Tag Archives: dog rescue florida

Dog-Harmony kicks off capital campaign

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Walton Sun Article: http://www.waltonsun.com/news/20170809/dog-harmony-kicks-off-capital-campaign

Dog-Harmony kicked off its capital campaign recently to raise $50,000 that will be used to provide more space for its growing needs.

Dog-Harmony is an education-based operation that offers Doggy Day Care and adoptions, but owner Nancy Bown’s main focus is on training, she said.

Bown usually trains between five and 13 dogs a month at her 1,000-square-foot location in Emerald Coast Plaza and needs more space. There is a 3,000-square-foot space opening up in the complex that Bown hopes to move into.

Dog-Harmony was founded in 2014 as a volunteer-run non-profit organization made up of dog lovers who wanted to make a difference.

Bown’s mission is to create life-long pet adoptions by providing personalized and ongoing education, support and training for people and dogs with a goal of building healthy relationships to improve the lives of both.

Bown believes the key element is education to make sure the people and dogs have tools they need to build a successful life together.

“So many pets are in need because of missing gaps in educating people when they adopt,” she said. “People so often don’t understand the cost, a particular dog’s personality and what goes into pets and they end up recycled.”

Training therapy dogs is her specialty and she is one of the few in Northwest Florida who does this.

Training for a therapy dog is a minimum of 50 hours, and training for the owner is eight hours. She teaches therapy to about 25-30 dogs a year at her location. Click here to read more >>

We’re Having A Doggie!

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The holidays are a popular time to bring a new dog into your home. They make a wonderful family addition and bring many years of love and fun. Adopting a dog is also a big decision and requires planning and research. Selecting a new pet can also be a very emotional event. Cute puppies with tails wagging and lots of cuddling are often all it takes to win the hearts of a family, but are only part of the criteria used to choose the right pet. We have some ideas on how to choose your match that will bring years of love and companionship to you, and a forever home to a furry friend in need of a loving family.

Whether one chooses a purebred or mix breed dog, pet adoption is available. Approximately 25 to 30 percent of dogs in shelters are purebred, and there are also shelters for specific breeds from which one can adopt. When selecting a dog it is important to understand the general characteristics of the breed. Is the dog very active or is it more of a lap dog? How large will the dog grow and how often will it require grooming? Are their common health traits of the breed that could require special treatment during its life? The answers to these questions will make one more aware of the care required and will help in the selection of a companion who is likely to be a part of a family for a decade or more.

Review your lifestyle to determine the amount of space available for the dog and the environment in which the dog will live. Space is more important to dogs with herding characteristics like Collies or Shetland Sheepdogs that like to run and bark and may nip at people to “gather” them. As a result, an apartment may not be the easiest environment in which to raise dogs with these traits. Older dogs have more mellow personalities and may be easier to introduce and play with children than young puppies.

It is hard to resist a puppy? The young canines are loving, playful and become “forever friends” to their owners. Puppies also offer an opportunity for children to learn responsibility by taking the dog on regular walks or grooming the pet on a regular basis. However, puppies require more time and attention to train and socialize the pet as it adjusts to a new home and family. Housetraining, puppy-proofing a house, and teaching the pet to obey are just some of the tasks of bringing a young dog in to the family. People with full daily schedules may consider adopting an older dog with arrangements for daycare that affords the dog time to walk or run and socialize

There are many other considerations to ponder when bringing a doggie into a family. Dog-Harmony’s “We’re Having a Doggie” program offers consultations on how to select the proper pet and will help find the best match for you. Adopting a dog through Dog-Harmony includes selection consultations, spay/neuter, vaccinations, obedience and crate training, bedding, harness, leash, and socialization for a nominal fee. To encourage a long-lasting relationship, Dog-Harmony will also provide follow-up consultations and training as needed. As you consider a gift for our family this holiday, think about adopting a pet. It will bring many years of happiness to your family and to a dog in search of a loving home.

For more information about adoption services, contact Dog-Harmony at hello@dog-harmony.org or 850-376-4190.