The Shelter In-House Training (SIT) Program

The Shelter In-House Training (S.I.T.) Program assists shelter dogs in finding permanent homes and decreases the stress of living in the shelter. A group of dedicated volunteers teach dogs skills that foster good manners. Dogs enrolled in the Canine Training Program are taught, using humane methods, the basics of general obedience - sit, down, stay, come and more. While some are learning new skills, others are sharpening skills they already have. No matter what their current skill level, all of the dogs are bright and eager to learn and their skills will continue to improve with a little consistent guidance in their new home.

Every dog that resides in either of WHS' adoption centers are included in the S.I.T. program as part of our on-going wellness
support training. Volunteers work with these dogs by providing barrier training -through use of clickers- to help decrease
stress, all the while learning better kennel presentation skills to help enhance adoptability.

Since S.I.T.'s inception in January 2005 literally hundreds of dogs have been trained by our dedicated, skilled volunteer team. Over half a dozen of these dogs, having undergone an extensive shelter stay, were even trained to the point of achieving their AKC CGC Canine Good Citizen certificate. Quite an impressive achievement for a shelter dog waiting for a family of their own.



If you are interested in becoming a SIT Program Volunteer, please contact Kevin Simpson, Director of Animal Behavior and Training, 202-723-5730 (ext. 122) or ksimpson@washhumane.org

CLICK HERE to learn about classes at our Behavior& Learning Center!