Dogs surrendered by owners to Temple Animal Shelter are not only given a second chance, but a chance to be thoroughly enjoyed by their new families, and better behaved than the average dog.
Jamie Pyatte, a helicopter mechanic by day, has been volunteering at the shelter for about 12 months.
She first started there to assist in her accreditation toward being a dog trainer through the Animal Behavioral College in California.
“Part of their course requires you to work at a local shelter for 10 hours, training all kinds of dogs with behavioral problems,” Pyatte said. “So I started at Temple and never really left.”
Pyatte concentrates on the long-term dogs that are difficult to handle. “I socialize them and teach them basics like walking on a leash without pulling an arm off and coming on command,” she said. “Dogs need a leader. They are pack animals. If the owners don’t become a leader, the dog will,” she said.
Since accreditation, Pyatte has started All Breeds Canine dog training and operates out of the Temple Veterinary Hospital of Western Hills at 2312 W. Adams Ave. and the Family Pet Clinic at 5233 S. 31st St.
Many dogs end up at the shelter because they get too big or too hard to handle. “It’s because they have never had any training. They are often not bad dogs, they just get more attention from their owners when they get in trouble,” she said. “So they keep misbehaving.”
Pyatte aims to break that cycle. “By getting a dog that is basically trained, we hope that the new adopted family is able to enjoy it more,” she said.
“Volunteers are hard to get at the shelter; Jamie has been a great asset,” said Walter Hetzel, Animal Services supervisor at Temple Animal Shelter.
“Lobo was Jamie’s first success story,” he said.
Lobo, a Labrador/shepherd mix had been at the shelter for five months. He would jump all over people, pull on the leash. He just had bad manners, according to Hetzel.
Lobo found his forever home. “He looked stunning walking beside his owner, sitting when his owner stopped. He was a great dog,” he said.
Jamie’s training has also allowed the shelter to start the ‘almost foster dog’ program. “These dogs are ready for a foster home but we don’t have enough openings,” Hetzel said. “Jamie works with these dogs every weekend. If they are still here when a foster home becomes available they will go there.
“Since Jamie has started training the dogs at the shelter we have noticed they are remarkably more attractive to perspective owners,” he said.
Pyatte said, “I will do private classes but socializing is an important part of training, so a group setting allows me to see how the dogs and their owners behave in company.
“In a group I can teach the dog manners. How dogs approach each other is part of their manners,” she said. Owners also benefit in a group situation by learning about other dogs and each other.
Unlike other obedience programs, Pyatte tailors training to the person’s needs and the dog’s personality. There is no one training book or way that will train every dog because each has different problems.
“In classes with dog owners I am not actually training the dog. I train the owner to train their dog. I teach them to understand how a dog thinks. The dogs love it,” she said.
Training should be on-going in the home situation.
When buying a dog, there are a few things you should take into consideration, Pyatte said. “The breed is important. All dogs have traits that are natural to the breed,” she said. “Some dogs are bred to hunt, and they always will have that natural instinct. Retrievers are great for throwing a ball and having them bring it back. Don’t expect the same enthusiasm from a Maltese. They are bred for the lap.”
Pyatte’s advice on getting a dog is simple - do your homework. If you have young children, puppies are not always the wisest choice. “Puppies are the same as little children. They can be like 2-year-olds. They have sharp baby teeth and adolescence will follow. Is that something you want?” she said, laughing.
“Everybody can have a dog. Everybody can train a dog,” she said, “It’s a matter of getting the right advice and doing your homework. It becomes part of your daily routine.
“Basic training takes about six to eight weeks. In that time, people learn how to understand their dog. The dog learns the basics of obedience.”
She is also on call for clients. They can call anytime time if something isn’t working at home, she said.
Advice from Pyatte to those wanting to get a dog from the shelter isn’t much different from those wanting to buy a dog: Do your homework, find out about breeds and what characteristics that breed has. Puppies are cute but time consuming and expensive, so be prepared for added expenses. Mature dogs at the shelter have had their shots, have been neutered or spayed and are past the chewing stage. They just want to love and be loved.
“Often people will come in wanting a small dog because they are easier to handle,” she said. “That isn’t always true. Some small breeds are very active and bark a lot. Many large breed dogs are very mellow.”
Pyatte can be found at the shelter on Saturdays or her business card can be collected from the above mentioned veterinary offices or the Temple Animal Shelter.
“Like a small child, a dog needs to be taught to make them a good member of society,” she said. “It isn’t hard to do at all, and the rewards ... you just can’t put them into words.”
tcooper@temple-telegram.com
