Connecticut dog trainer volunteers at wartime Ukraine shelter

Southington trainer Steve Good Dog spent nearly five weeks at a Kyiv-area shelter housing more than 3,000 dogs, paying his own way to help animals left behind after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. The trip underscored his rescue-dog approach at home in central Connecticut, where he now works with fearful and reactive dogs and their owners.

Why it matters: - Steve’s volunteer trip shows how the war in Ukraine created a large-scale animal welfare crisis, with thousands of dogs stranded as families fled. - The experience also reinforces the rescue-focused training approach he now uses with Connecticut families handling fearful and reactive dogs. - Steve Good Dog offers in-home training in Southington and towns across central Connecticut. - The business works one-on-one with families on puppy basics, rescue dogs, and behavior issues.

What happened: - Steve, the trainer behind Steve Good Dog, spent nearly five weeks volunteering at a shelter on the outskirts of Kyiv. - He paid his own way and went without an organization backing the trip. - Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine began on February 24, 2022, and reports of abandoned dogs drove his decision to go. - Steve has trained more than 2,000 dogs over more than 10 years. - His past work has included service dogs for Marines living with PTSD and family dogs in central Connecticut.

The details: - The shelter where Steve volunteered housed more than 3,000 dogs. - Steve had planned to train staff to help frightened dogs cope with bombing and separation from their families. - The shelter’s day-to-day reality meant workers often focused on food and water deliveries that could last up to four days. - Steve went into crates himself, cleaned them, and spent time with dogs because some workers were afraid to handle them. - Steve said the dogs responded to his voice and energy when he interacted with them. - One dog in particular caught his attention after he noticed it playing with its food bowl while its brother slept beside it. - Steve removed that dog from the crate and taught it to walk on a lead. - Steve described the dog as wanting mental engagement and connection. - On his first day, military personnel brought in a female Alabai, a guardian breed used to protect farms and livestock. - Many dogs of that breed had been left loose on the streets after the invasion. - When the Alabai charged the front of her kennel, one of the sisters threw treats to calm her. - Steve said rewarding a dog in that moment can reinforce the behavior you want to stop. - Steve’s training method at home emphasizes understanding and trust rather than dominance. - He also coaches owners, not just dogs. - Steve said consistency at home is what makes training last. - Steve Good Dog holds a 5.0 rating on Google. - The business lists a website at more information and a phone number, 860 266 5566, for free calls.

Between the lines: - Steve’s Ukraine experience appears to have sharpened the same instincts that guide his domestic rescue work: watch closely, read behavior, and respond to what a dog is signaling. - His account also highlights a practical divide between training theory and shelter reality in a war zone, where basic care can crowd out behavior work. - Steve said rescue dogs reveal their history if people pay attention, which helps explain why he focuses on trust and owner education.

What's next: - Steve is continuing to build his Connecticut practice around in-home training for puppies, fearful dogs and reactive rescue dogs. - His Ukraine experience is likely to remain a reference point for how he works with dogs that arrive with unknown histories and trauma.

The bottom line: - For Steve, five weeks in Ukraine became both a rescue mission and a lesson in what frightened dogs need most: calm, consistency and human attention.