CITY DOGS and CACC

Sit back, take a deep breath & relax with a little aromatherapy and music! Music has been a part of the shelter for years, but the new kennel building (2019) has smaller pods that allow the dogs to hear better than before. Their favorite station is, of course, the spa mix!

To add a little something extra, the wonderful vet staff use dog friendly essential oils to diffuse in the pods. Since not all essential oils are dog friendly, the event staff takes cars of the aromatherapy aspect of enrichment.

Donations support this enrichment with diffusers, essential oils, and speakers. 

The hiking program began at CITY DOGS Clevelan in January 2017. Volunteers organize a monthly hike to get the dogs out on the beautiful Ohio trails. These hikes allow volunteers & staff to get to know the dogsa little better. The information they learn can help find the perfect forever home. 

Donations support the hike program by providing waist leashes, harnesses, cooling vests, jackets, air horns, Mushers Secret Paw Protectant, & first aid kits. Rain or shine, you can find CITY DOGS Cleveland out on the trails!

What makes the dogs wiggle & lick their chops? Seeing the KONG cart rolling down the hall!

The CITY DOGS Kong team began in Decemebr 2015. KONGSare a durable type of food puzzle which makes them a great optionfor in-kennel enrichment. 

The team stuffs the KONGS with yummy snacks like peanut butter, cheeses, & small crunchy biscuits. A frozen KONG is a long lasting treat that keeps the dogs busy lickin away. Fun fact: licking is a calming behavior for dogs. KONGs are one more tool to help soothe pups stressed by kennel-life!

The KONG team serves as a form of year-round enrichment. This is vital on those bone cold or scorching hot days when we need to minimize the time dogs are outside. 

Donations support this program by providing food to stuff the KONG's, cleaning supplies, and of course KONG's!

View our wishlists:

• Amazon wish list 
• Chewy wish list

In playgroup, you can find CITY DOGS romping together and having fun! Playgroups started in Spring of 2016 after training sessions with Dogs Playing for Life. Their motto is, "Every dog, every day!" Simply put, the goal is to get every dog meaningful time out of the kennel  every single day. This program helps maintain the dogs overall health & wellness while getting quality socialization. 

CITY DOGS are able to socialize, play, & learn how to dog while getting exercise in playgroup. Fun fact: 20 minutes in playgroup can burn as much energy as a two-hour leashed walk. 

These playgroups are run daily by two wonderful enrichment staff members. Watching the joyful dogs play in the yard together is a delight! 

Friends of CITY DOGS Cleveland helps support playgroups by providing safety supplies like air horns, break sticks, leashes, muzzles, & more!

In December 2016 the CITY DGS Runners program began. Run group helps the most stressed-out CITY DOGS by getting extra exercise. Run group is famous for turning the stressed out knuckleheads into a cuddle puddle of love after logging a few miles. We get up to 20 dogs out for a run on any given weekend morning. Some dedicated volunteers are known for running three dogs back-to-back.Run group volunteers get to know what lies behind the stress of a dog in the kennel-a good, loving dog waiting for their chance to shine in a home. Run group saves the lives of countless at the kennel by giving them an appropriate outlet to channel their stress. 

Donations support the run program by providing waist leashes, harnesses, cooling vests, jackets, safety equipment, and Mushers Secret Paw Protectant. Rain or shine, you can find CITY DOGS hitting the streets.  

We're so grateful for the volunteers & staff who bring dogs home for a little TLC & rest away from the chaos of the kennel. The kennel can be a stressful place for a dog. Studies show that even 24-hours away from the kennel environment can greatly reduce the cortisol level of shelter pets. When volunteers & staff notice a dog getting too stressed, trained volunteers at CITY DOGS take a dog for a sleepover of their home. The lucky. 

Not only does this give the dog a break from the stress of the kennel, it also provides vital information to potential adopters about how the dog behaves in a home. Most often we see the best side of a dog while they're away from the stress of the kennel. And we get to know the dog on a more personal level. This information helps place the dog in their most ideal home.