic Dog Training Services wins NATIONAL AWARD for
training and placement of hard to place pets for Maddie's Fund ~
Petfinder.com
Prize won: $5,000.00 for the West Warwick Animal Shelter!!!
Copy of Prize notification letter below:
Maddies Fund The Pet Rescue Foundation
January 18th 2008
Susan Parker, Rescue Coordinator
West Warwick Animal Shelter
106 Hay Street
West Warwick, RI 02893
Dear Susan,
Thank you very much for your submission to the Maddie?s Fund and
Petfinder.Com
Marketing campaign for hard-to-place pets.
We
thoroughly enjoyed reading your
entry and commend you for the outstanding work you are doing to help
homeless dogs and cats.
We
are happy to inform you that your entry was a winner in our marketing
campaign.
As
a result, Maddie?s Fund is pleased to award your organization a total of
$5,000.00.
There is some paperwork that needs to be processed before we can issue your
check.
We
are preparing a confirmation letter, which will be sent to you in the next
few weeks.
You will need to review, sign and return this document to us in order to
receive your
award.
Again, thank you for your submission and for all you do to save animal
lives.
We
will
be
back in touch very soon.
Sincerely,
Lynn Spivak
Communications Director
LS/cd
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Here is the Copy of Susan's winning entry:
This is Copy Written and may not be used without written permission
from owner No Exceptions!
My name is Susan Parker.
I am the resident dog trainer at the West Warwick Animal Shelter. I specialize in obedience training and rescue of shelter pit bulls.
I am writing today in honor of Maddie�s fund to tell you about the program I created for the West Warwick Animal Shelter to promote �Pit Bull Ambassadors and increase adoptions for our shelter pit bulls which we all know is very difficult all around the United States.
Myself and my husband
Harry created The
"Out of the Pits and into the Ritz" training program to
stress the importance of responsible pit bull ownership; and
increase the odds of shelter pit bulls pre as well as post adoption.
As part of this program:
The shelter has started a trend, breaking the bad reputation and stigma of these fine animals.
We educate Animal Control Officers, pound keepers, & rescue volunteers associated with individual shelters how to participate in this program.
Informational free &
fun public seminars about the American Pit Bull Terrier throughout the year
are taught within the community, involving the West Warwick shelter pit
bulls as much as possible.
We begin by holding
training workshops teaching all staff working
with the bully breeds at the shelter how to do simple training
techniques that greatly improve the dog's chances for adoption.
Dogs
are then trained by the West Warwick shelter volunteers, leash training
skills, focus exercises, sit, stay, Come. & basic good manners.
This is a time consuming but extremely rewarding program. Dogs entering the Pit Bull ambassadorship program should be considered "The best of the best".
The dogs however, do not need any prior obedience training.
The shelter keeps a daily journal of every dog enrolled in the program. Entries should be short and include:
* The dates the dog entered the shelter and entered The Ambassadorship program.
* Daily training dates & times with the name of the person working the dog.
* List what was worked on and how the dog is progressing.
* Write when the dog is ready for advancement.
* Shelter workers will discuss and record when they feel the dog is ready to take the CGC test.
The dog handler working the dogs for the CGC should utilize positive reinforcement, gentle correction & reward, consistency and repetition. Optimal training should entail at least one daily session consisting 10-15 minutes to one-half hour daily. (Or longer if time permits) Dogs benefit from physical and mental stimuli. Make training fun for both of you.
EVERYONE needs to trains the dog The SAME WAY. This is VERY IMPORTANT. Dogs do not advance until the dog has mastered each lesson in order.
Volunteers are told by the resident dog trainer when to and what steps to advance on.
Most of the dogs are
also properly socialized with other dogs as
well.
Some dogs are taken on day trips to the park or just for a local car
ride. Love, patience and consistency are the key components.
Each dog is an individual but with continuous training, your dog should be able to pass the AKC CGC test by the end of 2-3 months.
Due to the increased length of time noted for the proper placement of pit bulls this allotted time can be better utilized by sharpening the dogs training skills even further.
Training skills help get the dogs adopted quicker from the shelter because the dogs are under less stress and happier to greet strangers at the cage.
Many shelter dogs
obtain their AKC Canine Good Citizen Certificate BEFORE THEY GET ADOPTED!!!
Think of the difference it makes when a person wishes to take a shelter dog out for a walk, do they have proper leash skills? Does the person need to water ski down the street to keep up with the dog?
The West Warwick Animal Shelter also uses great marketing techniques to get families interested in adopting a pit bull. Taking good quality pictures of the dogs for pet finder.com is essential. As we all know, "A picture is worth a thousand words".
The dog�s bio is written as descriptive and interesting as possible, always remembering to mention that the dog is currently enrolled in "Out of the Pits and into the Ritz training academy�.
Potential adoptive families are also WELL SCREENED.
Once the dogs
are officially adopted, the newly adoptive family is
informed about our "Out of the Pits and into the Ritz" Pit Bull
Training Academy.
No one is left out and training is affordable.
For the next 6-8 weeks post adoption, families are taught the do's
and don'ts of responsible pit bull ownership, combined with basic
obedience skills geared towards the dog passing the AKC Canine Good
Citizen Test.
Group AKC Canine Good Citizen classes are taught by Susan & Harry Parker.
The classes are 6-8
weeks long and everyone learns while having fun. The dogs pick up quickly
because they have already been fortunate
enough to have been working with Susan, Harry and the shelter volunteers
while utilizing the same training techniques.
Once the dogs and owners have mastered the steps needed to take the
Canine Good Citizen Test, Susan then tests the dogs and their owners.
Those who pass will receive their AKC certificate in the mail
proudly showing that the dog has mastered the steps and has become
an AKC Canine Good Citizen!
If the dog has
already received his/her AKC Canine Good Citizen while living at the
shelter, the certificate is transferred into the name of the new owners of
the dog.
Many of these shelter pit bulls move on to become pet therapy dogs
and finally get the recognition they so much deserve.
As of today,
our Out of the Pits and into the Ritz program has a 100
percent success rate.
Dogs going through this program get adopted at a much higher rate
than others and the most important part, owners become responsible
pit bull owners and the dogs stay adopted for once and for all.
My husband Harry and I have been personally working this program for over
two years, and have trained, and placed over 100 pit bulls using these
guidelines with positive results.
Many of these dogs have never known what being loved felt like until
they entered the shelters and was happily greeted by the shelter staff�s
warm and caring faces.
The West Warwick Animal Shelter volunteers & staff give the dogs back their
dignity.
In Closing, I wish to personally thank all the people that are not
afraid to adopt this very loving, intelligent, funny & gorgeous
breed of dog.
For you are the people that are going to truly take these dogs "Out
of the Pits and into the Ritz!
It makes me so happy to hear people proudly say when asked what type
of dog they own
"Why it�s American Pit Bull Terrier�
My husband and I have also begun to implement the Canine good Citizen
Program within other shelters utilizing shelter pit bulls while they are
still awaiting their forever homes with extremely positive results.
The end result leads to an adoptable, well-behaved, socially accepted Canine Good Citizen Pit bull Ambassador. Thru public education, training, and time, we can change the image of these great dogs. In addition, bring them back to the wonderful family dogs they once were.
Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions about my Out of the Pits and Into the Ritz Pit Bull Training Academy.
Susan also will be willing to come to your shelter and set up for you her Out of the Pits and into the Ritz training program so please ask.
Susan Marie Parker
West Warwick Animal Shelter Resident Dog Trainer and RI Shelter's Pit bull rescue coordinator
401-823-8851
www.DynamicDogTraining.net