Second Chance: Enrichment Through Socialization

03 Jun Second Chance: Enrichment Through Socialization

The Second Chance Pet Column has recently been sharing different aspects of its Enrichment Program because the initiative is unique and progressive within the animal welfare industry and because its components apply to anyone dealing with their own pet’s behavioral challenges. Read on to learn more.

My name is Swartz and I’m a one year old Heeler mix participating in the Second Chance Enrichment Program while I wait for my new family to find me. Because of my breed, I have plenty of energy and love to play. Having observed how outgoing I was, the staff matched me with some like-minded and equally playful dogs, Hercules and Milo.

Swartz

The three of us met initially on walks and were gradually introduced one by one in a play yard. Now I couldn’t be happier and I get play yard time daily with my new friends, as well as time to interact with staff playing and working on basic obedience.

These play yard sessions are also a good chance for the staff to learn our various play styles and behaviors and ensure all of our needs are being addressed. We have many different types of play yards at Second Chance, but my favorite is the enrichment yard, which is a little bigger and has plenty of toys and agility equipment to keep us occupied.  he staff ensures we have a variety of activities and supervise us to keep the play time positive and productive for all members of the group.

My feline friend Rock Hudson also recently got a new playgroup he’s particularly happy with. Rock was co-housed with his litter mate Audrey Hepburn, but when space opened up in one of the communal cat rooms they were perfect choices to be assimilated into the group.

Rock and Audrey are both under one year old and thus were matched in the same way I was with the more active of the communal rooms to help ease their transition and facilitate compatible lifestyles with the other cats. Now Rock and Audrey can play to their hearts content with three other cats.  They have a whole room outfitted with shelves, scratching posts, and bedding as well as access to an outdoor porch for down-time napping in the sun.

Rock Hudson

As you can gather, the enrichment program isn’t all training and games, but also addresses the social and emotional needs of the animals at Second Chance – as should your personal pet enrichment program at home – something that is every bit as important as training and exercise. Most importantly this program helps all the animals at Second Chance live more satisfying and healthy lives, making us more adoptable and decreasing our length of stay until we find our forever homes.

Editor’s note: It’s no secret. The Telluride region is dog heaven. Well, pet heaven. Unless you are one of our furry friends who gets caught in the maw of neglect and abuse. Then heaven is on hold until Second Chance Humane Society comes to the rescue. Second Chance is the region’s nonprofit dedicated to saving animals’ lives and promoting responsible pet parenting and human-animal bond. In her weekly blog, executive director Kelly Goodin profiles at least one, generally two of the many animals now living at the no-kill shelter, Angel Ridge Shelter, a dog and a cat, hoping to find them loving permanent homes. The column is sponsored by Ted Hoff of Cottonwood Ranch & Kennel, who from time to time exercises his skills as a dog whisperer, partnering with Kelly and her staff to help train a particularly challenging animal.

Ted Hoff &  Magnificent Mae

By the by, there is no better place to park your pup than Cottonwood whenever you head out of town (for locals) or are heading to town and staying somewhere that does not allow pets. Consider joining Ted’s Very Important Dog (VID) Club for added benies. (Details on Ted’s website.)