Troubled Ohio youths work with problem dogs
TOLEDO, Ohio (AP) — Some teens learning to overcome personal issues are working with rescue dogs needing some help to get new homes.
The Blade newspaper of Toledo reports that the year-old Teacher’s Pet program of PET Bull Project puts youths 14-18 years old with dogs that haven’t attracted potential adopters. Some teens come from the Lucas County Youth Treatment center, and others are referred by schools, behavioral centers or guardians.
“The program is for those dogs who have been sitting there for a while,” said director Cindy Reinsel. “Maybe they’re really shy or need some manners. This class really helps them.”
The teens write essays to apply for the program, and rescue groups supply the dogs. Class sizes are kept small, to five or six teen-dog teams.
The teens work with the dogs in two-hour classes, once a week for six weeks. They use training to improve behavior, calm overexcited dogs, and get shy and skittish dogs to become more sociable.
At the end of the class, the dogs are tested. Those who pass get canine good-citizenship certifications that reassure those looking to adopt a dog.
“It gives them a little title they can put after their name and show potential adopters that they’re trainable and nice dogs,” said Jay Barman, the group’s lead trainer.
For the youths, it’s an enjoyable task, and they find value in helping the dogs.
Breanna Ward, 16, of Toledo, said she has learned things including how to cope with bullying herself through the classes.
“They opened up a door to let me know that if I did different things and stood up for myself like dogs do, everything would change,” Ward said. “So I did, and it stopped.”
“It gives them somewhere to be and something productive to do,” Barman said of the youths. “Most of the kids have been phenomenal.”