FOR THE DOGS...

Humane societies and shelters are overflowing with dogs. Ninety per cent of those dogs are mixed breeds. That is because there are organizations dedicated to saving particular full-bred dogs such as Poodles, Pugs, Australian Shepherds, and the other full-bred dogs. Every breed has a “Breed Saver.” If a full-bred dog is close to its termination at a humane society, more than likely an employee or a volunteer will inform that breed’s “Saver” and they will come and pick it up. This dog will find a new home or it will live out its days with that organization. Some breeds have a waiting list of people ready to adopt the next arrival. Unfortunalely "mutts" don't have this advantage and are left to their own fate in shelters.

All too often, when we observe troublesome behavior in a dog it reflects inappropriate or inadequate training of the animal, or more likely, the owner. Such behavior is a source of embarrassment and frustration to the animal’s owner and the most common reason a dog is abandoned or worse. Most dogs in shelters had a home at one time. Their owners couldn’t or wouldn’t deal with a problem behavior and chose to start over with a new dog.

Most people do not have a good understanding of how dogs learn. So they hire a dog trainer, who is with the dog for one hour per week. The owner is expected to work with the dog for the rest of the week. Dogs need to be taught the difference between good and bad behavior through conditioning. But conditioning takes time.

Many people come home from a ten- to twelve-hour work day and want to avoid having to spend the extra time that is needed to instill the desired responses through “conditioning” their dogs . They want it done for them. And they want it done fast.

Instead of rescuing the dogs from one shelter and placing them in another, the acclimation, socialization, and conditioning processes at Ginger’s House are done in a home-like setting to give the dog confidence in real-life surroundings. Trainers at Ginger’s House take the time to work through any behavioral problems.

Cesar Millan of the Dog Psychology Center says, “With a tired body you get a calm mind. And with a calm mind you can teach a dog anything. “ We will achieve this through his philosophy of exercise, discipline, and affection. Each dog will earn the right to be a Ginger’s House Mutt.

Every dog goes through four phases of preparation before they can kick up their paws and call a place home. We rescue up to ten dogs at a time and train them as a group.

Now imagine . . . you’re an abused child. You’ve been shunted from foster home to foster home—for years. Sometimes, you’re also caring for your brother or sister, sometimes you’re alone, but you always feel as if you don’t belong, as if no one cares. Some foster families neglect you, some even abuse you, but nowhere do you feel at home. Nowhere do you feel loved. You might be one of the lucky ones placed in the care of loving people who do want to help. But then you turn 18, and you are told that the system can no longer feed or house you. Where do you go?

More than 500,000 children are in foster care right now. Every year in the United States more than 20,000 young people reach the age where they must leave foster care and find their own places to live. The fate of those “aging out” is well documented and grim. According to a study for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, in the first few years after leaving foster care:

• One in four youths will be homeless.
• Roughly half will be unemployed.
• Only half will have graduated high school.
• Among women, as many as six out of ten will become pregnant.
• Fewer than one in five is completely self-supporting.

Ginger’s House is only focused on great kids and young adults who want to succeed but have been beaten and bullied into thinking that they have nothing to offer the world. Exercise, discipline, and affection are effective for humans as well as dogs. The young adults aren’t going to live on our ranch learning a rewarding, high-paying skill just because of the way they were raised. They will earn it and be proud to have done so!

What Ginger's House provides

Ginger's House provides dogs that are close to being euthanized with an opportunity to shine. This is accomplished by bringing together both the dogs and kids in a working environment that leads to the betterment of each.