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Aja LeBarr, the Toledo Area Humane Society behavior and enrichment coordinator, watches as Cubbie, a German short-haired Pointer mix, enjoys the new real life room.
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‘Real-life rooms’ show better side of shelter’s dogs

The Blade/Lori King

‘Real-life rooms’ show better side of shelter’s dogs

Quiet space helps decrease stress

For stressed-out shelter dogs, some time in a quiet and comfortable room can make all the difference.

So-called “real-life rooms” provide a space designed to mimic a home environment as much as possible. They often have furniture, a television, and other typical household trappings. The rooms allow dogs to temporarily escape the strain that comes with living in kennels surrounded by other canines.

“They all handle the stress of sheltering differently; some get really amped up, some sort of become very introverted,” said Stephen Heaven, president and CEO of the Toledo Area Humane Society. “It’s nice to give those guys a break.”

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The humane society has had a real-life room for several years, and finished creating one in their new Maumee shelter last week. A Sept. 23 post about the room on the organization’s Facebook page has been liked more than 20,000 times and shared more than 9,000 times.

Several dogs have spent time in the room, either by themselves or with a staff member or volunteer. The room is also helpful when working with fearful dogs.

Kelly Sears, director of animal welfare at the humane society, said kennel environments are naturally stressful and lack many traditional comforts offered in a home environment. Studies have shown dogs’ stress-hormone levels decline with regular access to a quiet space.

“When they spend time in the real-life room, their cortisol levels drop,” Ms. Sears said. “And it teaches dogs that were only outside how to behave in someone’s home.”

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The Lucas County Canine Care and Control also has a real-life area established in a room used by volunteers. The positive effect created by allowing dogs time away from the high-stress kennel environment is often obvious, said Jodi Harding, interim director.

“You’ll see a dog who is jumping and lunging in the kennel, then he’s in there for five minutes and is passed out on the couch sleeping,” she said. “It’s stressful back in the kennels. Any dog is going to do better in a quiet environment where they can relax a little bit.”

The humane society’s new room has already had a significant impact for two particular dogs, Ms. Sears said. Cubbie used to be on anxiety medications, and has now been taken off them thanks to regular decompression time in the real-life room.

Jake had been kept outside his entire life, and was repetitively pacing in his kennel. The behavior has been noticeably reduced in just a few days using the real-life room, Ms. Sears said.

“It’s going to be used throughout the day,” Mr. Heaven said, noting decompression time helps with adoptions. “If you can take the edge off and they present better in the kennels, they are easier to adopt.”

The rooms also help potential adopters get better acquainted with dogs. The behavior and personality a dog displays in a kennel can be entirely different from the animal’s true nature. “It definitely shows a different side of the dog,” Ms. Harding said.

Contact Alexandra Mester: amester@theblade.com, 419-724-6066, or on Twitter @AlexMesterBlade.

First Published October 2, 2016, 4:00 a.m.

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Aja LeBarr, the Toledo Area Humane Society behavior and enrichment coordinator, watches as Cubbie, a German short-haired Pointer mix, enjoys the new real life room.  (The Blade/Lori King)  Buy Image
Aja LeBarr, the Toledo Area Humane Society behavior and enrichment coordinator, plays with Cubbie, a German short-haired Pointer mix, in a ‘real-life room.’  (THE BLADE/LORI KING)  Buy Image
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