AGR Foundation DBA Sol Dog Lodge and Arizona Heartfelt Hounds

The mission of Sol Dog Lodge and Training Center: Serving the needs of all dogs and the people who love them. 

Vision:  To foster a community where all dogs are valued and thriving, and compassionate services are accessible for every facet of their care.

The mission of Arizona Heartfelt Hounds: To enrich our community and the lives of retired racing greyhounds and other sighthounds through adoption, companion programs, and education. Our vision is a world where every sighthound is valued and has a safe and loving forever home

For most pet owners, they can't imagine surrendering their pet (in our case... dogs) because of life circumstances, relationship, dog behavior, or family situation. Sol Dog Lodge offers programs that educate families on how to live successfully with their dog by providing support like training, boarding, dog grooming, and respite care.

People and kids need training as well as dogs. That's why we provide services to the entire community to build and support the next generation of dog owners like our summer Jr. Dog Handler Camp.

Always with the goal: to keep dogs in their forever homes with the people who love them and out of the shelters.

Programs include:
* Sol Dog Lodge provides dog behavioral assessment and training to support the family and keep their dog at home and out of the shelter.
* Sol Dog Lodge also provides short-term and long-term boarding to support the family.
* Arizona Heartfelt Hounds provides training and placement of Greyhounds and other Sighthounds in loving, forever homes.

Testimonials

TRAINING:

We can’t say enough wonderful things about Sol Dog! When we adopted our large mixed-breed puppy, we knew we wanted him to grow up well-socialized and easy to handle. Sol Dog has been with us every step of the way — from group classes and playgroups to private training sessions. I know I’m the one being trained (and still a work in progress), but my pup absolutely loves going to Sol Dog. We’re beyond excited for their new facility opening in 2025!

FAMILY SUPPORT:

A Safe Haven for Rico

Nine-year-old Rico, a gentle male Galgo adopted from us in 2019, recently faced heartbreaking changes in his life. He lost his two canine companions, his dad entered hospice care, and his mom experienced a mental health crisis. When the call to Arizona Heartfelt Hounds, we acted quickly.

Rico was brought to Sol Dog Lodge, where he found a safe space to decompress while we searched for a foster home. With immediate care, his overgrown nails were trimmed, and he was surrounded by consistent love and attention. Rico's stay at Sol Dog represents the heart of our mission: providing a sanctuary for hounds in need, whenever they need it.

GROOMING:
Our dog Sam never liked being groomed. He actually went through 7 different groomers - not their fault but his. We finally went to Sol Dog where the grooming and training staff had a different approach. They went very slow and were very sensitive to Sam.

It took multiple sessions but success was there. He is now a happy dog when coming to the grooming spot. We can actually drop him off. We thank your outstanding staff.

From the groomer, Caitlyn:  "Sam's success was largely due to his family's dedication. Not only was he enrolled in the sensitive dog program, but he was also receiving further training with Francesca in his home, building his confidence and giving him structure.

This practice at home led to more confidence and less anxiety. His parents put in the work every week. They worked with Sam on his anxiety and eventually his confidence allowed him to be excited about coming in for a groom.

Also, the family consistently stayed on the recommended schedule to keep the routine of regular grooming. By utilizing all our services and following up with their homework, his family came full circle in completely transforming Sam's behavior."

From the trainer, Francesca: "Sam started out as a ball of stress time. The first time he came to our grooming salon, he had to be shaved because there was matting in his fur, which was causing him discomfort. That was the first visit and it was a slow, process which included his people. Having his owners be a part of that process was life-changing for Sam. It took many sessions to get Sam to build trust with Caitlyn and me. The family was committed to doing the homework and giving Sam the best chance for success. And, it worked."