Training
Cowtown Canines has established a partnership with Mansfield based Shadows for Life for your training needs. Shadows for Life was founded in 2006 by Michael Pugliese Sr., and is very unique in that they are a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that specializes in special needs training, while also participating in family pet training and rescue activity.
Shadows for Life offers private sessions in the home and on-site training packages with follow-up in the home.
Shadows for Life specializes in training activities associated with assisting those with Special Needs that may require canine assistance and support, as well as Family Pet Training/Counseling and K-9 Rescue activities.
Founder & President Michael Pugliese initially served an internship with the Charleston West Virginia Police K-9 unit while attending college in 1977. He was shortly thereafter presented with a German Shepherd pup, by an acquaintence, which he proceeded to spend each and every possible moment working with. Mr. Pugliese & “Baron” traveled by car from West Virginia to Los Angeles and back during the summer of 1977, and his passion working with dogs was flourishing.
Over the years, Mr. Pugliese continued to work with dogs in his spare time, mostly for friends and acquaintences. In 1998, Mr. Pugliese left the Aerospace Industry to train dogs full-time. For the next few years he worked for a few dog training operations in the area, while starting his own company, “Lucky 13” Dog Training. This was all going quite well until Mr. Pugliese saw a public service announcement on 23 December 2003 by Montel Williams. In the PSA Mr. Williams described how there was an Assistance Dog Training agency in Grand Rapids, Michigan looking for help.
The name of the agency is Paws With A Cause, and upon contacting them Mr. Pugliese was soon employed as their National Organizational Development Director, basically in charge of all daily operations. This experience was invaluable to Mr.Pugliese, and was his first detailed exposure to the Assistance Dog Industry. The trainers at PAWS are extraordinarily talented and Mr. Pugliese was very fortunate to have had this opportunity.
During his time in this position, Mr. Pugliese was responsible for all daily operations involved in the breeding, training and successful placement of over (100) dogs with clients all over the country. This was a 40% increase in successful placements from the previous year at PAWS. The clients Special Needs included, spinal injuries, Cerebral Palsy and Autism, to name a few.
During the summer of 2005, Mr. Pugliese and his wife relocted back to Texas to start the agency known as Shadows for Life. Mr. & Mrs. Daniel Green of Mansfield are to be recognized as the key contributor in getting the agency off and running, with their generous donation at the onset of the agency. We would not be where we are today without their compassion and financial assistance.
Mr. Pugliese has personally trained and counseled well over 300 dogs in his dog training career. The ‘Family Pet’ training aspect of Shadows for Life continues to be the main revenue stream to support the agency, so please feel free to spread the word!
