Operation Kindness – North Texas’ original and largest no-kill animal shelter – is helping rescue dogs begin their new lives in their forever homes on the right paw by offering two complimentary training classes with every adoption made on Wednesdays from April 20 through June 1, 2016.

“Our goal is to help dogs and their new owners have the happiest start to their new lives together. We believe providing complimentary training classes to new owners will ease the dog’s transition into its forever home,” says Jim Hanophy, CEO of Operation Kindness. “Lack of training is one of the main reasons dogs are surrendered to shelters, but with the right training, common issues like potty training, socialization, dominance and other obedience concerns can easily be addressed.”

Rebeccah Kleinberg, a certified professional dog trainer and owner of What An Obedient Dog, will host two puppy/beginner classes at Operation Kindness. As a part of the course and using positive dog training methods, puppy and beginner dogs will learn the basics of puppy training and adult dog training including commands such as watch me, sit, down, release, come, stay with distance, stay with duration, leave it, drop it, and take it. Additionally, dogs will learn how to walk on a leash, fun tricks and much more.

Unwanted behaviors such as jumping, chewing, barking, nipping, biting, digging, etc. will be discussed, and Rebeccah will also address safe toys, chew toys, emergency recalls to help in case of door dashing and dog body language. Owners will receive the first two sessions free and will be able to register for the three additional classes of the 5-week program at a discounted price of $40.

Adoption fees are $185 for dogs/puppies and help cover the costs of caring for the animals at Operation Kindness, such as food, medicine, tests, spay/neuter surgery, other surgeries, medical procedures, rehabilitation and recovery. Any donations over the stated adoption fees are greatly appreciated. On average, Operation Kindness spends more than $380 for each animal in their care.

With the adoption of every animal, adopters receive:

• Adoption counseling to help the adopter select the dog best suited to his/her needs, family and home environment
• Pet care and educational materials
• Temporary leash for dogs
• Operation Kindness tag with animal ID
• Microchip ID and registration
• Rabies tag for animals over 4 months of age
• Pet care starter kit with food samples and helpful information
• Spay or neuter surgery (if not previously done due to young age or medical reason)

In order to adopt an animal from Operation Kindness, you must:

• Be at least 21 years of age
• Have a valid, government-issued photo ID with your current address on it
• Be able to verify that you can have a pet where you live