Training and Enrichment Stories

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
Video
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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Samara the black cat sitting on her caregiver's shoulders

Cat’s transformation from scary to sweet

Samara went from hissing and growling to cuddly and confident with help from his n...
See how she's blossomed
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Hollywood the dog sitting on an orange chair next to a stuffed toy

Channeling a dog’s boundless energy into a new home

Hollywood was stressed out and struggling when he lost his home, but a team of peo...
Memories old and new
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Lulu the dog in her new home

Listening to Lulu

Adopters experience a master class in boundaries and communication, taught by a do...
The importance of understanding our pets
Best Friends Magazine
Smiling dog standing on some colored tires

Wisconsin shelter helps troubled dogs into homes

Humane Animal Welfare Society of Waukesha County forms K9 task force to support do...
Their all-hands-on-deck approach works
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