The Animal Foundation has a new way to try and make their shelter dogs more adoptable.
They are getting the dogs professional training to help them understand basic commands as well as making them more social.
A team of dog trainers with Dogs Playing for Life flew in from Colorado to work with about 30 staff members and volunteers with The Animal Foundation.
The staff members and volunteers are learning how to train the shelter dogs to learn basic commands and how to walk on a leash appropriately.
"Small dogs, little fluffies fly out of the shelter, but the reality is, large dogs, primarily those bully breed mixes can stay with us up to three times longer," said The Animal Foundation's Chief Finance & Development Officer Daniel Neel.
On average, dogs stay at the shelter for eight days before being adopted. Pit bulls, however, stay an average of 15 days at the shelter. Last year, more than 125 pit bulls remained at the shelter longer than a month.
"Providing quality of life enables shelter dogs to find their homes sooner and enables them to tolerate being in a kennel until that forever home comes around," said 'Dogs Playing for Life' Chief Operations Officer Sarah Clusman.
The idea is, if dogs understand basic commands and can socialize with other dogs, they will be adopted more quickly.
The professional training is part of The Animal Foundation's Academy for Canine Etiquette or ACE program.
"It's critically important to shorten their length of stay with us," said Neel. "That's what this is all about, keeping them healthy while they are here."
