b"Canine Commandos.One Teacher's Vision & TenacityEmpowers Students To Save Shelter dogs. by Heather SchulmanC ANINE C OMMANDOS IS A PROGRAM for gifted students at schools rotate daily). The card indicates which command(s) haveIndialantic Elementary and 20 other participating schools. This been mastered and which still needs work. The card also tells theunique program works with the South Animal Care Center in public which dogs are great with kids. When the dog is adopted,Melbourne;CentralBrevardHumaneSocietyinCocoaand the adopter checks YES or NO to the question:SPCA of Brevard in Titusville to train homeless dogs. Its purpose Was the fact that this dog had gone through obedienceis to improve the behavior of shelter dogs in order to make them training a factor in your decision to adopt him/her?more adoptable.Then the kids figure out the per-Virginia Hamilton, the vision- centage which shows the success ofarybehindtheprogram,hasbeen theprogram.Todate,Canineteaching gifted students for over 13 Commandos has trained more thanyears. Whenshebeganhercareer, 7,100 dogs.communityserviceofsomekind Sofar,theprogramhasbeenwasarequirement.Shedidwhat awarded $35,000 in grants and spon-most teachers were doing, including sorships.BrevardSheriffWaynecannedfooddrivesandworking IveyisheavilypromotingCaninewith the homeless. But she longed Commandoswithacounty-wideforsomethingoutoftheordinary fundraiserinSeptembercalledthat would challenge both her and Canine Commando Carnival. Certifiedherstudents.Athomeonenight trainersmaintainthesafetyandwatchingtelevision,shebecame integrity of the program. Its truly ainspiredduringasegmentonthe win-win for both animals and stu-Animal Planet Channel. An obedi- dents as the animals receive a muchence trainer was commenting on the benefitted need with human touchfact that many dogs are overlooked and love. Students reflect on experi-for adoption due to a lack of train- ences through activities like scrap-ing. And that by spending just a few bookingandvideoproductions.minutesworkingwiththemevery CanineCommandosistheonlyday, we could improve their behav- communityserviceprojectofitsiorsenoughtomakethemmore kind. Virginia Hamilton and her stu-adoptable. Iknewrightthenthat dent trainers have been featured onthiswassomethingmystudents GoodMorningAmerica,andcould benefit from in terms of devel- Ben with Meghan and Nina, Canine Commandos. received awards from Disney, Officeoping values, while at the same time, DepotsTeachersChangeLives,helping shelter animals in need of homes. I started with just my Eckerds Childrens Hero of the Year, Women in the Pet Industryschool, twice a month and knew immediately that we were mak- Network and Points Of Light Recognition.ing a difference for not only the dogs, but the students as well Although students become attached to the dogs, they leavesaid Virginia. knowing that they may have saved a dogs life.It is especiallyH OW DOES THE PROGRAM WORK ? rewarding when a dog is selected for adoption during the train-Students are taught how to train using the basic obedience ing. Every year, families and chaperones of students have adoptedcommands: Watch Me, Sit, Down, Stay, and Come. Once the basic many dogs after witnessing the results of the kids efforts.commands are taught, the Commandos go into the shelter to Virginia Hamilton invites the public to visit and watch theclicker train the dogs. During clicker training, the dogs are in their dogsintraining(oftenresultinginanadoption).Theruns and the Commandos stand in front of the dogs doors. When Commandos goal is to get these dogs adopted into good homesthedogsarequietandnotjumpingattheircagedoors,the and spread the word to other schools so they can join in the fun.UCommandos click and give them a treat. Eventually, the shelterbecomes quieter and the dogs become less hyper and more desir- This program is too good to halt, for both animals and kids. Down to $2000able for adoption. The students are now doing some agility train- (which will get them through two months) Canine Commandos is in desperateing and havebegun to work on a socialization process for cats. need of funding to pay for the use of school buses and dog trainers. To learnTo track the success of the program, Canine Commandos more visit: www.CanineCommandos.com. To find out about implementing auses comment cards. The cards are attached to the dogs runs Canine Commandos program in your school, contact Virginia atwhichflagstheschoolsastowhichdogneedstraining(the Hamilton.Virginia@Brevardschools.org or via phone: 321.723.2811.60THE NEW BARKER www.TheNewBarker.com"