The Muttley Crew
Therapy Dogs for Dogs
Are you familiar with therapy dogs? They assist and comfort humans. How about therapy dogs for dogs? They assist and comfort other dogs who have issues, such as fear and anxiety. Therapy dogs help other dogs relax and calmly accept new situations. They demonstrate training skills for client dogs.
The easiest way to teach untrained dogs is with other, better trained dogs. Just like humans, dogs naturally pick up new skills by watching others. We call it “Monkey See, Monkey Do” training. Technically, it is the process of “observational learning” as opposed to “associative learning”.
Dogs naturally follow what other dogs are doing. If one dog is doing something interesting, the other dogs will naturally follow. The flip side of that coin is that dogs will also follow untrained dogs who are misbehaving. That is why training with therapy dogs is a must. Dogs thrive in this type of learning environment, which makes training fast, easy and fun!
Muttley Crew Members
Our Muttley Crew is a group of trained dogs with diverse personalities who assist in our training programs. Dog-related issues they tackle include: dog aggression, high-energy, restlessness, anxieties, neuroses. Our Muttley Crew are doggy teachers/mentors who assist in training by helping other dogs learn to enjoy life to its fullest, doggy-style. The Muttley Crew includes Cognac, Calypso, Mocha & Kylo Ren. Please continue reading to learn more about each crew member.
The Muttley Crew & Friends (Kelty & Snowball)
COGNAC
COGNAC
Confident, Calm & Cuddly. Cognac is a smiling golden retriever with a heart of gold. Everyone loves Cognac. She interacts with nearly all of our clients, especially those who have fearful and/or aggressive tendencies. She is the epitome of calm and serene. That is, after she has made your acquaintance.
Cognac absolutely loves people – more than life itself. She has never met a stranger. She loves to be petted and will encourage you to pet her forever. She leans on people. She is at home with just one person or a swarm of energetic children trying to get their hands on her. Nothing makes her happier than being loved by a human.
When she isn’t being petted, Cognac hangs out and mentors other doggies. The list of dogs she has helped is lengthy. Her success stories include Luca, Lucas, Abby, George, Kimball, Benny, Wendy, Lilly, Lexi, Lyra, Sage, Knox, Bobbie Rose, Zelda, Tucker, Reba, Darwin, Heckle & Jeckle and so many more. The list is continually growing and Cognac could not be happier. She is living her dream life!
CALYPSO
CALYPSO
Patient, Playful & Engaging. Calypso is the most playful of all the crew. Yes, she even wears out the youngsters. She is one of the most entertaining dogs you will ever meet. Her coat is curly red-coat and she is pure fun! She will try anything and loves every minute of every day. She is sweet, kind, patient and incredibly cuddly.
Calypso is a rock star. She loves to retrieve whatever is needed: doggy food bowls, mom’s slippers, dropped items, newspapers, etc. She is an extraordinary canine athlete who was side-lined in 2016 with an ACL injury. We are eternally grateful to the medical care of Dr. David Crouch (Western Carolina Veterinary Surgery) and Dr. Beth Hampton Jones (Three Dog Bakery) in repairing and healing Calypso’s injured knee.
Calypso is fully recovered from her ACL injury and rejoined the training crew in 2019. Her advanced training skills allow client dogs to be challenged in calm, friendly environments. Calypso absolutely loves the fun of training!
MOCHA
MOCHA
Curious, Cautious & Entertaining. Mocha is the “singing cat dog” of the crew. Have you heard of dogs with cat personalities and cats with dog personalities? Mocha is definitely a dog with cat personality. She brings her own special talents to training, including her harmonic harmonies.
Mocha is the true mutt of the crew – she looks and acts like a beagle/husky mix. She came to us at 9-months-old after participating the New Leash on Life program at a local women’s prison.
Mocha’s greatest strength is her easy-going, even-keeled disposition. She is very skilled at socializing with dogs who have diverse types of behavioral issues. Mocha knows how to keep out of trouble and stop trouble from happening. You will hear her bark at dogs to correct them if she becomes agitated by their behavior. Mocha and Cognac are the first Muttley Crew pups who meet new doggy clients.
KYLO REN
KYLO REN
The Golden Child / Controlled Chaos. Kylo’s life is sweet. Her big sisters (Cognac, Calypso & Mocha) are her playmates, friends and mentors. She has met so many different dogs in her young life, she knows no canine strangers. She welcomes everyone into the group and encourages them to play. She loves to share toys, balls, bones, sticks, vines or anything else for a game. She knows how to play with puppies and encourages shy dogs to come out of the shells. Kylo is a playful, enthusiastic pup who has been training with clients since she was the tender age of 16-weeks.