Happy Hound Basic Training

03/22/2023

Thinking about adding a new family member? Start by thinking about your lifestyle and the traits that will help the pup fit in with your family! AKC’s website has really helpful information on every recognized breed, even a hel

We're here to guide you along the process of picking the best dog for your individual personality and lifestyle.

03/22/2023

Thinking about adding a new family member? Start by thinking about your lifestyle and the traits that will help the pup fit in with your family! AKC’s website has really helpful information on every recognized breed. They’ve even organized the breeds by activity level, from “couch potato” to “daily 10k running buddy”. Do you want a dog that will hang on your every word, or do you want one that will be a little more independent? AKC is a good starting point!

We're here to guide you along the process of picking the best dog for your individual personality and lifestyle.

03/15/2023

That quick check in with Mom 😂😂😂

This is some awesome training on display!

03/15/2023

😱 the lab has been ousted as #1 in the US!

03/15/2023

Here's a quick way to give your dog a bit of indoor enrichment using items you may already have! Do take care that whatever items you use, they are safe and not choking hazards for your particular breed type.

03/03/2023

Someone once asked me, “What does it mean to allow dogs to choose? Why should they decide where to sleep, walk and play?” I’m often reminded that the idea of giving dogs a choice is dangerously close to anthropomorphism. But I argue otherwise. All animals—those who live in the wild and those...

01/25/2023

Oof, this one is hard sometimes! It’s easy to justify occasionally breaking the rules we set for our dogs: “Well maybe just this once you can get on the bed…”, or “ok just this once I’ll play with you when you jumped on me”. The problem is that every interaction we have with dogs teaches them something, and dogs will remember that one instance when eating food off the table was allowed for a very long time to come 😆

Sometimes we accidentally teach dogs or cats to do things we don’t want.

01/18/2023

This is such a wonderful program!

Last year, KC Pet Project programs delivered record-breaking results for Kansas City residents. Our Keep ‘Em Together KC programs supported 3,054 families with 5,616 pets in 2022 (a 382% increase from last year). We provided $144,493.10 in financial assistance to KCMO residents in 2022 through our Home Away From Home Temporary Care Boarding Program, our 3-Day Reclaim Fee Forgiveness Program and our Pet Resource Assistance Program. Each of these programs are designed to keep pets in their homes by providing resources including pet food, collars and leashes, temporary foster support in emergency situations and financial support.

We are so thankful to our staff, volunteers and the community members who make this program possible and we look forward to another great year of building a more compassionate community for both pets and people in 2023.

01/09/2023

Happy New Year! This time of year is always hectic but we hope you had wonderful holidays and found some time to enjoy the sunshine☀️ ‘Tis the season for resolutions, and we’ve made several for the Happy Hound Basic Training crew! Indy puppy’s resolution is to pass the AKC Canine Good Citizen test. Have you set any goals for your pups this year?

01/09/2023

When you think of a working dog, is the breed that comes to mind a GSD, Belgian Malinois, or a border collie? Every dog breed was originally bred to do a job for us, and many of them still work in very important jobs in our society today. Meet Hank!

Our first Friday of the new year! We are pleased to continue our recognition and appreciation of our amazing Henderson family members for their "Excellence in Safety and Service". Let's please give a shout out to Narcotics Detection Dog (NDD) Hank.

Hank is an approximately 5 year old Cocker Spaniel who was partnered with his handler, K9 Officer Doleshal in March of 2020 and they certified as a team in May of that year.

During Hank’s tenure, he has been utilized to search for illegal narcotics for patrol, our Narcotics Unit, and even the DEA.

Hank is very energetic and loves to run and play. He has been nicknamed “Lefty” due to the fact that he constantly runs in left-hand circles. Hank also loves the attention of the community and when given the chance he will take all of the pets and belly rubs he can get. In fact, when he trains and is rewarded for a find, Hank will run back to his handler and jump into his arms to be held and praised.

Hank resides at his handlers home, with his kennel mate, PSD Jano. On his days off Hank loves to occasionally go swimming, run around the yard, and he never turns down a treat when offered.

11/18/2022

Does your dog love visitors, or do they find guests stressful? Pay attention to your dog’s body language the next time you have people over, you might be surprised by your dog’s reactions!

Having people over for the holidays is stressful enough—and you don't want to be also having to apologize for your dog's behavior.

11/07/2022

Training tip of the week! Would your pup rather snooze than train? One way to set you both up for success is to find the right motivator. Your dog has a hierarchy of favorite things - your job is to find a favorite thing (whether that’s a treat, toy, praise, or even a game!) that consistently motivates your dog without getting them so excited they can’t focus on you or what you’re asking. This is the sweet spot for training! 🦴🥩🍖🍗