Barkley, Mosey and Chance, all shelter dogs not yet adopted, easily followed commands on Thursday with simple training tweaks.
The Houlton Humane Society has partnered with Purpose Pups, a Newburgh-based dog training business, to help shelter dogs learn basic obedience, socialization and integration. With more people returning dogs to the shelter because of training issues, the society aims to give canines a fighting chance of staying in their adoptive homes.
“Dogs know nothing unless we show it to them,” said Tyler Jones, Purpose Pups’ owner, who has now trained 6,000 dogs.
In 2025, 5.8 million dogs and cats entered U.S. shelters, according to the ASPCA. In Maine, most shelters are at or near capacity with more dog surrenders along with longer stays before adoption, according to the Animal Refuge League of Portland. Experts say the economy and a lack of affordable housing are part of the problem.
At the Houlton Humane Society, the number of surrendered dogs has been steadily increasing since 2021, said CJ Virgie, shelter director.
“Every day they want to drop off more and more and more,” she said. “Between the phone calls, emails and texts this place needs to be 10 times bigger.”
Jones said that many dogs get euthanized or rehomed because the owners do not understand that adopting a shelter dog is a big responsibility.
A lot of times people’s hearts are in the right place with wanting to adopt, but they don’t succeed because they don’t realize when you adopt a shelter dog there’s a lot of baggage that comes with it, Jones said.
“It doesn’t mean that shelter dogs are bad, it means they need more attention, more compassion, more empathy to be successful,” he said. “I find a lot of owners don’t get dogs based on their lifestyle. They say, ’He is so cute.’ OK, great, but what breed is that, and what do we need to do to give that dog enrichment to be successful?”
That’s why Virgie, who has worked with Jones over the years, decided to start weekly training sessions at the shelter with staff, volunteers and the dogs. Sessions will also be open to the public at the shelter.
“These dogs are sitting here way too long and we need to be trained to help them get the best second chance at life,” she said. “We’re their last stop and we need to give them the best tools that we possibly can. We can learn so much from him and we have to put it into practice and have patience.”
When dogs come into the shelter, they should be evaluated for character traits and then enter six weeks of obedience training. When they’re ready to be adopted, there’s a transition session with the owner, Jones said.
“All the things the dogs learned in those six weeks are now translated to the owner. They know it’s up to them to continue it, and [it] sets both the handler and the dog up for success,” he said.
Barkley, a two-and-a-half-year-old Great Pyrenees sheepdog mix, had already been returned twice to other shelters and was last abandoned alongside a busy road before coming to Houlton. He seemed to love snuggles, but you’re not going to see the true picture at the shelter because you’re not seeing how dogs behave at home, Jones said.
“Was the dog reactive when people came through the door?” he asked. “When he assumed that house as his whole kennel what did that look like? Was he reactive to other dogs?”
During Thursday’s preliminary session with Jones, Virgie, Kendra Kneeland, board treasurer, and staffer Lori Saunders talked about what they need and worked with Barkely, Mosey and Chance to learn what the dogs need.
When the dogs come to the shelter, they really don’t know any of them, they said. The training will help shelter workers better understand the dogs to help them be successful when adopted.
In the introductory session, Barkley was the first dog out and he easily followed “sit,” “down” and “stay” commands.
Consistency and always using the same tone matter, Jones said. To demonstrate this, he said “sit” and “down” in English, Spanish and German. Each time Barkley followed the commands without hesitation.
To see how he reacts with another dog, Saunders brought out Mosey. Mosey has been at the shelter for a year, the longest of all the dogs.
Guiding him into a fenced kennel next to Barkley, they watched to see how the dogs reacted with each other. Chance was the last one out.
Initially, there was barking and territory marking, but within minutes Jones had them calmed, with each obeying “sit” commands for tiny treats. Barkley wagged his tail and bounded around the kennel.
They added distractions, such as people walking by, to gauge the dogs’ reactions. The canines barked but showed no aggression. Chance was not interested in the treats, but responded well to “sit” and “stay” for an offered ball.
People confuse that love is hugs and kisses and I love you’s, but without teaching the dogs how to behave, owners are setting them up to fail, Jones said.
“The hardest thing for me is teaching the owner. Teaching the dogs is easy,” he said. “Teaching the owners why they only say things one time, making the dog follow through, making them understand who is in control in a positive and balanced way — love your dogs first, train them second.”
The Houlton shelter training costs $200 per shelter dog for six weeks. People can contact the shelter to sponsor a dog.
Purpose Pups will also hold a six-week training for the public at the Humane Society starting on Aug. 20 for $500 per dog.
For more information, contact the Houlton Humane Society, 207-532-2862.
