Dog Care Module

Dog Care learning module

Introduction

Osceola County Animal Services cares for dogs and puppies that come into the shelter for a variety of reasons. As an open access animal shelter with managed intake, the canines in our care have arrived as owner surrenders, stray animals, confiscations, and bite animals. Upon arrival at the shelter each animal is assessed for health, behavior, and potential adoptability. Dogs and puppies may be housed in foster homes or the shelter.

All dog care team members should complete this learning module prior to caring for these animals regardless of one's experience.

Even though you may have walked dogs, or have even owned one, dealing with a dog in a shelter environment can be quite different for the reasons noted below:

• dogs in the care of Animal Services may be stressed due to their new environment;

• sometimes the dogs at the shelter have never been on a leashed walk and do not know how to handle the restrictions of a leash;

• sometimes the dogs are just confused and or scared;

• sometimes the dogs are extraordinarily excited to see you with the leash and may celebrate your arrival by jumping on you.

For all of the above reasons and the safety of our volunteers and animals, all volunteers must complete a dog walking course and practice prior to walking an animal independently.

This module will address the following:

• Basic operating procedures for A Building – adoptable dogs

• Sanitation and spot cleaning protocols

• Handling of the following: friendly, stressed, and shy dogs

• Enrichment

• Introduction to positive reinforcement and fear free housing

How do I know if I can walk a dog on my own?

Our hands - on training procedure for dog care consists of a minimum of three sessions with a qualified mentor. These sessions are demonstration and practice of procedures and also include dog bathing procedures.

Volunteers

When volunteers have successfully completed these sessions, they will have the dog icon attached to their name tag. This lets all team members know that they have been trained and are qualified to handle adoptable dogs independently.

Employees

When employees have successfully completed these sessions, they will be notified by their mentor. Their mentor will communicate to their supervisor who will then assign them to dog care sessions - walking and exercising adoptable dogs independently.

Important Note

It is important to note, the dog care module and basic training does not include being able to introduce dogs to one another or participate in a play group session without further training and experience. These procedures are in place for the safety of all parties. Advanced training in dog behavior and training will be required for animal introductions, meet and greets, and playgroups.

Reading Dog Body Language

Dog Behavior Signals

Dogs are constantly sending signals to us to communicate their mood through their body language. Below please find some of the dog behaviors that send clues as to how the animal should, or should not, be handled.

Please note: All of the dogs that have been approved as "ok to walk" have been cleared initially by team members as being behaviorally and medically clear for adoption. As behavior can always change, please alert a supervisor or mentor to any behavior that you observe that causes concern.

Relaxed

This dog is relaxed. Tail is low, ears are in normal position, stance is neutral. Safe to approach.

Fearful

Ears are back, tail is tucked, back is hunched, stance is low. Proceed slowly and cautiously.

Defensive (Feeling Threatened)

Ears are back, tail is tucked under. Mouth is in a snarl and teeth may be showing. Legs are leaning back so that the animal can flee. Do not interact and communicate to supervisor or mentor.

Playful

This dog is indicating to you, or maybe another dog, that it wants to play. Ears are at normal position, leaning down, tail up. Enjoy, but remember, only the playgroup can be allowed to introduce dogs to play together.

Alert

Head high, ears normal, tail straight, no motion, possible hackles on neck standing up. Something of interest is nearby. Could be you, or another animal. Use caution if it is another animal that has caught the dog's interest.

Aggressive

Head held high, snarling, snapping, hair on back is sticking up, tail held high; appears to be issuing a challenge. Do not interact and communicate to supervisor or mentor immediately.

Fearful, Submissive

On back, paws up, tail tucked.It is not unusual to see a dog on its back rolling around on the lawn on a warm day. The difference is, this dog's tail is tucked and body is stiff.

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Be aware of your dog's behavior and look for warning signs. Dogs communicate with their body and it is up to us to observe and respond in a positive manner to reduce fear, anxiety, and stress. Look for:

• position of ears,

• position of tail,

• body stance,

• mouth position,

• hair on back raised (hackles).

If you have concerns, do not interact with the animal, and report to a supervisor or mentor the questionable behavior that you observed utilizing body language you observed not feelings.

Shelter Illness

There is no one single factor that alone causes an animal illness in a shelter. It is a combination of factors that together create an environment where illness can thrive if not caught quickly.

It is well documented that animals in a shelter environment, especially the first few days, are under tremendous stress, weakening their immune systems.

Other factors at the shelter that can cause health issues are:

• close proximity of the dogs to each other;

• transmission through environment;

• person - to - dog contact;

• dog - to - dog contact;

• improper cleaning practices;

• the dog's mental health.

Stress

Stress in shelter dogs can be caused by many factors. Stress can reduce the effectiveness of the dog's immune system, leading to illness. The following are distressing to shelter dogs:

• loud noises

• chaos

• strong odors (cleaners)

• new environment

Warning Signs of Potential Illness

• coughing

• lethargy

• refusal to eat or drink

As an open access shelter, animals enter our facility with a variety of backgrounds and situations.

Animals who have been living without benefit of vaccination are very susceptible to a myriad of illnesses that exist in the environment. When they enter our facility, they bring their illnesses with them.

When a dog coughs, the bacteria and germs go on everything in their path, including walls, floors, cages, other animals and people.

We can assist the dogs in our care by being diligent in our observations, by providing accurate records, and through the proper handling and care of the dogs and their environments.

General Safety precautions

Be properly dressed

• You need to have on long pants (jeans are ideal or employee uniform pants), your OCAS shirt (if available), if you do not yet have an OCAS shirt then wear an appropriate t-shirt, and closed toe, hard shoes or sneakers. Even though it may be hot, long pants are still required to help prevent scratches from the animals. For safety, please do not wear shorts, capris, or sleeveless shirts.

• Particularly during the spring and summer, a hat is always recommended to be part of your uniform to protect you from sunburn. We also highly recommend the use of sunscreen.

Be weather smart

• During hot days, understand that the dogs can get dehydrated quickly and overheat. Take shorter walks during the hotter Florida days. If you are in the fenced play area, make sure there is water available and relax with the dogs in the shade. Please look at the task board during the hot months to see if there are any walking time or location restrictions.

• "When thunder roars, get indoors" - do not walk dogs if you hear thunder, even if the storm seems like it is miles away. Please wait at least thirty minutes after the last clap of thunder before walking a dog.

Be comfortable with the animal

You should always be comfortable with any animal that you are dealing with. If something about a dog gives you pause, like its size or demeanor, please seek assistance from a mentor or supervisor for the sake of yourself and the animal.

Some people enjoy walking and socializing the really large dogs, some prefer the smaller ones and others will walk any dog in the shelter. All are valued team members.

Please understand that the size or breed of a dog will not necessarily indicate the animal's personality or behavior.

General Safety precautions

Be prepared

What you will need:

• leash, available near the dog bathing area

• waste bags,available in the dog bathing room

• pen for making your observations, available at the end of the kennel areas

• treats for training (use only shelter provided treats)

(If there are a lack of supplies, please speak to the Volunteer Coordinator or Kennel Supervisor)

Follow the procedures (More details on procedures later in this module)

• Check the magnet board to see which animals are ok to take out and what they need yet for the day (walk, bath, enrichment, training, etc).

• Remove dog from cage.

• Walk, socialize, train, or enrich the dog (just spend time with the dog).

• Return dog to cage.

• Make notes on clipboard attached to the cage door (Behavior notes).

• Make notes and place magnets on the dog care boards.

• Wash hands between walking each individual animal.

• Report any problems/concerns to the area lead, mentor, or supervisor.

Handling and Care of Dogs

It is important to remember that as an animal care team we must strive to reduce fear, anxiety, and stress in our animals whenever possible. We have the responsibility to uphold the five freedoms of animal welfare which include:

1. Freedom from Hunger and Thirst - by ready access to fresh water and diet to maintain health and vigor.

2. Freedom from Discomfort - by providing an appropriate environment including shelter and a comfortable resting area.

3. Freedom from Pain, Injury or Disease - by prevention or rapid diagnosis and treatment.

4. Freedom to Express Normal Behavior - by providing sufficient space, proper facilities and company of the animal’s own kind.

5. Freedom from Fear and Distress - by ensuring conditions and treatment which avoid mental suffering.

Handling and Care of Dogs

In order to provide an environment that reduces fear, anxiety, and stress which in turns helps to keep our dogs healthy, please remember the following guidelines:

Teaching a shelter dog to walk on a leash without pulling

Safety Guidelines for Socializing Dogs: The Do's and the Do Nots

Do walk and spend time with each dog individually. They deserve individual attention and need socialization time with people.

Do keep dogs separate from each other. Socialization and walking times are for individual interactions, learning, and most importantly safety.

Do enjoy your time with the animal. Take the time to learn what the dog enjoys and enjoy the time spent outdoors with the animals.

What if...

...it is hot outside?

...a dog gets loose

...you get hurt

If possible, return the dog to their kennel if they are with you and proceed immediately to the front of the facility for an accident report and team assistance. It is vital that an accident report be completed no matter how minor the injury may appear to be so that we may provide the help you need.

If you are unable to move, use a radio to contact other team members or if in the dog play yards there are air horns available.

...a dog appears ill or otherwise not suitable to be walked.

Report this to a supervisor or a mentor as soon as you can so that the animal can be examined.

Watch for:

• runny nose or eyes;

• lethargy or lack of energy;

• very odd behavior;

• lots of itching.

Do not take the dog to the vet clinic unless it is an absolute emergency. Radio for assistance or visit the front desk to see if a team member should be contacted.

...a dog has fleas or is in need of a bath.

This should be noted on the dog's observation sheet and a bath should be administered according to paperwork.

Kennel Cards

Kennel cards are created for every animal that enters into our shelter system. Each animal is assigned a six digit ID number that begins with an "A". You see it pictured in the photo below in the upper left hand corner of the kennel card.

Kennel cards also contain the following important information:

• 

  Animal Name

• Color

• Breed

• Sex

• Age

• Intake Date

• Type of Intake

• Vaccine Information

• Microchip Information if applicable

RTG

These 3 letters mean "Ready To Go". When you see RTG on a kennel card, the animal has everything they need to go home with an adopter that very day.

We would like animals that are available for adoption to be visible as soon as we can. At times, we are in the process of completing their scheduled vaccines, microchips, and medical care needs. This allows the animal to be available for adoption but not RTG.

Available for adoption means they are listed on our website as available and visible to the public at the shelter. If a guest is interested in adopting an animal that is not RTG, the adoption specialist will explain the process and arrange a scheduled pick up date and time for their newly adopted pet.

Record Keeping

When working with animals and providing care, accurate observations along with detailed record keeping is extremely important.

Kennel Cards

Kennel cards should not be utilized to record daily notes or observations. The only hand written notes are medical vaccination record notes and transfer dates written on the top right corner of the card by the vaccination and rounds team members. There also will be circled identifiers such as "OK for adoption" or "RTG" that the vaccination and rounds team members will circle in their evaluation process. All animals must have their kennel cards on their cage with them. If adoption, transfer, or return to owner is occurring, the bottom half of their kennel card must remain on the cage with them.

*On occasion, the team member assigned to the area or the Rounds team may turn a kennel card packet backwards to indicate a veterinary or behavioral need. Please contact the team member assigned to the area with questions or concerns regarding an animal with a backwards kennel card.

Behavior Notes / Observation Sheets

Behavior note records is the note keeping system for general observations on health, behavior, and enrichment.

All dog care team members should be recording notes and observations each time they interact or socialize with the dog. This includes training sessions, enrichment sessions, adoption showings, but does not include cleaning and sanitation times.

Medical or Behavior Concern Clipboard

If a non-emergency medical or behavioral concern arises, please record on the animal's behavior record notes but also include the concern on the clipboard located at the front desk. A member of the Rounds team will address the concern as soon as they are able, but within 24 hours.

If it is an emergency, notify the team member assigned to the area or the front desk team immediately. Emergencies include labored breathing, lack of responsiveness, seizures, or other life threatening issues. If you are unsure, always seek assistance.

Veterinarian Check List

The daily animal care lead, along with the Rounds Team team members, are also able to utilize a communication tool-the Vet Check List. Our veterinarian team responds to the vet check list and will provide recommendations.

Chameleon Notes

Approved team members with access to the shelter database named Chameleon will also be able to record notes and observations within the animal's record.

Which dogs can be walked or brought to outside yards?

The only dogs that can be walked without restriction are those with "OK TO WALK" circled on their kennel card.

This is because, although a dog may be up for adoption, they may be on a stray hold. Stray dogs must be in the shelter at least three business days, not including the day that they arrive, to give the owner an opportunity to claim them. Additionally, some dogs may have allergies that prevent them from being walked for a time.

Puppies should generally not be walked outdoors unless they are over 6 months of age. They have not yet received all their puppy vaccines to protect them.

If you have a question about whether or not you can walk a particular animal, do not walk the dog. Seek assistance from a mentor or supervisor.

Which dogs can be walked or brought to outside yards?

At times, dogs have had medical procedures that create restrictions for exercise, walking, yard time, and play groups.

When dogs have surgery, either for spay or neuter, or other reasons medically required, their bodies need time to heal before resuming normal physical activity.

There are different levels of activity that we slowly add back into the dog's exercise routine. Remember the idea is to have calm interactions in order for the body to heal properly and quickly.

The sign on the dog's kennel will communicate when activity may resume. "Potty breaks" are always allowed as the dogs must relieve themselves.

Dog care board descriptions

The dog care boards are used to inform the team members when a dog has last been out for various things such as walks, training, enrichment, which still needs to get out, bathed, etc. Below are the illustrations of the boards located in A building hallway.

Each dog should be receiving a minimum of one AM and one PM walk or yard time each day as a priority! (Walk lengths will be communicated through the schedule board according to the Florida heat).

The boards do not replace the behavior records you write for each dog. These are communication boards in addition to your behavior and medical notes. It helps to keep us all on the same page; where the behavior notes are to be used to review and identify the behavioral and medical history of an animal.

The schedule board will tell you what can be completed with each dog each day.

On a particularly hot day, only the 5 minute walk may be available. (Check this board each time you are in to see what the maximum walk time is for the day - walk times may vary due to weather, medical concerns, etc) Each dog is scheduled for a bath once a week. (The schedule is by kennel number)

As always, all of the animals rely on volunteer and staff discretion to decide whether or not an activity is appropriate for any given animal on any particular day. (Please ask if you are unsure of any activity).

Team members may receive additional training on any of the additional tasks mentioned. If you would like to assist please contact the volunteer coordinator or Kennel Supervisor for details and training.

Retrieving the dog from the kennel

1. Observe the dog from outside. If you are not comfortable with that animal, communicate to your mentor or supervisor.

2. Read through the kennel card and behavior sheets for any important information and behavior hints.

3. Blocking the kennel with your body first, open door slowly and only just enough to get the leash around the dog's neck, so that the animal does not escape. Being sure that all four paws are on the floor. We want to reward calm behavior and coming out for a walk is a big reward!

4. Secure leash lock, open door, and be sure to keep leash short in order to move through the kennel quickly without having the dog pull in front of you.

5. When you get to the outside of the building, walk or visit play yards. Loose leash walking skills are always important to work on. Remember force-free training only.

6. Approved walk areas are on the next page.

All animals "ok to walk" have been found behaviorally and medically sound for adoption and interaction by a qualified team member.

CLASS program dogs

Dogs in the CLASS training program must be calm and ideally sit before being taken out

of the cage. They require walking just like all the other dogs in the shelter but are also receiving positive reinforcement training for basic obedience from our volunteer and staff dog training team.

If the dog is not calm, do not take it out of the cage. Simply take a step back and try again. If still not calm, give them a moment and come back to them again.

Any CLASS dog will have a sign on its cage. For more information, speak with your mentor.

Where to walk the dog

For a long or short walk, go out of kennel A building and turn left (north) toward the yard. You may then go for a short walk across the back of the kennel, or a long walk by the pond.

There are multiple fenced play yards located around A building and a fenced play area, behind kennel B. Always be sure that water is available in the yard and you clean up the yard after each pet.

For safety reasons you should always have a radio with you if you are away from A Building with a dog. In general the play yards by A Building are great locations for individuals that do not have a radio or team members in training.

Views of dog play yards.

Return the dog to the kennel

1. Place dog inside the kennel.

2. Close door just enough to keep the dog inside so that you can remove the leash while blocking the open door with your body.

3. Latch the cage and fill the water bowl if needed.

4. Complete observation sheet noting general demeanor. Make your observations as factual, or objective, as possible, avoiding general descriptors such as "nice". If the dog pulls hard on the leash, please say so in your report. Please be as specific as you can by telling what the dog did, rather than what it looked like.

Other examples:

5. Report any medical or behavior problems on the medical clipboard or to a supervisor or mentor, reporting by kennel number and id number. Do not bring animals to the vet clinic.

6. Dispose of waste bags in the dumpster outside of the sally port (two -bay garage) on the south (left) side of the building. Do not put filled waste bags in garbage cans inside of the building, for obvious reasons.

7. After handling each animal, use one of the hand washing stations located throughout the facility to prevent the spread of germs from one dog to another.

Dog bathing

Click the slide to advance through the presentation.

Supplies and Stocking

Before focusing on sanitation and cleaning, it is important to become familiar with all supplies needed, the location where the supplies are kept, and how to keep the supply areas stocked appropriately.

Rescue disinfectant

The disinfectant that we use is called Rescue. It is considered one of the top professional cleaning agents for animal shelters.

It is created from a concentrate in a 4 to1 ratio (4 parts water to 1 part chemical), then sprayed on the surface and left wet for five minutes. The spray bottles are available throughout the shelter and should be prepared by qualified team members. The specific instructions for spraying kennels and attaching to a running hose will be available through mentors.

A surface to be disinfected is sprayed then left wet for five minutes. Proper contact time equals proper disinfecting. More time does not mean more clean. In most cases, scrubbing is neither necessary nor recommended.

Finally, floors are "dried" utilizing a squeegy.

Sanitation

Basic guidelines that are followed at all times:

• 

  Animals must be returned to the cage/kennel from which they came.

• Cages are not to be set up in anticipation of the arrival of an animal. Set them up with the necessary, food, water, etc. when new animals arrive.

• All cages must be sanitized when vacated. There are absolutely no exceptions to this.

• In addition to sanitizing cages, other items in the kennel building must also be sanitized including floors in hallways, show room, bathing room, doors, door handles, etc

•  If your clothes come into contact with a sick animal, please change before handling other animals

  

• Report suspected sick animals immediately to a supervisor in your area, preferably, the area manager or the Volunteer Coordinator.

• Stress plays a huge factor in animal sickness and studies have shown that a low stress environment vs. high stress can be the difference in animals getting sick or not.

Spot Cleaning

Spot cleaning is just that - cleaning an area that is soiled.

Why do we need to spot clean?

• When an animal has urinated or soiled their pen (inside or out), it is important for the health and well-being of the animal to clean as soon as possible.

• When kennels are not clean, it can deter potential adopters and they may pass by the animal.

Kennels should be cleaned by any dog care team member any time of the day whenever it occurs. There is a minimum of hourly checks by the team member assigned to the area for the day.

Standard Kennel Set Up

Kennels are set up as needed at any point in the day. Each kennel in A-Building has an indoor kennel and an outdoor kennel per dog.

Each dog kennel set up requires the following:

• Water in a stainless steel kennel dog bowl (Ideal set up is water bowl placed in the section closest to the kennel door hinge to prevent spillage. Clean water must always be available).

• Food dish containing appropriate type and amount of food (Dogs are on a feeding schedule. You may or may not see food in the dog's bowl depending on the timing of the feeding and if the dog has already completed their meal).

• Kuranda bed (All dogs need an options if they prefer to be on the bed. Blankets are dependent on each individual dog's needs).

• Drain covers on both the indoor and outdoor drains.

Dog enrichment

• Enrichment decreases stress in the animals which decreases the rate of illness and increases the animals’ adoptability.

• Stress is the #1 reason for upper respiratory infections in shelters.

Promotion

We promote our adoptable animals through the following online platforms:

• Animal Services website

• Facebook

• Instagram

• Petfinder website

• Adopt-a-pet website

Assistance is always needed with the following:

• Videos of adoptable dogs

• Photos of adoptable dogs

• Written profiles that describe the personality of the dog

Module assessment

Please pick the best answer to each of the following questions.

This will help us assess our training.