Meet Dogtown’s canine summer school stars

Summer school means two things at Best Friends Animal Sanctuary’s Dogtown: recess and snacks. At the playground, nervous dogs like Nigel and Boston get the chance to build confidence by exploring exciting new things like slides, kiddie pools, and play tunnels.

“It’s great for fearful or shy dogs,” says caregiver Landon Schobert. “Even just sniffing the equipment gets them a treat, and then eventually they’re climbing on and sliding down it. It’s a fun way for them to realize, ‘I can do this.’” (Nigel’s favorite subject? Sliding 101.)

Nigel came to the Sanctuary from a shelter in New York City. The hustle and bustle of city life didn’t quite suit him, but he soon found his rhythm in the calm of the long, sandy trails and red rock cliffs at the Sanctuary.

[How training one dog inspired shelter-wide change]

Best Friends supports shelters in reaching no-kill by taking in pets like Nigel who need a little extra training and care to become their best selves.

In the beginning, he was wary of new people. But on the slide? He’s all in. “He’ll walk up and slide down over and over again,” says Landon. “It’s helping him relax and just have fun — and that means he’s more open to meeting new people.”

The playground isn’t just helping Nigel — it’s doing wonders for Boston, too. She arrived at the Sanctuary shy and unsure of new situations. But she had something invaluable: a canine best friend named Mojito.

“Having a buddy to show her that something is fun is so important,” Landon says.

[Time, training, and love transform nervous dog]

At first, Boston only watched as Mojito gleefully zipped through the playground — crawling under things, climbing over others, and sliding with joy. Slowly, Boston worked up the courage to follow his lead. One tentative step onto the slide turned into a slow glide down. Then another. And another. In no time, Boston was bounding around the playground with Mojito, sliding like a pro.

With every sniff, climb, and slide — and yes, the treats that follow — these pups are gaining confidence, easing anxiety, and discovering that new experiences can actually be fun.

Recess and snack time with a side of confidence? Sounds like a gold star semester.

Our goal at Best Friends is to support all animal shelters in the U.S. in reaching no-kill. No-kill means saving every dog and cat in a shelter who can be saved, accounting for community safety and good quality of life for pets. 

Shelter staff can’t do it alone. Saving animals in shelters is everyone’s responsibility, and it takes support and participation from the community. No-kill is possible when we work together thoughtfully, honestly, and collaboratively.