Living for the Dogs

Nacina Dawn Offers her Love and Support to the Canine World

by Daneen Akers

From time to time, FETCH highlights a person who exemplifies what it means to "make a difference" in the lives of our pets. Get to know these inspiring individuals though their own words. Know someone who is making a difference in their own way? Tell FETCH, and we’ll consider them for a future issue. Send an email to editors@fetchthepaper.com.

Nacina Dawn’s life revolves around dogs, Golden Retriever dogs to be specific. She lives in Valley Ford near Bodega Bay and spends her life surrounded by dogs and being rewarded for her efforts by lots of doggie kisses and unconditional love. The list of her Golden activities is extensive. She breeds, grooms, boards, trains, rescues, and shows Golden Retrievers. She also does pet therapy work, canine freestyle dancing, pet loss counseling, and puppy cuddling. At the moment she owns three Goldens, looks after her mom’s two, baby sits, fosters a variety of others, and has a litter of eight Golden puppies whose eyes just opened. While many might think of all the work involved in caring for so many dogs, she clearly only sees the rewards and joys of so much doggie love in her home. She describes herself as shy, but once she starts talking about dogs, her eyes light up, and she talks enthusiastically. To say that she loves dogs wholeheartedly would be an understatement.

How did you get into dogs?

Dawn: I’ve always been into dogs and anything having to do with animals. I collected animals; anything that needed rescuing, I brought home. I drove my parents crazy. I always thought that I would become a vet, but I’m way too sensitive for that. So I focused instead on training and raising dogs. I especially love working with puppies. I love giving puppies a great start in their families, and that’s pretty much universal, but each breed requires a special touch, and I’ve specialized in Goldens.

Can you give me an example of something you would do differently with Golden puppies?

Dawn: Well, Goldens are really sensitive. Positive training is the best thing for them. You don’t ever have to be negative with them. Using old methods is just silly with Goldens. They’re such pleasers who just want your love.

How did you start rescuing Goldens?

Dawn: I volunteer with NorCal Golden Retriever Rescue. We’re all of Northern California. It’s an entirely volunteer network. I’ve always been involved with humane societies and helping animals but when I heard there was a rescue specific to Goldens, I figured I had to be involved with it since Goldens were my focus anyway.

What sort of dogs end up in the rescue program?

Dawn: Wonderful dogs. We get the greatest dogs, and it’s not their fault. And it’s not always the people’s fault. Sometimes the greatest dogs end up needing rescuing because their parents are getting a divorce, or they’ve had a financial disaster, or a medical disaster, and sometimes they’re moving to a different state, and they can’t find a place that takes dogs. Also older people will move into rest homes or care facilities, and they can’t keep their dogs. Rarely do we ever get a dog with a severe behavior problem. And even then it’s usually not the dog’s fault.

For example, a mother let her children talk her into ordering a dog off of the Internet, and then when they got the dog the kids weren’t responsible enough to care for the dog, so it ended up growing up without any training. So now it’s a destructive dog because nobody ever taught it what to do. It can’t be allowed in the house because it destroys things, or it barks, or it piddles. So we get that dog.

How long do you work on training a dog in foster care before trying to find a home for it?

Dawn: As long as it takes.

What does it take to adopt a rescued dog?

Dawn: It takes commitment to adopt a rescued dog. We need people who are dedicated to giving that dog a forever home. The dog needs patience and affection. Some of these dogs have been bounced around from home to home, and they do need time. But the reward you get in return is undying love and gratitude.

One of the things you do is puppy cuddling. That sounds like a great job description! What does that involve?

Dawn: Puppy cuddling is socializing puppies. I think it’s very important to socialize puppies before they go to their new homes. One of my theories, which has now been proven, is that the more new things you can get a puppy to experience before he goes to its new home, the less stressful the new experience of going to its home is going to be. He’ll be so used to having new things happen to him; he’ll be stress free and ready to bond with his new family. Plus the puppy cuddlers can help get him used to grooming, to having his teeth brushed, to having his tail and ears handled, so by the time the new owners take him to the vet, the puppy just stands there relaxed. Plus these puppies have also been exposed to wheelchairs, hats, vacuums, umbrellas, and all of these strange things. If all of these things happen to puppies and it’s a good experience, they’ll be better adjusted their entire life. It’s a critical period when they’re that young. It really irritates me when vets tell new puppy owners to keep the puppy sequestered in the house and not to let it get near people and dogs because [it might get Parvo]. It upsets me because you’re turning that puppy into something that’s going to be terrified of the world. And, yes, Parvo is a risk, but you can cut the risks down by a huge percentage if you just keep your puppy away from other dog’s droppings, and keep it away from sick dogs.

So, the risk of getting Parvo is so much less than the risk of having a dog that’s not well socialized?

Dawn: Exactly. Unsocialized dogs become fear-biters. They are destructive, anxious, and have all these other behavior problems that are so preventable. So when I raise a litter of puppies I have the puppies sold before they’re even born, and I get the people to come over as often as possible, at least once a week. And I talk their ear off about everything but especially socialization. So they know that dog needs to meet people and have new experiences every day. Take it to the bank, take it to a schoolyard. You’ll have dozens of people around your dog. It’s so easy to socialize your dog.

You also do pet loss counseling. What exactly is that?

Dawn: Well, when one of my foster dogs got cancer the woman who had adopted her was just torn up over it. She didn’t live too far away, and so I had her over a lot to talk. And I explained to her that it was okay to be that sad over a dog, which she didn’t understand because she said that she hadn’t felt that bad when her mom passed away. So I told her, “You know, your dog is with you 24/7 and its entire life is dedicated to you, and there’s nothing else on the planet that does that. So that connection is strong. So, it’s okay to feel this way. That dog deserves this much emotion. It’s okay.”

So when it came time to say goodbye to her dog, I went over to her house and was there when the vet came to put her to sleep. And she was just so grateful that someone was there to be with her through that. Most people don’t do that. I told her it’s okay to cry and to be sad. But it’s also important to tell your dog that it’s okay to go, and you appreciate her, and you were happy with her. I think it’s helpful to say those things. I believe it’s also a release for the dog to hear that. On some level I think they understand. That experience was really helpful for my friend, so I started offering to be there for other people too. It’s really hard, but people really appreciate it.

What would you say is the most rewarding aspect of having a life that’s so dedicated to dogs?

Dawn: Unconditional love. When you come home, they’re there for you 100 percent, completely in the moment. They’re just pure joy. Now, that’s rewarding!