Tag Archives: dog rescue florida

Destin Gives Back: Dog-Harmony

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By: Savannah Vasquez (Destin.com)
Nancy Bown said the mission of her non-profit, Dog-Harmony, is simple: Dog plus human equals family.

When she started the dog rescue, training and educational program five years ago, she said she never expected it to grow as quickly as it has. Now she said she has to limit the amount of rescue dogs they take in because of the extensive training and placement program that she implements.

“Last year we adopted 60 dogs,” she said. “We have a low intake compared to county dog shelters, but in five years we’ve only had two dogs come back. We have a very extensive training and background checking system, which makes sure they go to the right home.”

Bown is a certified dog trainer and runs a dog daycare – K 9-5 Doggie Daycare – during the day in Santa Rosa Beach, but said her true passion lies with Dog-Harmony.

“I was training dogs then people would pass away or have a dog that needed a home, so I started Dog-Harmony,” she said. “Then my accountant said, ’You need to start a 501 C-3. Now we are offering bite prevention classes free of charge in the schools, we have no-charge spay and neuter programs that run on scholarships and we had a new program called Trade it Out that encourages dog owners to trade their prong collars for more humane equipment free of charge.”

The educational aspect is really the focus of the non-profit, Bown explained. As a dog trainer, she said she wants to educate the community in order to prevent dogs from entering shelters in the first place.

“Really being a dog trainer and learning why dogs were ending up in shelters is what caused me to start Dog-Harmony,” she said. “The big factors are dogs biting children, or dogs not being spayed or neutered, or pet behavioral issues. My goal is to keep dogs from ending up in shelters to begin with.”

Currently Dog-Harmony is in the process of building a new facility in Freeport specifically designed for training and housing foster dogs as they await adoption. Bown said that the non-profit relies fully on community support and donations to keep it’s program running and there are several ways to give.

“We need money, so even a $5 donation really helps,” she said. “We also have the kiosk here at Grand Boulevard where we offer local art, dog toys, T-shirts and other unique items and 100 percent of the proceeds go to our programs.”

If adopting a dog is on your mind, Bown said there is one eager puppy waiting for a home; four-month-old Cooper.

“He is a border collie mix, he is very cute and very curious,” Bown said. “He knows how to walk on a leash, he knows ‘sit’ and he’s almost potty trained.”

As for volunteers, Bown said she welcomes all dog-lovers to apply.

“It’s all fun; everything we do is fun,” she said. “I don’t ever want Dog Harmony to be sad. When we receive a dog, that’s where their story begins. We don’t get caught up in whatever happened before.”

Published in the Northwest Florida Daily News

You’re Invited! Dog Days of Summer: Social

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Original Article here: http://www.wjhg.com/content/news/Dog-days-of-summer-social-440875233.html

SANDESTIN, Fla. (WJHG/WECP) – A guest from Dog Harmony joined us in the studio to tell us about a doggie social for all party animals.

Dog Days of Summer is open to the public and their pets. It is scheduled from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. on August 24th at Grand Park in Grand Boulevard at Sandestin.

The event includes live music, a raffle, “pup pops,” brews by Grayton Beer Company and snapper dip by JC’s Gourmet. The outdoor party is free. Donations are asked for refreshments.

The funds from the event will go to Dog-Harmony, a nonprofit in Santa Rosa Beach whose mission is to reduce the number of unwanted dogs at shelters through education, training, low-cost spay/neuter and microchipping.

For more information, watch Paris’ interview.

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.