Paws in the Spotlight
At Mission Empawthy, we believe our impact goes far beyond skilled training—it’s about the people and the dogs and the relationships we build within our community. Together, we are actively involved in community support, education, and engagement, working alongside our dogs to create meaningful, positive experiences. From visiting local elementary schools to educate and comfort students as therapy teams, to engaging fans as a bat dog team for the Lake County Captains baseball organization, to the many free educational presentations we give in local libraries (see our "Upcoming Events" tab!), our people and dogs partner together to bring joy, learning, and connection to the community. This section highlights the many ways our team is involved beyond the training field and how we’re making a difference in the lives of those around us.
Here is a photo of Victoria presenting on the power of positive reinforcement training at the Willoughby Hills Library
Come check out our very own Mokoro! She has had the honor and privilege of being the very first Lake County Captains Baseball "Bat Dog!" for the second season in a row!
Here is a photo of Mokoro running full speed across Classic Auto Group Park Stadium with her favorite Lake County Captains Dog Toy in her mouth!
Here is a photo of Mokoro hanging out in the dugout waiting for her turn to chase those bats!
Here is a photo of Mokoro practicing her bat retrieves for the Lake County Captains!
Join us on Thursday Home Games at Classic Auto Group Park in Eastlake, Ohio. This little girl is already the MVP; Most Valuable Pup!
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With her darling good looks, her absolute LOVE of retrieving, and her confident drive to play, she can't strike out on this one! Mokoro has been in spring training with our friends at OSF Baseball and Ohio Sports Complex in Willoughby who have been so gracious to help get her prepped for opening season in April. She's been working hard to know where on the bat to hold it for the best balance and to work with intense distractions all around. Utilizing treats and play as a reinforcer, Mokoro absolutely loves being a bat dog. It's a rare sight if her tail isn't wagging the whole time, and rest assured, her welfare, well-being, and enjoyment of the game are always at the forefront of our minds. The moment it's no longer fun for her, is the moment we will hang up our helmets!
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Visit the link here for tickets and for more information!
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Looking forward to seeing you all this season!!! Let's go Captains!!
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Here's a wonderful video that our friends at the Farmer's Dog put together on Mokoro becoming the Bat Dog:
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Check out Mokoro in the news!:
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Lake County Captains Introduce New Bat Dog: Mokoro!
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Meet Lake County Captains' fetching new teammate: Bat Dog Mokoro!​
Lake County Captains Introduce New Bat Dog: Mokoro​​
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​Bat dog Mokoro joins Lake County Captains broadcast - MLB.com
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This Minor League Bat Dog Is in the Best Shape of Her Life
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This is a photo of Quinn, a chocolate Labrador Retriever, posing for the camera
This is a photo of Quinn, a chocolate Labrador Retriever, and a student practicing reading in a local Cleveland area elementary school.
This is a photo of Quinn, a chocolate Labrador Retriever, posing for the camera
Meet our Therapy Dog, Quinn!
At Mission Empawthy, we practice what we preach, so when we're not training other canine guardian's dog, we volunteer with Pet Partners™. We believe in the power of animals to bring comfort, joy, non-judgment, and pure unconditional love. Quinn, is one of our lovable Chocolate Labrador Retrievers. She's ten years old and is rated with a qualifying rating of complex (the highest rating possible for Pet Partners testing results: https://petpartners.org/therapy-animal-team-registration-ratings-explained/ )
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Quinn often enjoys visiting local elementary schools where she helps students build confidence while reading, reducing stress with her happy and calm demeanor, and helping students to improve their emotional wellbeing. Quinn is specially trained to interact with children in a way that encourages emotional growth, builds trust, and teaches compassion. By offering these valuable experiences, we hope to cultivate empathy in the next generation while also providing a safe, non-judgmental outlet for children to express themselves and learn how to safely interact with canines (e.g., always asking permission before interacting with someone's dog, and how to gently interact with their body language).
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