Ironwood Dog Training Academy

All Roads Lead to New Beginnings ✨

Mals House Rescue has worked tirelessly to save dogs from euthanasia and life on the streets. With very few fosters stepping forward, our team stepped up time and time again—taking in dogs that the community pleaded for us to save. It wasn't easy. There were moments we thought we could no longer continue. 

Then, when we needed it most, something incredible happened: a life-changing partnership with the Ironwood Dog Training Program. Just when we felt we were running out of hope, this opportunity came like a beacon of light. Because of this new collaboration, our amazing dogs have received dedicated training and care from a select group of incarcerated individuals since Summer 2025.

This program doesn’t just give dogs a second chance—it gives their handlers one too. Together, the dogs and their handlers are building bonds rooted in trust, growth, and compassion. We are teaching the handlers about the shelter crisis, the Mals House Mission and training techniques that work. The impact has been profound—for both the humans and their canine partners.

This would've not been possible without countless individuals who believed in our dogs and in the incarcerated individuals who are a part of this program. To everyone who has made this partnership possible: thank you from the bottom of our hearts.  We’re filled with gratitude, hope, and renewed strength to continue this mission. Thank you to our supporters for making this possible.

Please follow our Instagram and Facebook page to see how this transformative program gives our dogs and the incarcerated persons a new beginning. 

This program is proof we can accomplish so much - together.