Incorporated October 19, 2009, Haydens Promise Rescue, Inc. (Haydens Promise) is an all-volunteer, non-profit, no kill animal rescue based in Del Rio, TX. HP began as a dream in 2004 when Founder Susan Ostroske rescued a tiny toy poodle from unrelenting abuse and freezing weather. That poodle became Hayden and eventually the namesake and mascot for Haydens Promise (that’s him in the page header).
Susan has been involved with the rescue movement since 2003. Before starting HP, she worked for Ace of Hearts Animal Foundation (Beverly Hills), A Passion for Paws Rescue, Inc. (La Jolla), Wagville (East LA), and The Dog House (LA). She is currently also a member of the Friends of Del Rio Animals and the Humane Society of Uvalde and a volunteer for 4-H and the Uvalde Animal Shelter.
Now with Haydens Promise she hopes to continue the legacy she learned from her former mentors in the Del Rio area and beyond. Affectionately called Stray Dog Ranch, Susan’s property is shared by dogs Martin, Maxwell and Austin and cats Rowan, Hunter and Cedar as well as any number of foster dogs and cats. Alumni Morgan Sienna, Gizmo and Mutt (formally Mittens) all live next door along with volunteer Megan D. and occasional additional foster animals.
HP has the pleasure of working with other great people, too. Our volunteer and “Cat Mama” Linda T. and her family have been indispensable in providing loving, safe foster care for most of our cats. Gloria S. of Glo’s PAWS provides moral support and advice from the trenches, and the staffs at Val Verde Veterinary Hospital and Del Rio Feed & Supply keep us up-to-date with the information and tools we need keep our animals happy and healthy. In the background, things run smoothly with the help of RescueGroups.org, Petfinder, WordPress, Google Voice, T-Mobile and Virgin Mobile. It does indeed take an army to save a dog or cat!
Now ENROLLING! November 1 – December 20, 2009
Hayden’s Promise is accepting enrollment for beginning dog and puppy obedience classes taught by founder Susan Ostroske. Dogs must be social (non-aggressive toward people and other dogs) and current on vaccinations. Completion, Top Dog and Best in Class certificates will be awarded. Classes will meet on Sunday afternoons, November 1 through December 20 (dogs optional first session). Class cost is $25.00 payable in advance or at the first session, and proceeds go directly to Hayden’s Promise rescue fund. Enrollment is strictly limited. Contact HaydensPromise@gmail.com or call Susan at 830-488-7788 for more information.
Each class will be limited to five dog/human pairs. This is to ensure we accomplish as much as possible in our time together and allow ample opportunity to work with each individual dog. While we will have a regular meeting place, some classes will be held in alternate locations that will expose the dogs to different sights and sounds to help better generalize what they are learning.Our first class will be Lecture only, but I suggest you bring your dog along for the socialization. In this class we will cover the course progression, practice tips, class rules and awards, training philosophies including dog psychology, training tools, and a question and answer session.
From the second session on, each class will have five common elements: Lecture, where we will discuss a new topic each week; the Group (Pack) Walk, in which we establish the pack, warm them up and get them focused; Concepts, or commands, that we will introduce progressively and practice cumulatively; Drill, where will actively practice the commands; and Q&A.
Lecture topics will include meeting other dogs safely, breaking up fights, daily life with your dog, dog psychology, the importance of cleaning up after your pets, additional commands you might find useful for your dog, and maintaining your accomplishments in training your dog… because training doesn’t stop once classes end and certificates are issued.
Concepts covered in the course include heel, heel/sit, turns, sit, fast/slow, sit/stay, stand, come, down, leave it, okay, off (not down!), (that’s) enough, no bark, and (go) potty/good potty. Each session will include drills to help establish the week’s new command(s) and review the progress your pup has made.
During our final session, each dog/human pair will demonstrate what they have learned during the class. The class will vote for the Top Dog and Best in Class; then we will present certificates and take photos to share.
We’re going to stay busy, work hard, learn a lot, and help our dogs be better caninecitizens and companions, so grab a leash, bring along a dog, and let’s get to it!
Obedience Class Enrollment FormIf you have any questions, please contact Susan at HaydensPromise@gmail.com or 830-488-7788.
Pat Martin, DVM
RescueGroups.org
Megan D.
Linda T.
Karmen C.
Gloria S.
Girl Scout Troop #
