Recently an El Grito Head Start-Stout class ventured to Pope Street Park to meet up with some of the rescued pups from Puppy Dog Ranch. Teacher Corina Silva knows that most preschool children love dogs. She also knows that it's important for them to learn proper and safe behavior when encountering them, so she called Laurie West, Founder of Puppy Dog Ranch Rescue and Sanctuary, and asked if she would conduct a lesson around responsible pet care.

West and long-time volunteer Judy Count introduced three of the PDR dogs to the three-to-five-year-olds in Silva's class. With many of their parents also in attendance, the kids were taught how to walk a dog using a leash and what to do when encountering a stray dog off-leash and running loose. With adult supervision, each child had the opportunity to leash-walk a dog and everyone got to learn about the importance of spay/neutering their pets in order to prevent the kind of over-population that results in so many dogs ending up in the shelter or at PDR.

"It's a huge responsibility to care for a pet," says West. "Most people don't realize this when they see a cute puppy and decide to take it home. We like exposing kids at a young age to some of the basic pet care responsibilities. Parents like it too because, once they know more, kids understand if their parents hold off on acquiring a pet until the whole family is ready.

Judy Count, who has adopted a dog from PDR, said she is so glad that Puppy Dog Ranch makes itself available to offer these hands-on lessons to kids of all ages. "I wish it were part of every preschool and elementary curriculum," says Count. "Kids need to know how much work goes into feeding and grooming pets and how important obedience training is as well as how to raise a safe and happy dog."

West stated that any teacher or parent is welcome to schedule a "Picnic with the Pups" field trip to Puppy Dog Ranch, which has an area set up just for this purpose. "We love to get kids out to the ranch," says West. "It's good for our dogs and it's great for the kids!"

To schedule a November field trip to PDR, please contact Laurie West at (575) 313-7232 Teachers who want grade-appropriate lesson plan materials to accompany the visit can request this at the time of scheduling. PDR is located at 27 Twin Sisters Creek Road, Arenas Valley, 88022 and is open by appointment. www.puppydogranch.org

Puppy Dog Ranch Rescue and Sanctuary, a 501