Rock River Pet Resort and Cedar Bend Humane Society are partnering to provide shelter dogs with a second chance at life!

Second Chances Program
A New Leash on Life

“Second Chances” is an opportunity for dogs that have not found their forever home through the normal processes of Cedar Bend Humane Society (CBHS).  Often, these are dogs that struggle with their emotions and behaviors in a busy facility environment.  Second Chances offers these dogs a customized two-week training and support program to “unleash” their frustrations. 

A Professional Trainer will work one on one with these dogs along with the staff at Rock River Pet Resort including them in playtime and daycare.  The dog will be housed in a professional suite allowing them the relaxation needed to learn and absorb the new training that will take place.  During this time, we will assess the current training level of the dog, implement core principles in learning how to learn, and evaluate the dog’s ability for continuing education. 
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Upon completion of the program, a full assessment will be provided to CBHS that includes a professional opinion of the dog’s placement opportunities.   Second Chances brings an exciting new opportunity to dogs in need, yet cannot guarantee success in every candidate.  

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Success Stories

Meet Sally

Sally was our first candidate for the program, and, though she is the sweetest girl, she was definitely our biggest challenge. Sally had been at Cedar Bend for months before coming to train with us. She was a very anxious dog and would not settle. She was very dog reactive and would lunge at other dogs when passing by their kennels. She was also very mouthy and with her strength, many were worried she may unintentionally harm someone. Because of these behaviors, it was very difficult getting Sally adopted. 

Sally came to us in January of 2021 and trained with us everyday for many months. She learned basic obedience and commands such as sit, down, place, here and many more as well as off leash training. She also learned to safely walk on the treadmill, which she LOVES and it helps her burn off some energy. 

The community soon fell in love with Miss Sally and everyone was rooting for her. The Courier even did a special story about her! This social media attention helped Sally find her forever human in a home that was just right for her and her temperament. Her new owner works and bonds very well with her to this day. He uses Sally's training to prevent any of her old, bad behaviors from becoming a problem and she does fantastic at home and in public. Sally now enjoys her days getting endless belly starches, playing outside and going on walks with her new favorite person.

Meet Reggie

Reggie came to Cedar Bend as a stray and was described to us as a "mini tornado." When Reggie arrived at Rock River, it was very clear he was a very silly, sweet boy. However, he was extremely energetic, constantly moving and had a hard time concentrating on the handler. When introduced to another dog, Reggie would become overbearing, would bark and clearly did not understand boundaries. He was also very easily spooked and lacked confidence in himself. He was very motivated by treats, which helped us during the training process and, other than having no boundaries or confidence in new environments, he was a sweetheart.

After completing 3 weeks of training, Reggie had learned some basic obedience and how to play nicely with other dogs,  without becoming too overbearing. Nearing the end of his stay with us, our manager, Maddie, and trainer, Chad, fell in love with Reggie and they decided to adopt him. During those weeks of training, they grew to love his goofy, uncoordinated nature and how sweet and playful he was. He now has a forever home with Maddie and Chad and visits Rock River weekly for daycare where he can play and burn energy.

Meet Koda

When Koda first came to Cedar Bend Humane Society, he was a shy and fearful puppy. It was difficult for him to come out of his shell for strangers so he struggled meeting potential adopters. After completing the Second Chances Program, he understands 'sit' and can walk nicely on a leash. Koda was chosen for this special training program due to his timidness and avoidance when meeting new people. During his time at Rock River, he has shown consistent improvement. Once Koda adjusts to a new person he quickly blooms into a social and loving dog! Because of Koda's huge improvements through training and socialization, he was able to find his forever home!

For more information, ​visit Cedar Bend's website and follow us on Facebook for updates on our latest Second Chances candidates