DogGone Productions

Lights, camera, action . . . HOME !

The original "star" of
DogGone Productions
was

a 10 year old redtick coonhound
named CLEO.
Vocal, energetic, with a nose for work,

hounds like Cleo don't easily find
their forever homes,
especially in urban areas.

Cleo's struggle to find her match
inspired one of the volunteers at

the Nebraska Humane Society
to try her hand at video production
in hope that it would
"capture hearts"

- Cleo's & that of a potential family -
"for HOME."
The rest is history.
Thanks to Cleo,

aka The Grand Dame,
numerous NHS dogs found their homes
with the help of a

DogGone Production.
The credit truly belongs to Cleo.


To navigate this website,
click on a page
in the menu above,

then scroll down.

CLEO greets you at
top half of every page.
 

To the Rescue . . .
Animal shelters, sanctuaries, rescues, & advocacy groups come TO THE RESCUE of the millions of dogs who are homeless and/or suffer abuse or neglect in this country. But RESCUERS count on various forms of support from the animal-loving community: monetary gifts, volunteer work, fundraisers, foster care, donations of specific items needed for daily care.  
Our favorite rescue organizations do their best to place dogs in their FOREVER homes, above all, by home checks to confirm that a particular dog's needs - e.g., for fencing, no children under a specific age, only dog, no cats, veterinary care for a specific medical need like allergies - will likely be met by the adoptive home.

SHELTERS & SANCTUARIES
Omaha area:

Town & Country Humane Society
a No-Kill rescue on 84th Street in Papillion staffed entirely by committed volunteers (monetary donations go directly to
the rescue, care, & re-homing of animals)


Nebraska Humane Society

National sanctuaries:

North Shore Animal League America
New York

Hearts United for Animals
Auburn, Nebraska

Utah
For a fun way to make a donation to the animals at Best Friends,  check out Bob's for Dogs shoes. For every purchase of a pair of Bob's shoes (many with dog motifs), Skechers makes a contribution to Best Friends.
We're also fans of rescues devoted to placement of so-called "bully breeds" into loving homes and to educating about their needs,  especially given the unfortunate stereotypes attached to these dogs in the minds of some. If you, too, are a fan of the "love-a-bull" terriers collectively known as "pit bulls" and want to support those who are rescuing them, or if you want to learn more about their current plight in parts of the country where they are banned or where Breed Specific Legislation (aka BSL) slows their adoptions, visit these helpful websites.

PITTY RESCUES
Animal Farm Foundation
This is one of our favorite websites, providing not only helpful information about "pitties" but also videos about training & enrichment useful for all dog families.

Bad Rap
This is our other favorite website. In addition to useful  information about "Love-a-Bulls," it provides training videos as well as information about dog tolerance & socialization, multi-dog homes, dog parks, and more.

Villalobos Rescue Center
(focus of Animal Planet's Pit Bulls & Parolees)

Pit Bull Rescue Central: Where Education Meets Rescue

PIT BULLS in OMAHA
In Omaha, breed specific legislation slows the adoption of pit bulls. Fortunately, there are pit bull advocates working in local shelters and in organizations dedicated to educating about these dogs and to providing guidance and support to new owners of pitties and pitty mixes.
If you are a pit bull owner looking to connect with other pit bull families or are interested in adopting or fostering pit bulls in the Omaha area, contact the local advocacy group known as Accept-a-Bull. They are eager to educate and advocate for these lovable and fun-lovng family members.


BSL Map (other locations around the country where breed specific legislation has been passed )

Q&A on removing breed labels

In addition to shelters & sanctuaries, which have the advantage of the greater visibility that attracts financial support and more frequent donations, rescue groups run by volunteers work tirelessly to rescue countless more dogs, often devoting themselves to particular breeds.

These committed rescuers welcome financial support, donations of necessary supplies, volunteer assistance, as well as participation in their fundraisers.  The needs are many! Below are some of the highly recommended rescue organizations in the Omaha area.

We welcome recommendations of rescue groups to be added to this list. You can do so through the Contact page.

RESCUE GROUPS (Omaha area)

Muddy Paws Second Chance Rescue

Bassett & Beagle Rescue of the Heartland

Hands Heart & Paws

Taysia Blue Rescue (Huskies & Malamutes)

Little White Dog Rescue

Wag N Train Terrier Rescue 

RESCUES for DOGS  WITH  DISABILITIES

On Adopting a Special Needs Pet

9 "Special Needs" Rescue Groups

Rolling Dog Farm

Deaf Dogs Rock



The tips & hand signals above are helpful for those who adopt a deaf dog as well as for those of us whose senior dogs lose their hearing due to aging.

To the Rescue

Rescue to Rehome: TRAINING MATTERS

The mission of those who RESCUE and/or shelter dogs is to RE-HOME them with families who can give them the care they need. Those who work in shelters know well that many dogs are dumped on the roadside or surrendered to shelters, in some cases repeatedly, due to behavioral issues - defecating in the house, excessive barking, chewing, destruction when left alone, jumping & mouthing, rowdiness & lack of self-control. Sadly, these dogs have not been taught how to be a good family member, which requires consistent, patient, positive training. And so, rescue groups & shelters emphasize: TRAINING MATTERS to adoptability.

For successful adoptions, dogs need us to "get pETUCATEd" about "Dogality": how dogs perceive the world, what they need, how they communicate with each other and with us.  Here are some favorite resources (books & videos) about dog behavior and training.

BOOKS
1. Understanding Dogs
Effective training is based on a knowledge of dogs, their needs, & how they communicate. The works of Patricia McConnell, PhD,  are our top pick for gaining the understanding that informs sound training techniques.
* For the Love of a Dog. Understanding Emotion in You and Your Best Friend

* The Other End of the Leash. Why We Do What We Do Around Dogs

* Tales of Two Species. Essays on Loving and Living With Dogs

Other favorites:
*Brian Hare and Vanessa Woods, The Genius of Dogs. How Dogs Are Smarter Than You Think

*Jean Donaldson, The Culture Clash. A Revolutionary New Way of Understanding the Relationship Between Humans and Domestic Dogs

*Cat Warren, What the Dog Knows. Scent, Science, and the Amazing Ways Dogs Perceive the World

*Aline Alexander Newman & Gary Weitzman, DVM, How To Speak Dog. A Guide to Decoding Dog Language

*Alexandra Horowitz, Inside of a Dog. What Dogs See, Smell, and Know

*Monks of New Skete, How To Be Your Dogs Best Friend

*Bruce Fogle, DVM, The Dog's Mind: Understanding Your Dog's Behavior

2. Training for Good "Citizenship " (in home and in public)

*Nan K. Arthur, Chill Out Fido! How to Calm Your Dog

*Pat Miller, The Power of Positive Dog Training, 2nd ed.

*Dr. Sophia Yin,  DVM, MS, How To Behave So Your Dog Behaves

*Dr. Sophia Yin, DVM, MS, Perfect Puppy in 7 Days: How To Start Your Puppy Off Right

*Patricia McConnell, PhD, How To Be the Leader of the Pack and Have Your Dog Love You for It!

*Patricia McConnell, PhD, Play Together, Stay Together. Happy & Healthy Play Between People and Dogs

*Monks of New Skete, Divine Canine. The Monks' Way to a Happy, Obedient Dog

*Patricia Miller, Play With Your Dog

On Specific Training Matters:

Peggy Swager, Training the Hard to Train Dog. Effective Training Techniques for Working With Shy, Controlling, & Stubborn Dogs

*Patricia McConnell, PhD, I'll Be Home Soon! How to Prevent and Treat Separation Anxiety

*Turid Rugaas, My Dog Pulls. What Do I Do?

*Patricia McConnell, PhD, The Cautious Canine. How to Help Dogs Conquer Their Fears, 2nd ed.

*Patricia McConnell, PhD,  & Karen London, PhD, Feisty Fido. Help for the Leash-Reactive Dog

*Pat Miller, Beware of the Dog. Positive Solutions for Aggressive Behavior in Dogs

*Jean Donaldson, Fight! A Practical Guide to the Treatment of Dog-Dog Aggression

*Turid Rugaas, On Talking Terms with Dogs: Calming Signals

*Turid Rugass, Barking. The Sound of a Language

Martina Scholz and Clarissa von Reinhardt, Stress in Dogs

VIDEOS & DVDS
Karen Pryor, Clicker Magic

Susan Garrett, Crate Games: For Self-Control and Motivation

ON-LINE RESOURCES

Patricia McConnell Learning Center

Karen Pryor's Clicker Training website

Clicker Solutions

Experts on Use of Shock Collars

On TTouch to calm dogs

Animal Farm Foundation TRAINING Videos

Bad Rap TRAINING  Videos

Ideas for Dog ENRICHMENT (Bad Rap)

ENRICHMENT Videos (Animal Farm Foundation)

Dog SOCIALIZING Quiz (Bad Rap)

On Dog Tolerance (Bad Rap)

DINOS: Dogs in Need of Space

The Official Guide to Living with DINOS (book)

On Multi-Dog Homes

Home Care for Summer "Misadventures" like Skunks & Minor Injuries (Bad Rap)

On Dog Parks (Bad Rap)