When Calm and Connection Combine

Dakabin

Dec 19

While only having attended Happy Paws Happy Hearts (HPHH) for a few months, Oliver has shown himself to be a calm, gentle presence; one that the rescue animals at RSPCA Dakabin seem to recognise instinctively.

One beautiful example was when Oliver met Simon, a young German Shepherd–Staghound cross who had been finding shelter life increasingly stressful after being returned shortly after adoption.

From their first meeting, there was an evident bond and level of trust which Simon felt with Oliver.

When Simon found himself back in shelter, Oliver was offered the chance to do in-pen work with him—an activity our higher-level classes practice across all sites. In-pen activities involve participants calmly entering a dog or cat’s enclosure and taking the time to observe the animal’s behaviour before stepping inside, ensuring the animal is feeling settled and ready to welcome a human into their space.

Once inside, participants practise a range of gentle, thoughtful skills—from safely entering by luring the animal away from the door, to calming techniques that help build trust, confidence and connection. It’s a slow, mindful process where participant and animal can take things at their own pace. All the while, participants get to practice empathy and understanding for what an animal might need in that moment.

For many, these moments become some of the most rewarding parts of their program, not only do they build soft skills and technical animal training skills, but it becomes an opportunity to decompress, be fully present and form a genuine 1:1 bond; the reasons why this activity often culminates the end of a session each week.

In-pen is a task that can be tricky for Oliver as he uses a walker for stability. But he didn’t hesitate. His steady, reassuring approach helped ease Simon’s tension and gave him a moment of calm after a difficult few days. HPHH Program Trainer and Team Lead, Jess, shared how the connection was unmistakable, and how it allowed Simon to reset, re-engage, and continue building confidence.

The following week, their paths crossed again in the agility yard, and Jess reported the bond as magical moment to witness. Reportedly, Simon had struggled to respond to ‘sit’ and other basic commands from other participants earlier in the week, but when met with Oliver again, he responded beautifully, even leaning into Oliver’s hand so he could offer a consent pat. Jess shared how you could see the two finding the groove of the rhythm and connection they had built one week prior.

Together, they progressed from food-lured cues to hand-signal lures, climbed the agility ramp side by side, and even practised walking together without Oliver’s walker—Simon matching his pace with perfect gentleness.

At the top of the ramp, Oliver asked Simon to sit without any food reward, and Simon did it instantly—a moment that showed just how strong their bond had become. As the session ended and they parted ways, Simon tried to follow Oliver instead of returning to his pen.

Every now and then, a participant and a rescue animal find each other in exactly the right moment. For Oliver and Simon, these sessions have been more than training—they’ve been a source of confidence, comfort, and connection for them both.