Idaho K9 Academy to receive new home to continue to train dogs

IDAHO FALLS, Idaho (KIFI)- The Snake River Animal Shelter and the Idaho K9 Academy have been partners for many years. As the academy has trained over 300 dogs since 2018, many of them have come from the shelter and others have been from the community.

"So they have really a chance of a good life and in there for ever home," said Norah Paech the program director at the Snake River Animal Shelter said.

The Idaho K9 academy is a 5 week program that teaches the dog the basic obedience skills they will need in their home. However just because they have gone through the academy doesn't mean the work ends there.

"It's a never ending process, but a happy dog is a happy home," Robert Fisher the Idaho K9 Academy director said.

Fisher says that the key to training you pet is finding out what motivates them to succeed.

"You can do verbal traits, praise and toys, whatever it is," Fisher said.

Paech also said training your pet is key to ensuring they stay in the home.

"This year and last year, we're really seeing a change like now what we call owner surrenders, or when people give up their dogs for behavioral reasons, that's only accounts for 6% of owner surrenders. And it used to be like 30%. So it's having a huge impact," Paech said.

Currently the Academy trains their dogs in the conference room at the shelter which is a smaller space for some of the activities needed to do some of the training activities, so they end up in the halls or outside.

But it won't be that way for much longer as a new building is being built right next to the main building of the shelter with a goal of providing a larger space for the dogs in training.

"We are able to now construct a 12,000 square foot training facility right next to the shelter at will include seven kennels where the dogs can relax in between their training sessions. And yeah, it's just allows so many more options with what we can offer, how many dogs we can train," Paech said.

The larger space will be able to house 7 dogs at once while they can only house four dogs in the current space. As the dogs go into their kennels in between training sessions. Paech adds that it will add a whole new world of possibilities to the team as well. All in the hopes of keeping dogs in their homes.

"Hopefully we can get more done this year with a new building," Fisher said.