Training and Enrichment Stories

Swing the dog lying and the floor wearing sunglasses getting his pretend laser treatment

Dog’s no-laser therapy is almost as good as the real thing

When Swing was diagnosed with cancer, he had to stop laser therapy for arthritis. ...
He still enjoys all the attention and love
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Peridot the cat lying in the top shelf of a cat tree

Faces of No-Kill: Cat goes from grumpy to cuddly

Peridot used to swat away affection with hisses and growls. Now she’s home, snuggl...
Read about her transformation
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Emma Odekirk sitting on the ground with Valley the dog and a small brown puppy

Time, training, and love transform nervous dog

When Valley arrived at Best Friends Animal Sanctuary, she was anxious about most e...
She's transformed
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Slim the dog running with a rope toy in his mouth

Flyball helps dog go from shy to super-fly

At Best Friends Animal Sanctuary, this once-shy dog learned new skills to become t...
Harnessing the power of play
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Magnus the dog in a person's lap

Magnanimous dog blossoms in foster care

Magnus’ foster caregivers showed this senior dog just how wonderful life can be.
Now his spirit shines
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Winter and Abbott the dogs inside with a bucket and raised bed in the background

Best friends at Best Friends: A real dynamic doggy duo

Meet Abbott and Winter, a couple of sweet senior dogs with a surprising past.
Now they're best buds
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Silver Sword the dog outside

Dog from overcrowded home shines as an individual

After a puppyhood spent in a home with over 50 other dogs, Silver Sword is finally...
Finding friends everywhere he goes
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Emily snuggling with Hale the cat, face-to-face, with her arm around him

‘Hands-off’ cat learns to show his sweet side

Hale expressed himself with his teeth and claws when he came to the Sanctuary, but...
He's now blossomed
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Jalapeño the dog, smiling, while sitting on sand in front of some trees

Helping a shy dog spice up his social life

Found as a stray pup, Jalapeño was shy and shut down around people, but his foster...
How he's warming up
Best Friends Magazine
Jen Cunha holding letters A and B for Ellie the Goffin’s cockatoo to see

When parrots go to school

Jen Cunha’s work with parrots is revealing how intelligent they are — and how eage...
Their incredible success at communicating
Best Friends Magazine
Adored the cat in front of Santa

Holiday cheer: Watch dogs and cats open their gifts

Cats and dogs pounce onto the holiday spirit at Best Friends Animal Sanctuary.
Watch their fun
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Jako the cat eating some greens with ears back

Frisky feline bounds toward a bright future

Jako had so much energy that he was positively overflowing with it, so caregivers ...
See Jako at "work"
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Two dogs outside in the grass in a playgroup, one whose tong is hanging out

Magic of playgroups unveils dogs’ hidden sociability

A five-day seminar for 13 greater Houston shelters showed that even dogs who haven...
Learn about this lifesaving program
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Adored the cat with her head and two front paws overhanging the corner of the area she's lying on

Helping a cat feel absolutely Adored

From scared to snuggly, this tangerine tabby has come a long way.
Now instead of running away, her purr motor revs up
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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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