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Pathway Playgroups Mentorship
January 16th - February 12th
There’s a New Way to Play
Welfare-Driven. Data-Rich. Staff-Empowering.
Running safe, purposeful shelter playgroups takes more than turning dogs loose in a yard. The Pathway Playgroups Mentorship is a structured program that equips your team with the knowledge, tools, and confidence to integrate playgroups into daily shelter operations—improving welfare, building staff skills, and supporting better adoption outcomes.
CEU’s Available
CPDT-KA: 15
CPDT-KSA 10.5
CBCC-KA: 4.5
IAABC: 13.25
Dates: January 15th thru February 12th This mentorship provides a guided learning experience focused on running structured, low-stress playgroups and integrating them into your shelter's operations. Participants will learn practical strategies to reduce the risk of conflicts, increase behavioral wellness, and support each dog’s adoption pathway while also having fun! Participants will learn Laurie's systems to keep playgroups fun, engaging, and inclusive to all animals and handlers!
Mentorship Objectives
Safely facilitate low-stress dog introductions in a shelter setting
Evaluate dogs more accurately through observed social behavior in playgroups
Implement structured playgroup routines that enhance emotional wellness
Use observation and documentation tools to support behavior plans and pathways
Enhance operations for consistent, team-wide involvement in playgroups
Create clear pathways to adoption by integrating playgroups into behavior evaluations
Details:
Chapter Releases
Each Friday at 12:00 p.m. Eastern Standard Time
January 16, 23, 30, and February 6
Live Group Mentorship Sessions via Zoom:
Thursdays 6:00-7:15 p.m. Eastern Standard Time
January 22, 29, and February 5, 12
Meet your instructor
Laurie Lawless
Laurie Lawless is a nationally recognized expert in shelter dog behavior, with over 15 years of experience shaping behavior-forward systems across animal welfare organizations. Her career was sparked in 2008 when she rescued an 85‑lb Boxer named Charlie—his behavioral challenges launched her into the world of professional dog behavior work, and she’s been “blaming Charlie” ever since.
Laurie is the founder of Shelter Behavior Integrations (SBI) and set out on a mission to advise shelters across the U.S. helping them reduce euthanasia, increase adoption, and boost staff morale by embedding proactive behavior strategies into daily operations. Her philosophy is simple: every shelter can implement behavior-forward frameworks, with or without a dedicated behavior team, to benefit dogs, staff, and communities.
Do You Have Questions? We have Answers!
Laurie@LawlessDogs.com