It’s a common saying that you can’t teach an old dog new tricks, but at Gateway Pet Guardians (GPG), we believe this philosophy extends to animal welfare professionals as well. With 12 years of experience in animal welfare, I’ve transitioned from foster-based organizations to a shelter environment, and one thing has become abundantly clear: dogs truly do not belong in shelters.
GPG operates a modest 13-kennel dog shelter, supplemented by a robust foster program. Our dedicated paid staff and an incredible team of volunteers work tirelessly to provide socialization and enrichment for our shelter dogs. They receive multiple daily walks, participate in energetic playgroups, enjoy hiking excursions, attend training classes, and benefit from enrichment feeders, Kong toys, calming music, and essential oil diffusers. Despite these efforts, many dogs succumb to “shelter stress,” leading to a decline in their behavior. They may become reactive in their kennels, barking and lunging at approaching individuals, or exhibit nippy behavior during leashing. The longer a dog remains in the shelter, the more pronounced these behaviors can become. This often deters volunteers, reducing exercise and enrichment, and consequently, potential adopters are put off by the dog’s kennel behavior. This creates a cycle where dogs stay longer, and staff feel increasingly helpless, perceiving a failure to meet the dogs’ needs.
A Transformative Learning Experience
In January 2019, my attendance at Maddie’s® Systematic Canine Lifesaving Class at Austin Pets Alive! (APA!) proved to be a life-changing experience. The culture and energy at APA! are infectious. APA! intentionally takes in a significant number of dogs with behavioral challenges from local municipal shelters, demonstrating a strong commitment to rehabilitating these animals for successful adoption. I left incredibly inspired, brimming with new ideas that could be implemented immediately at GPG.
Implementing Key Innovations at Gateway Pet Guardians
Over the past two months, we’ve held discussions, prioritized our plans, and successfully implemented several tools and programs poised to significantly enhance GPG’s impact.
Long Stay Risk Assessment
This assessment system identifies dogs entering our system who are most likely to experience longer stays. We consider factors such as breed and age, noting that smaller dogs and puppies tend to be adopted quickly, while larger breeds often require more time. Health status and social compatibility with other dogs and people are also crucial. Using a standardized scoring scale, we pinpoint dogs at risk of prolonged stays, allowing us to proactively allocate resources and efforts to shorten their time in the shelter. This assessment guides decisions on professional photography, social media promotion, pairing dogs with dedicated “Shelter Guardians” for extra outings, initiating “Slumber Pawty” foster programs for in-home evaluation, and enrolling dogs in our training classes.
Establishing a Kennel Routine
At APA!, I learned that a consistent kennel routine forms the bedrock of their behavior modification and training strategies. While behavior modification can seem unattainable without a substantial budget for professional trainers, it’s achievable with every individual handling dogs at our shelter. This starts with a robust kennel routine. You can observe a demonstration of our new Kennel Routine here: Kennel Routine video.
Implementing the Use of Drag Leashes
This is one of those simple yet brilliant ideas! Many dogs arrive at shelters exhibiting “frat boy” behaviors – a combination of jumpiness, mouthing, and excited anxiety. Volunteers may hesitate to walk these dogs due to the handling challenges, yet these are precisely the dogs who most need the exercise. The drag leash concept involves allowing jumpy and mouthy dogs to drag a thin braided leash at all times, even during walks. This allows staff or volunteers to quickly step on the leash if the dog begins exhibiting undesirable behaviors, effectively training them out of these habits.
Expanding Playgroups
The concept of playgroups, introduced by Dogs Playing for Life three years ago, has been revolutionary for us. Very few dogs cannot participate in playgroups, and the benefits are immeasurable. My key takeaway from APA! is that if we implemented nothing else, expanding playgroups would be paramount. We’ve equipped our staff with “playgroup tool belts” containing spray bottles, cans of pennies, Pet Correctors, and air horns, empowering them to confidently interrupt any minor squabbles. We are also training volunteers to lead playgroups, thereby increasing their frequency and scale.
Starting a Canine Good Citizen/Top Dog Training Program
While GPG has always offered training classes, learning from APA!’s Canine Good Citizen (CGC) training program inspired us to enhance our offerings. APA!’s CGC program significantly boosted adoptions for their larger, blocky-headed breeds. We are revamping our Sunday training class into a CGC program, enabling dogs to be eligible for certification upon adoption. These dogs will not only master basic commands like sit, down, and stay, but also learn to walk on a loose leash and greet strangers appropriately. Who wouldn’t want a well-trained canine companion?
Preparing for Future Growth
As we anticipate our move to a much larger facility (54,000 sq ft!), we expect to dramatically increase our capacity for housing dogs and cats. Having these robust programs and tools in place will enable us to hit the ground running and maximize our lifesaving impact from day one.
Commitment to Professional Development
Having collaborated with numerous animal welfare organizations, Gateway Pet Guardians stands out for its unwavering commitment to staff professional development. Animal welfare is a recognized profession, and by engaging in conferences and learning opportunities like Maddie’s® Fund Apprenticeships, we learn from industry leaders. This allows us to swiftly implement life-saving programs and tools, thereby maximizing our impact within our local communities. Indeed, you absolutely can teach an old dog new tricks! We extend our sincere gratitude to Maddie’s® Fund for supporting these vital professional development opportunities.
