Dogs for Better Lives opens second dog training facility

CENTRAL POINT, Ore. —A local organization is expanding its services to help support more local families.

Dogs for Better Lives opened its doors at its new dog training facility in Central Point Friday.

The new state-of-the-art training facility compliments its existing 29-year old training facility.

The organization also announced plans to expand its autism assistance program into the state of Washington. DBL trains and places hearing dogs with deaf and hard of hearing clients across the country.

“By opening this new facility we can house more dogs, get them trained, and we’re going to be able to place more dogs and impact more children with autism,” Andrea Woodcock, training manager with DBL.

DBL, formerly Dogs for the Deaf, began construction on its new 18,000-square foot, 40-kennel building in late 2016. DBL has been at this 40-acre site since 1989.

The new building will be able to house and train more than 60 dogs at a time.

That’s up from 20 before the new building was completed.

Public tours of the Dogs for Better Lives campus and facilities can be scheduled by calling 541-826-9220. For more information, visit www.dogsforbetterlives.org.