“Come, Sit, Paw and Spin”

NORTH HAVEN, CT - Some people have a flair for training animals. Cesar Millan. Siegfried and Roy. Dr. Doolittle. Valentina Quijano.

If you haven’t heard of Valentina Quijano yet, you may soon. She’s only 10 years old, but the North Haven fifth grader already has a year under her belt teaching rescued puppies and older dogs how to “come,” “sit,” “paw,” and “spin.”

Valentina and her mom, Christen, serve as a foster family for dogs of all ages who are waiting to be adopted by “forever families.”

They volunteer for the Hamden-based animal-rescue group, Where the Love Is, which promotes the adoption of abandoned and unwanted pets.

Because those dogs and cats are often neglected, abused, sick or starving, some may have severe behavioral issues.

A 2020 study of reasons why adopted dogs and cats are returned to shelters after adoption showed that 40 percent were brought back due to behavioral issues.

That’s why, Valentina said, she spends her after-school hours training dogs to follow human commands. It makes their adoptions more successful, increasing the likelihood of them successfully integrating into their new home.

Valentina will be demonstrating her training techniques tomorrow (Saturday, Jan. 22) at a pet-adoption event sponsored by Where the Love Is from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. at Napoli Kia, 241 Boston Post Road in Milford.

She’s posted a one-minute video of a training session with a three-month old, black and white puppy on YouTube.

You can view it here:

Valentina said she started training dogs when her family got their first dog, Shelby.

She learned how to train dogs while watching YouTube videos but adds “her own twist to it.”

Using Cheerios as a reward works well, she said, but getting a dog to spin or hand over his paw is a little trickier.

“It’s harder because you have to use your hands and motions to
communicate,” she said.

She’s already trained nine dogs who have been adopted. Valentina said some dogs are more difficult to train because they already have learned bad habits or do not understand the commands.

“But all dogs can be trained,” she said. “If you give them a chance. It takes practice, practice, practice.”

Valentina said her most successful pupil is Pepper, now called Marley, a
puppy currently under her tutelage.

“She learned tricks in an hour!” she said.

Once a dog is deemed ready for adoption, Where the Love Is will choose a meeting place where the new family can meet with the foster family.

Valentina said seeing the dog go off with a new family is sad, “but also heartwarming because it is going to be a great and better life.”

Valentina plans on using social media to highlight dogs available for adoption by posting two or three videos a month on the Where the Love Is YouTube channel.

While she wants to continue training dogs for adoption, she said her “main career would be to become a professional singer, dancer and teacher.”

See Valentina Quijano in action on Saturday, Jan. 22 at Napoli Kia in Milford.