About Dog-Harmony

Founded in 2015 by professional dog trainer Nancy Bown, CPDT-KA, Dog-Harmony is a non-profit 501(c)3 charitable organization dedicated to enhancing the relationship between dogs and humans through ongoing community education. Simply put, we help dogs rescue people.

Dog-Harmony programs provide evidence-based information related to the care and well-being of dogs, which significantly reduces the likelihood that a dog will be abandoned or surrendered to a shelter.  

Programs are dynamic, changing to focus on the greatest needs of the community at the time. Current programs include children’s education, therapy dog support and services, community education and support, and shelter support. All our programs are made possible through donations, grants, and continued support from our incredible volunteers.

Mission Statement
To enhance the relationship between dogs and humans through ongoing community education

Current Programs

Dog-Harmony’s programs have transformed each year since its inception, shifting focus to the areas of greatest community need. However, education is the key element to working toward our mission, as we believe by equipping community members with evidence-based information related to dog care and well-being, we can significantly reduce the likelihood that dogs will be abandoned or surrendered to shelters.

Our current programs include, but are not limited to:

Children’s Education

Since children often drive families’ decisions about dog ownership, one of Dog-Harmony’s greatest focuses remains on the relationship between children and dogs, developing programs to promote positive interactions through proper behavior.

We have partnered with local schools to provide free humane education classes, equipping them with easy-to-follow tips on interacting with dogs. These classes teach children proper ways to pet and play with dogs, dog body language, and how to react if a dog bites.

Our Kids & Canines camps teach these core skills in addition to key elements of responsible pet ownership, team building, and compassion; as studies show that through interacting with animals, children develop greater empathy and kindness in addition to self-esteem, confidence, and social skills.

Dog-Harmony also partners with local libraries to host its Bark for Books program. To foster self-confidence and communication skills, we provide a dog that creates a positive reading environment and experience, instilling a love of books and reading in children.

To learn about when our next Kids & Canines camp or Bark for Books program will occur, visit our events page, and if you would like to bring Dog-Harmony to your child’s school, email the school’s administrators and hello@dog-harmony.org with your request.

Dog-Harmony Therapy

After years of supporting Intermountain Therapy Animals, or ITA, through providing space and training, Dog-Harmony has partnered with ITA to create Dog-Harmony Therapy—a training and support pipeline to develop and support therapy dog teams in the community.   

Therapy animals are highly trained pets with specific temperaments that provide animal-assisted interactions and therapies in a variety of facilities, like hospitals and schools. They are very different from support animals, as these teams must meet high standards for training, testing, and performance. This level of training requires constant practice and testing, and Dog-Harmony provides the trainers, space, and facilitation of services for the community.

Community Education and Support

While the education of an entire community can be daunting, Dog-Harmony offers passive and active programs to teach community members about dog care and well-being. From the connection of free educational resources on our website to educational events, we offer a number of paths to information.

Since Dog-Harmony was founded by a certified professional dog trainer, Dog-Harmony provides specialized recommendations to dog trainers that operate with LIMA (Least Intrusive, Minimally Aversive) principles as endorsed by the International Association of Animal Behavior Consultants (IAABC) and The Association of Professional Dog Trainers (APDT). And, in special cases, Dog-Harmony does offer free training. To learn more, visit our training page.

In following Least Intrusive, Minimally Aversive (LIMA) strategies as endorsed by the International Association of Animal Behavior Consultants (IAABC) and The Association of Professional Dog Trainers (APDT), Dog-Harmony opposes the use of prong and/or shock collars, as studies show they are ineffective and inhumane training tools. So, in hopes to reduce the use of these tools, Dog-Harmony offers community members the opportunity to Swap It Out. Community members can bring their prong and/or shock collars to Dog-Harmony, and we will replace it with a free, effective tool—like a front-hook harness—in addition to providing a free loose-leash walking lesson at Dog-Harmony Headquarters. If you’re ready to Swap It Out, contact hello@dog-harmony.org.

We also provide new puppy owners the chance to tune into a monthly video call to talk through any and all questions they may have as a new Puppy PAWrent. From what to feed them to tips and tricks to keep them from destroying yet another remote control, no topic is off limits, and that month’s hosting trainer will also lead the conversation to cover information PAWrents may not have thought of before. Visit our Puppy PAWrents page to learn more or sign up for the next call.

However, providing educational resources to community members is not the only support Dog-Harmony provides. In hopes to be the best neighbors we can be, Dog-Harmony also hosts events for other nonprofits in the area—like Children in Crisis—providing dogs for clinics, events, and celebrations. If your nonprofit would like us to assist with an event, contact hello@dog-harmony.org.

Shelter Support

In addition to our programs for the public, we work to provide additional support to shelters in our area. While the level of support remains tailored to the individual needs of the shelter, we—in general—provide dog training consulting and volunteer training assistance by credentialed dog trainers, free educational and enrichment resources, and donation transportation and drop off.

We help build relationships and facilitate support between shelters in our area to benefit our community overall.

Contact Us

Have questions for us? Fill out the form below or feel free to call 850-376-4190. We look forward to hearing from you! Interested in volunteering? Learn more about what we do and fill out an application to volunteer.

If you are experiencing technical problems with the website please email sydney@dog-harmony.org for help.