Training and Enrichment Stories

Petey the cat with Emily kneeling next to him

Faces of No-Kill: Befriending a fractious feline

Petey was frustrated with people and not afraid to show it — until he got speciali...
A family for a finicky feline
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Jules and Lannister the dogs playing together, each holding opposite sides of the same stick with their mouths

The right roommate helps calm anxious dog

Lannister loves making friends, but his nervous energy can be a lot for other dogs...
See how they enjoy each others company
Best Friends Magazine
Atkins the white dog in front of a group of people when moving into the Shipley Dog Lodges

Announcing the Shipley Dog Lodges

A nod to the future through the experiences of the past
Celebrating a place designed to celebrate dogs with behavior challenges
Julie Castle Blog
Frankie the dog in the lap of a person who is reading "101 Dalmatians" to him

Deaf dog loves story time

Even though he can’t follow along with his ears, Frankie loves it when people read...
It's fun for everyone
Best Friends Magazine
Person wearing a hat reaching down to feed some watermelon to a pig in a small yellow pool

A pool party just for pigs

Pigs at the Sanctuary make a splash and have a blast at a summertime soiree just f...
Check out the fun
Video
A person and dog in a green canoe on the water in front of a rock overcropping

Dogs find treasure at Best Friends Animal Sanctuary

Photo essay explores dogs taking a dip in waters rumored to hide ancient riches an...
Is Montezuma’s gold hidden at the Sanctuary?
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Acadia the cat standing on his hind legs doing a high-five with a person

Cat goes from shy to showman

Acadia didn’t want anything to do with people when he first came to Best Friends, ...
Now he's a tour highlight
Best Friends Magazine
Black and white dog licking lips after tasting a Frosty Paws from a white cup being held by a person's hand

Volunteers deliver cool treats to Dogtown pups

Get the canine-approved recipe that makes the dogs bark for joy, especially on hot...
Make them yourself
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Equine trainer Christian Mathews putting a saddle on Byron the mustang

A mustang’s breakthrough

Byron was born in the wild, and today he’s learning the ropes to become a solid ri...
He's now a riding partner
Best Friends Magazine
Smitty the pig walking down a ramp following the training ball on a stick

Fun and games for pigs

Did you know pigs are super smart? School’s in session at Best Friends Animal Sanc...
Learning is easy ... with the right incentive
Best Friends Magazine
Pharaoh the dog on a sand dune with a toy in his mouth

Helping an anxious dog is all fun and games

A bored Pharaoh is a stressed Pharaoh, so his friends are always coming up with wa...
See Pharaoh in action
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Tilly the sulfur-crested cockatoo with wings outspread and head cocked to the side

Wallflower cockatoo blossoms into dancing king

Tilly was shy when he arrived at the Sanctuary, and after trying everything to get...
See him move to the groove
Video
Nancy sitting with Yogi and Tank the dogs and Pong the cat on a multi-colored blanket

Dreams come true for doggy duo with tricky behaviors

It took some extra time to find Yogi and Tank a home that stuck, but now they have...
See how they make it work
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Orange tabby cat licking the forehead of a person wearing an orange hoodie

You (yes, you) are a cat trainer

Samantha Bell, Best Friends’ cat expert, explains how if you’ve interacted with a ...
Learn the power of positive reinforcement
Best Friends Magazine
Littles the cat lying in a kennel

Shy cat finds the confidence to climb higher

After being found scared and disheveled in a home with too many cats, Littles has ...
How she overcame her fears
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