When Kelly Gould first saw Dirk, he was sitting in a crate in the back of an SUV and was being taken to a local rescue event. Kelly made eye contact with him, and fell in love. Her husband Andrew, however, was less enthused. They had just adopted a dog, he pointed out.

 Kelly was persistent. She took Andrew in visit Dirk, a chow/hound mutt, at the foster house where he was staying. Dirk got along well with Andrew, and also with Elliot – their other rescue dog. So Kelly phoned the rescue. “Great!” the volunteer told Kelly, when she inquired about Dirk. “I’m so glad you want to take him. We didn’t think he’d be adoptable.” Dirk was a rescue from Hurricane Katrina. He had never lived in a house. He had spent six months hanging out in a back yard, tied to a tree, with a bunch of other dogs. “He has no manners or social skills. And he marks everything in sight.” (Kelly neglected to tell Andrew the last part right away.)

Kelly and Andrew adopted Dirk, who settled in nicely, and learned not to mark indoors. Learning not to jump on the dining room table and steal food off of plates, however, took a little longer. And he failed obedience classes. The trainer said he would never learn to walk on a leash, or follow commands. 

This only made the Goulds more determined. They worked diligently with Dirk, training him an hour a day (and several more hours on the weekend). Dirk took the Good Canine Citizenship course, run by the American Kennel Club (AKC). The 10-step course that stresses good pet manners and responsible pet ownership. But when it came time to take the test, Dirk failed – miserably!

Undaunted, the Goulds worked harder, and Dirk took the test again. Much to their relief, he did great the second time!

Dirk became the inspiration for Karma Dogs, a non-profit organization in Baltimore founded by Kelly and Andrew, along with childhood friend, Bridget Strama. Karma Dogs are primarily rescued dogs who have been given a second chance in life, and now – with the help of their owners – are giving back.

Kelly had worked in animal rescue, and was frustrated with the lack of education on the humane treatment of animals. She realized if she really wanted to make a difference, it would be by reaching out to children. With early, positive interactions they could learn to respect and appreciate animals, which would lead to responsible, caring pet ownership later in life.

One way Karma Dogs does this, is by teaching children (and their parents) to be safe and responsible around dogs. According to the Center for Disease Control, over 800,000 people are involved in dog-related injuries ever year. They could be scratches, bites, being jumped on and knocked over, or more serious injuries. The highest rate of injuries is for children between 5 and 9 years old.

Kelly believes that many of these injuries would be preventable, if children knew how to interact safely with dogs. So she and Andrew created Dirk’s Guide to Dog Safety, a colouring book featuring artwork by local artists.

The H.E.A.R.T.S. (Help Encourage All Readers to Succeed) program is aimed at increasing literacy. Similar to numerous other programs that have started in the past several years, the H.E.A.R.T. program takes place on a weekly basis in local libraries, and children read aloud to an accepting, non-judgmental, non-correcting dog.

As one of the original Karma Dogs, Dirk excels in the program. “He has inspired and worked with hundreds of kids,” Kelly says. “Dirk is great at knowing what a child need to feel safe and confident.”

Karma Dogs has also runs programs for children with developmental disabilities, which were developed in conjunction with Melissa Winkle, an occupational therapist and owner of Dogwood Therapy.

At the League for People with Disabilities, Karma Dogs help connect with, and teach social skills, to children with autism. “One of the kids I’ve worked with since January, when I originally met him, wouldn’t make eye contact with me or come near Dirk,” Kelly says. “But after working with him for about eight months, he’s happy to see the dog, greets the dog and hugs me. Before, Dirk and I couldn’t hold his attention for 15 seconds; now he will help walk the dog for several minutes at a time.”

The dogs are also used to increase motor skills, like rolling a ball to a dog, or performing Doga – simple, modified yoga poses where the children stretch and reach over to pet the dogs or give them a treat.

Kelly, who works in advertising, says that Karma Dogs takes up all her spare time. In addition to the scheduled events – she attends every one! – there is writing and hosting the website, reading through emails, going through applications, creating new programs, and testing and certifying participating dogs. Karma Dogs is not a rescue, they offer free adoption advice, and will also help with the selection of a shelter dog.  She works with educational consultants, trainers, and a team of over 100 volunteers.    

Karma Dogs continues to evolve.  Last summer, after a series of alarming stories of animal abuse by children in Baltimore, Kelly created the Karma Dog Oath of Kindness, a pledge children take to be kind to animals, to spread the message of kindness to their friends, and to tell an adult if they see animal abuse taking place. Children place one hand on their dog, raise the other, and recite the pledge. The dog that “swore” them in “pawtographs” a certificate that the child gets to keep. Since last summer, over 500 children have taken the oath.

Kelly is passionate about the work she does. “Kids learn dogs are not something disposable, like a video game or a pair of sneakers.  We live in a society where things go out of fashion very quickly, and can become obsolete with the swish of a tail,” Kelly says. “Teaching children to value dogs could lead to fewer dogs in shelters, fewer victims of abuse, and fewer unwanted litters.”  It’s a long-term approach, and it’s aimed at one dog – and one child – at a time.

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