Prioritizing Dogs to Socialize

For morning shifts:

• When beginning your shift in the kennel area, first touch base with staff, who can advise on which dogs to prioritize and where to return each dog after its outing.

• Kennel staff typically clean kennels ~ 8:30AM-12:00PM in the sequence below. They give each dog a potty walk around the parking lot, then put the dog in an outside kennel. When all of the outside kennels are occupied, they clean the inside kennels, provide clean bedding, and put fresh food in the back of each kennel.

• It is best practice for volunteers to start with the dogs in the corridor that is being cleaned. When volunteers take these dogs outside, staff can clean inside their kennels sooner.

• Alternatively, you may take a dog that already has been potty walked by staff and is waiting outside for its inside kennel to be cleaned. By keeping yourself and the dog outside, you reduce foot traffic inside the building. Dogs generally are easier to leash and return to outdoor kennels than indoor ones.

For all shifts:

• Check the whiteboard to see which dogs in the prioritized corridors have not been out recently and have been rated a color (Blue, Orange, Purple) that you have been trained to handle. If the dog is marked “Orange-Star”, ask for an update on its behavioral/medical issue.

• Puppies under seven months must be carried or put in a stroller to socialize in Puppy Room depending on vaccination status; check whiteboard for approved activities.

• Dogs in Isolation must be taken out last to minimize risk of disease transmission. Use a leash hanging on the ISO room wall that is designated for use with ISO dogs. Otherwise, put the leash you used in a dirty laundry bag before leaving.