https://laurielawless.com/blog daily 0.75 2026-03-23 https://laurielawless.com/blog/post-adoption-follow-ups monthly 0.5 2026-03-30 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6351517cccf8d74f1ff2ac34/d3c3de1f-cb61-42d7-b951-acca1ac34be8/20250228_141100.jpg Lawless off LEASH Blog - How to: Post-Adoption Follow Ups - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6351517cccf8d74f1ff2ac34/4a26d72f-5a22-40d8-a8cb-05c29db0ccf3/Screenshot+2026-03-23+at+3.59.52%E2%80%AFPM.png Lawless off LEASH Blog - How to: Post-Adoption Follow Ups - Make it stand out Adoption is an exciting time, but it can also be scary. Most dogs take some time to adjust to the new sights, smells, and sounds of their adoptive homes, sometimes leading to behavioral and medical struggles. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6351517cccf8d74f1ff2ac34/17bdba02-2d2e-4b57-bd11-f4a7e66fd287/Screenshot+2026-03-23+at+4.04.27%E2%80%AFPM.png Lawless off LEASH Blog - How to: Post-Adoption Follow Ups - Make it stand out Laurie Lawless founded Shelter Behavior Integrations to give shelters the tools to center animal behavior in their everyday practices. https://laurielawless.com/blog/turning-volunteer-teams-into-behavior-teams monthly 0.5 2026-03-09 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6351517cccf8d74f1ff2ac34/cbe6a37d-9ea7-476b-8ad7-218f061fab5c/IMG_20260104_103757.jpg Lawless off LEASH Blog - Turning Volunteer Teams into Behavior Teams - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6351517cccf8d74f1ff2ac34/b3a60ea1-dd38-4a07-b615-082848f2b8fd/20250924_091555.jpg Lawless off LEASH Blog - Turning Volunteer Teams into Behavior Teams - Make it stand out With the right training, volunteers can be utilized to run enrichment schedules. Here’s an example of the enrichment schedule at Greenville Humane Society! https://laurielawless.com/blog/building-a-grant-program-at-your-shelter monthly 0.5 2026-02-23 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6351517cccf8d74f1ff2ac34/df9df53f-eb89-4cfa-9a6e-96b967cee860/20250905_111258.jpg Lawless off LEASH Blog - Building a Grant Program at Your Shelter - Make it stand out To build an effective grant program, you must first hire or select a dedicated team of staff to fulfill roles within the grant cycle. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6351517cccf8d74f1ff2ac34/a8023ac8-aa4d-47b5-bf8d-24cbc77af51b/20250924_094358.jpg Lawless off LEASH Blog - Building a Grant Program at Your Shelter - Make it stand out Grants consist of gift money that doesn’t have to be paid back. They are typically used to fund specific programs and initiatives, like the construction of a playgroup space. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6351517cccf8d74f1ff2ac34/d91abc94-45af-4a0e-89e0-29388c4e2e3c/DaisyWiseBehManagerGreenvilleHumane.jpg Lawless off LEASH Blog - Building a Grant Program at Your Shelter - Make it stand out Spreadsheets are valuable grant management tools to keep your team organized and accountable. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6351517cccf8d74f1ff2ac34/13f8b5d5-74c2-4bf2-ad7f-c3e4c33487be/20251118_110910.jpg Lawless off LEASH Blog - Building a Grant Program at Your Shelter - Make it stand out If you want hands-on behavior support, Laurie Lawless is the expert for you. She offers a variety of remote and in-person services to fit every price point. https://laurielawless.com/blog/three-common-shelter-behavior-struggles monthly 0.5 2026-02-16 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6351517cccf8d74f1ff2ac34/39df280f-1f5c-4345-a5ed-a1433991b2f0/20251118_090918.jpg Lawless off LEASH Blog - Three Common Shelter Behavior Struggles - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6351517cccf8d74f1ff2ac34/3d8ce034-b3c6-42e0-9567-8b9a2671725d/Screenshot+2026-02-09+at+10.53.24%E2%80%AFAM.png Lawless off LEASH Blog - Three Common Shelter Behavior Struggles - Make it stand out Dogs are naturally compelled to examine novel stimuli. Kennels can make it difficult to do so, sometimes leading to kennel frustration and reactivity. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6351517cccf8d74f1ff2ac34/de230b9e-8947-4ef9-bbec-a2edf67de4d6/Screenshot+2026-02-09+at+10.57.42%E2%80%AFAM.png Lawless off LEASH Blog - Three Common Shelter Behavior Struggles - Make it stand out One way to manage in-shelter aggression is to invest in safety tools. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6351517cccf8d74f1ff2ac34/ead760d9-a4a6-481f-bd22-121bb5ae5214/IMG_20260104_103757.jpg Lawless off LEASH Blog - Three Common Shelter Behavior Struggles - Make it stand out If your shelter is struggling with behavioral interventions, consider enlisting a shelter behavior expert. Laurie Lawless offers hands-on, personalized support to help shelters center animal behavior in their daily practices. https://laurielawless.com/blog/partnership-spotlight-humane-innovations monthly 0.5 2026-01-30 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6351517cccf8d74f1ff2ac34/8de1e6ef-cf3d-4b44-9152-51000f20c7bb/Website+Banner.jpg Lawless off LEASH Blog - Partnership Spotlight: Tools That Keep Us Safe in Shelters - Humane Innovations Throughout her time working in animal welfare, Laurie has met a lot of great people. From shelter staff to animal advocates, the animal welfare industry is full of kind, altruistic people who care deeply about improving animals’ lives. John Peaveler, owner and principal consultant of Humane Innovations, is possibly the best personification of these virtues. The first time Laurie met John, he was manning the Humane Innovations booth at an animal welfare conference. “She came up to my booth… and we hit it off like we’d been friends our whole lives,” John reflected in an interview with Shelter Behavior Integrations. “Laurie is the real deal; an expert with great character. She cares deeply about the people and animals she works with and she brings real solutions to problems that shelters everywhere deal with day in and day out.” Since that conference, John has become a dear friend and a valuable partner in Laurie’s mission toward more humane shelters. Let’s take a moment to learn a bit about Humane Innovations and how they might help at your shelter. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6351517cccf8d74f1ff2ac34/332605d9-0f3b-4cda-86d4-e99b3100350e/task+master+glove.webp Lawless off LEASH Blog - Partnership Spotlight: Tools That Keep Us Safe in Shelters - What Equipment Should Shelters Be Prioritizing? In our interview with John, the subject inevitably turned to equipment. More specifically, we wanted to know which pieces of Humane Innovations equipment would most benefit animal shelters. John recommended several products that every shelter should prioritize, including professional leashes, muzzles, leash poles, Y-poles, handling gloves, bite pants, and dog-sized restraint modules. Above all, though, John encourages shelters to prioritize staff safety. “When you invest in staff safety, not only do you show your staff you value them, you also protect yourself from liability. Just as importantly, when staff feel safe working with dogs, it improves their confidence and expands the realm of possibilities between friendly dogs and dangerous dogs. When we feel unsafe, we tend to default to high safety, low welfare methods of handling. When we feel safe, we can engage more to de-escalate and find less invasive off-ramps.” This sentiment is at the heart of the partnership between Shelter Behavior Integrations and Humane Innovations. In order to improve shelter animal welfare, shelters must first have the resources to do so. That’s why Laurie has prioritized working with exceptional organizations, like Humane Innovations, who strive to provide animal professionals with the resources to do their jobs well. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6351517cccf8d74f1ff2ac34/893e2cdd-d396-4cd7-8549-c785b7af08b1/HumaneInnov-fb1.jpg Lawless off LEASH Blog - Partnership Spotlight: Tools That Keep Us Safe in Shelters - A Final Word About Humane Innovations Whether you’re a large shelter with tons of resources or a small shelter still trying to get your footing, Humane Innovations has equipment and tools that can benefit you. Check out their website to browse their catalogue of products and to learn more about what they do. While you’re at it, swing by the Shelter Behavior Integrations website, where you see what Laurie’s doing over at SBI. From educational online courses to on-site trainings, Laurie’s got everything shelter professionals need to thrive in the animal welfare field. https://laurielawless.com/blog/holiday-gifting monthly 0.5 2025-12-15 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6351517cccf8d74f1ff2ac34/2ad22feb-ad9a-47fb-9f4f-0eb68ae2d95c/Screenshot+2025-12-08+at+4.08.11%E2%80%AFPM.png Lawless off LEASH Blog - Holiday Gifting: Should Pets Be Adopted as Gifts? - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6351517cccf8d74f1ff2ac34/f8450330-9124-4c82-83cf-4c60ca128795/Screenshot+2025-11-11+at+1.53.49%E2%80%AFPM.png Lawless off LEASH Blog - Holiday Gifting: Should Pets Be Adopted as Gifts? - Make it stand out To avoid post-gifting returns, consider asking gifters if they’d be willing to take the pet if the recipient is not able to. https://laurielawless.com/blog/post-adoption-support monthly 0.5 2025-12-03 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6351517cccf8d74f1ff2ac34/6da9fa74-99ae-4ee7-b2b5-c0ccbe4b6606/Screenshot+2025-11-07+at+12.19.27%E2%80%AFPM.png Lawless off LEASH Blog - Post-Adoption Support: Three Ways to Keep Intakes Down - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6351517cccf8d74f1ff2ac34/6e936dd0-e9fb-424e-933a-76fd228b1e26/Screenshot+2025-11-07+at+12.23.37%E2%80%AFPM.png Lawless off LEASH Blog - Post-Adoption Support: Three Ways to Keep Intakes Down - Make it stand out Laurie Lawless has been working in animal behavior for over 16 years, and now she’s putting her experience to work for animal shelters who need support. https://laurielawless.com/blog/grant-writing-for-non-profits monthly 0.5 2025-11-10 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6351517cccf8d74f1ff2ac34/b5ded2c2-9451-4e98-ac77-1ee29c7ee205/getty-images-d61EZJAnp1Y-unsplash.jpg Lawless off LEASH Blog - Grant Writing for Non-Profits: 5 Steps Toward Sustainable Funding - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6351517cccf8d74f1ff2ac34/278f9b85-0c58-4c8f-ac8e-5f3c44d2723d/Screenshot+2025-11-03+at+3.13.16%E2%80%AFPM.png Lawless off LEASH Blog - Grant Writing for Non-Profits: 5 Steps Toward Sustainable Funding - Make it stand out Laurie does trainings on all sorts of shelter behavior topics–now let’s jump into our crash course in grant writing for animal shelters. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6351517cccf8d74f1ff2ac34/6c388175-0140-411d-8db8-cc72ff87d769/Screenshot+2025-11-03+at+3.16.29%E2%80%AFPM.png Lawless off LEASH Blog - Grant Writing for Non-Profits: 5 Steps Toward Sustainable Funding - Make it stand out When making your case for funding, data is one of your most powerful tools. But don’t forget to sprinkle in the stories of success and resilience that make the work we do worthwhile. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6351517cccf8d74f1ff2ac34/c813bede-257f-4ddb-bc34-1677702420f1/Screenshot+2025-08-21+at+2.39.11%E2%80%AFPM.png Lawless off LEASH Blog - Grant Writing for Non-Profits: 5 Steps Toward Sustainable Funding - Make it stand out Make sure that your statement of need supports your case for funding a specific project or initiative, like facilities renovations or a new behavioral program. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6351517cccf8d74f1ff2ac34/a830cdd1-1777-4889-848d-fcc2bb33282a/Screenshot+2025-11-03+at+3.26.01%E2%80%AFPM.png Lawless off LEASH Blog - Grant Writing for Non-Profits: 5 Steps Toward Sustainable Funding - Make it stand out A shelter might apply for a grant if they’re looking to create a playgroup program and need funds for facilities construction, staff training, and program development. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6351517cccf8d74f1ff2ac34/97a56b74-a668-4d3f-abe0-9a2db4180889/Screenshot+2025-11-03+at+3.55.20%E2%80%AFPM.png Lawless off LEASH Blog - Grant Writing for Non-Profits: 5 Steps Toward Sustainable Funding - Make it stand out Shelter Behavior Integrations is all about putting animal behavior first–but we also know that you’ve got to have the financial tools to do so. https://laurielawless.com/blog/decoding-dog-bites monthly 0.5 2025-10-27 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6351517cccf8d74f1ff2ac34/2a8a5070-0e76-4a16-848f-da1946941a4f/20220726_151225.jpg Lawless off LEASH Blog - Decoding Dog Bites for Animal Shelters - One of the first steps toward preventing and managing dog bites is understanding how and why they happen. In the hectic environment of an animal shelter, dog bites are sometimes inevitable–but that doesn’t mean that they should be taken lightly. It’s important to learn how to assess dog bites by using context, evaluating bite location, and considering the unique strains of the shelter environment. We’ll talk about all of this and more as we unpack how to decode dog bites. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6351517cccf8d74f1ff2ac34/a9b88389-b41a-49a4-b3ff-8c553dad7b0d/Cara+Shannon+Dog+Bite+Scale+-+Humans Lawless off LEASH Blog - Decoding Dog Bites for Animal Shelters - Popular Bite Scales The Ian Dunbar Bite Scale is the most well-known, especially in a legal context. Dunbar ranks bites on a scale of 1 to 6, with level 1 representing an air snap that doesn’t make contact and level 6 representing a fatal bite or attack. Dunbar’s scale might be the most widely known and used, but it isn’t necessarily the most comprehensive for a shelter context, especially when it comes to dog-to-dog bites. Shelter managers might find the Cara Shannon Bite Scale to be a better fit for the nuance of an animal shelter. Not only does Shannon’s scale include a dog-to-dog bite hierarchy, it also adds more levels to Dunbar’s dog-to-human bite hierarchy, spanning from level 0 to level 7. This makes space for a deeper level of understanding, nuance, and context. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6351517cccf8d74f1ff2ac34/c3727d8c-c47a-4105-988d-26b7d93d4c6e/20230603_092901.jpg Lawless off LEASH Blog - Decoding Dog Bites for Animal Shelters - If utilized with intention and care, bite scales are a valuable tool for animal shelters. That said, it’s important that shelter employees understand that these scales should serve as a guideline, not an absolute law. Context is of crucial importance when you’re evaluating dog bites; in the shelter, the level of a dog bite is often less important than the context in which it occurred. All dog bites, even more “minor” ones, should be taken seriously, but a single instance of a level 1 bite is not a cause for extreme concern. Often, small changes to the dog’s environment and handling style are enough to prevent future incidents. However, if a dog lands a level 3 bite, you’ll want to start taking a close look at context to evaluate adoptability, determine steps toward behavior modification, and re-think pathway trajectory. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6351517cccf8d74f1ff2ac34/408b7843-cde8-4cbd-a89d-1e595df790ae/Screenshot+2025-10-21+at+4.06.26%E2%80%AFPM.png Lawless off LEASH Blog - Decoding Dog Bites for Animal Shelters - Make it stand out Humans naturally want to get up close and personal, which is why face bites are so common–though this dog doesn’t seem to mind it! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6351517cccf8d74f1ff2ac34/2e16cc37-9189-481d-b66d-376744870edb/Screenshot+2025-10-21+at+4.10.01%E2%80%AFPM.png Lawless off LEASH Blog - Decoding Dog Bites for Animal Shelters - Offensive Bite Locations Lots of dog bites happen during medical and behavioral examinations, when more handling is necessary. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6351517cccf8d74f1ff2ac34/feb933ba-7946-42b1-8629-d734c0b5f1a7/Screenshot+2025-10-21+at+4.12.54%E2%80%AFPM.png Lawless off LEASH Blog - Decoding Dog Bites for Animal Shelters - Make it stand out Shelters are confined spaces, and it’s not unusual for dogs to feel cramped, leading to more offensive bites than usual. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6351517cccf8d74f1ff2ac34/6c5cf8ae-fced-407f-bcd7-708335c07db5/Screenshot+2025-10-21+at+4.15.11%E2%80%AFPM.png Lawless off LEASH Blog - Decoding Dog Bites for Animal Shelters - Not Sure How to Handle a Bite Case? Often, kennel signage can be utilized to display handling instructions. Laurie suggests using QR codes to link to instructional videos that staff can view before handling a particular dog. https://laurielawless.com/blog/the-shelter-animals-count-2025-mid-year-report monthly 0.5 2025-10-13 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6351517cccf8d74f1ff2ac34/5dcd88b4-cec1-44d4-9ff4-1fba3d3b685f/Screenshot+2025-10-02+at+3.48.53%E2%80%AFPM.png Lawless off LEASH Blog - The Shelter Animals Count 2025 Mid-Year Report: What You Need to Know - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6351517cccf8d74f1ff2ac34/76b7fa96-a71f-4b52-aad7-b6cb9a08ec0d/Screenshot+2025-10-02+at+3.54.42%E2%80%AFPM.png Lawless off LEASH Blog - The Shelter Animals Count 2025 Mid-Year Report: What You Need to Know - Make it stand out Finding ways to continue to reduce intake rates can go a long way toward minimizing overcrowding, which has a positive effect on staff and animal welfare. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6351517cccf8d74f1ff2ac34/779909e9-7f9e-4877-858a-d9dd039477a2/Screenshot+2025-10-02+at+3.37.15%E2%80%AFPM.png Lawless off LEASH Blog - The Shelter Animals Count 2025 Mid-Year Report: What You Need to Know - Make it stand out Kittens are overrepresented in rates of in-shelter deaths, pointing to the need for early intervention in this population. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6351517cccf8d74f1ff2ac34/891a37e3-1c41-41c3-85ec-fa7a84e2044e/Screenshot+2025-10-02+at+3.43.04%E2%80%AFPM.png Lawless off LEASH Blog - The Shelter Animals Count 2025 Mid-Year Report: What You Need to Know - Make it stand out If you’re having trouble decoding the data, consider consulting the expert. https://laurielawless.com/blog/financial-accountability-and-transparency monthly 0.5 2025-09-22 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6351517cccf8d74f1ff2ac34/58bafd71-c1f0-48c7-8c8d-7a74565d443b/kelly-sikkema-8DEDp6S93Po-unsplash.jpg Lawless off LEASH Blog - Financial Accountability & Transparency - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6351517cccf8d74f1ff2ac34/fd7976d3-28f6-4e2a-8200-1747b314a07b/Screenshot+2025-09-16+at+3.17.15%E2%80%AFPM.png Lawless off LEASH Blog - Financial Accountability & Transparency - Make it stand out Public opinion is a big contributor to the financial health of your organization. The public is your main funding base, and it’s important to maintain trust by being transparent and accountable with your finances. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6351517cccf8d74f1ff2ac34/2acd46c3-c75e-4938-85c4-af6315315758/Screenshot+2025-09-16+at+3.20.09%E2%80%AFPM.png Lawless off LEASH Blog - Financial Accountability & Transparency - Make it stand out Your employees are the lifeblood of your shelter, and the effort to make them feel valued and involved is well worth it. https://laurielawless.com/blog/lauries-top-picks-for-playgroup-safety-kits monthly 0.5 2025-09-04 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6351517cccf8d74f1ff2ac34/29aa1811-a5f4-42b9-8320-e408f56102ec/Rescue+Pro+Leash.webp Lawless off LEASH Blog - Laurie’s Top Picks for Playgroup Safety Kits - A slip lead that can be back-tied to a gate or fence. Ensuring that you and your team has a means to quickly gain control of dogs in your group, and be able to secure them safely is paramount. There are more and more amazing leashing on the market, but one that I especially love for playgroups is the Rescue Pro Leash by Humane Innovations. Not only can this slip lead interchange between a clip lead and a slip lead, but you can use it as a slip lead with a back tie if you get into a sticky situation! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6351517cccf8d74f1ff2ac34/7c7b3481-8ad6-4979-b135-0193099770a7/mechanics+gloves+2.png Lawless off LEASH Blog - Laurie’s Top Picks for Playgroup Safety Kits - Fitted handling gloves Handling gloves in playgroup allow for more dexterity if you need to pick up a leash quickly and to protect your skin from flailing mouths. While they may not protect you from a severe bite, they certainly can add a small layer of defense. Ever pinch your hand in a gate when letting dogs in and out of group? Yeah, me too! I don’t run playgroups without them. I like using the Carhartt Women’s High Dex II and the Mechanics and the Mechanix Wear Women’s Original. In cold weather, I simple throw on my pull-back mittens over my other gloves. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6351517cccf8d74f1ff2ac34/94bd787b-6fca-4387-83f1-b3f7a611611d/Y-Pole_1.webp Lawless off LEASH Blog - Laurie’s Top Picks for Playgroup Safety Kits - A tool to insert between dogs Getting in between two dogs, or more that maybe jump into an altercation that’s started, is never recommended, but before diving into a fight with other aversive tools or hands, you can consider having something in the yard that is strong, durable, and prevents further escalation - without having to put your self in danger. I recommend having a large pig board on stand by, and even better, a Freeman Y Pole to swiftly move dogs apart and create space. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6351517cccf8d74f1ff2ac34/03ad92e9-7634-4d17-9c37-732eb3b41782/Barry%27s+Breaksticks.png Lawless off LEASH Blog - Laurie’s Top Picks for Playgroup Safety Kits - Two well-made (and tested) break sticks. While we hope it never gets there, anyone running dog playgroups in a shelter should know how to safely use a break stick for dog fights that include latching and holding. These incidents, while scary, can often be broken up very quickly both with training and the correct tools. I have walked into too many shelters that have inadequate break sticks or do not have them at all. Keep your staff and dogs safe with Barry’s Breaksticks. Handmade out of cutting board, they are strong, durable and easy to clean and disinfect. Laurie tested; Laurie approved! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6351517cccf8d74f1ff2ac34/56af21ea-629a-4229-97cf-2df0b1441fd1/SeatBelt+Cutter.jpg Lawless off LEASH Blog - Laurie’s Top Picks for Playgroup Safety Kits - Seatbelt cutter This one may seem silly, but if you have shelter dogs in playgroups with collars, harnesses, or leashes on there is always a possibilities of a dog catching their jaw on another dogs gear. These terrifying moments freak out not only the two dogs, but most of the time the group around them. Collar caught situations can also be deadly quickly as both dogs are trying to pull away from each other, suffocation can occur. They can also be dangerous for handlers, as dogs in pain and panic with no escape route are more likely to bite. You may never have to use a seat belt cutting in your career as an animal welfare employee or volunteer, but the rare moment you need one, don’t be caught without it. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6351517cccf8d74f1ff2ac34/1831d1e9-75f6-4e07-91ce-69141738cffe/Safety+Kit+Trio.png Lawless off LEASH Blog - Laurie’s Top Picks for Playgroup Safety Kits - The Safety Kit Standard Trio While we want to avoid using tools that are aversive to the entire group, it can sometimes be inevitable. These three tools are staples for every dog yard and every Playgroup Safety Kit should have them, in addition to the items listed above! These items can be purchased from many vendors, such as Chewy. Small airhorns can typically be found at boating stores or online. https://laurielawless.com/blog/support-animal-shelter-staff monthly 0.5 2025-09-20 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6351517cccf8d74f1ff2ac34/c29914f3-8369-4f9d-a1d3-fa55202b8a2c/Screenshot+2025-08-21+at+2.20.25%E2%80%AFPM.png Lawless off LEASH Blog - Four Simple Ways to Support Animal Shelter Staff & Volunteer Welfare - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6351517cccf8d74f1ff2ac34/2f96a75b-8717-48e5-884d-d56a3b1f6d07/Screenshot+2025-08-21+at+2.24.11%E2%80%AFPM.png Lawless off LEASH Blog - Four Simple Ways to Support Animal Shelter Staff & Volunteer Welfare - Make it stand out Shelter staff and volunteers often enter animal welfare work because of their love for animals, only to face the difficult decisions that must be made in the course of shelter work. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6351517cccf8d74f1ff2ac34/a867216a-4374-4453-8e26-5b941ad2b15b/Screenshot+2025-08-21+at+2.28.16%E2%80%AFPM.png Lawless off LEASH Blog - Four Simple Ways to Support Animal Shelter Staff & Volunteer Welfare - Make it stand out Regular staff trainings are a great way to ensure that everybody is up to speed on best practices and policies while providing much-needed continuing education. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6351517cccf8d74f1ff2ac34/50fe0fa2-3819-4ade-a4b3-901d0340460c/Screenshot+2025-08-21+at+2.39.11%E2%80%AFPM.png Lawless off LEASH Blog - Four Simple Ways to Support Animal Shelter Staff & Volunteer Welfare - Make it stand out Fostering positive co-working relationships is an essential part of keeping your staff engaged, motivated, and insulated from compassion fatigue and burnout. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6351517cccf8d74f1ff2ac34/61b0ab76-fc33-417c-850b-82a34052df4d/Screenshot+2025-08-21+at+2.32.06%E2%80%AFPM.png Lawless off LEASH Blog - Four Simple Ways to Support Animal Shelter Staff & Volunteer Welfare - Make it stand out Laurie Lawless, founder of Shelter Behavior Integrations, knows the importance of building personal relationships with staff and volunteers. She makes it a point to provide on-site guidance where possible, building connections with the team members she works with. https://laurielawless.com/blog/dog-body-language-guide monthly 0.5 2025-08-11 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6351517cccf8d74f1ff2ac34/9897cc6c-3f1a-4763-9bd9-92b7ef0b7f7a/Screenshot+2025-08-07+at+12.48.31%E2%80%AFPM.png Lawless off LEASH Blog - Dog Body Language Guide: What to Look for During Intake, Daily Rounds, and Playgroups - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6351517cccf8d74f1ff2ac34/827d92d6-86da-48e6-8733-30484586d66b/Screenshot+2025-03-24+at+12.11.31%E2%80%AFPM.png Lawless off LEASH Blog - Dog Body Language Guide: What to Look for During Intake, Daily Rounds, and Playgroups - Make it stand out Studies have found that dogs pay far more attention to our physical gestures than they do to our audible cues. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6351517cccf8d74f1ff2ac34/1c3c2500-fe64-4d03-ad9e-b1be07dd90b2/Ladder+of+Aggression.png Lawless off LEASH Blog - Dog Body Language Guide: What to Look for During Intake, Daily Rounds, and Playgroups - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6351517cccf8d74f1ff2ac34/47739676-5df7-4419-9d57-abce8c86aa0b/Screenshot+2025-08-07+at+12.28.25%E2%80%AFPM.png Lawless off LEASH Blog - Dog Body Language Guide: What to Look for During Intake, Daily Rounds, and Playgroups - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6351517cccf8d74f1ff2ac34/0c095f62-5616-493a-ba0b-d5cf0bad5374/Screenshot+2025-08-07+at+12.29.28%E2%80%AFPM.png Lawless off LEASH Blog - Dog Body Language Guide: What to Look for During Intake, Daily Rounds, and Playgroups - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6351517cccf8d74f1ff2ac34/4bfbc1e5-1e4d-4213-875e-dabdf51d2489/Screenshot+2025-08-07+at+12.31.44%E2%80%AFPM.png Lawless off LEASH Blog - Dog Body Language Guide: What to Look for During Intake, Daily Rounds, and Playgroups - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6351517cccf8d74f1ff2ac34/aa2f1728-691a-49ea-8080-2777f4cead69/Screenshot+2025-08-07+at+12.32.31%E2%80%AFPM.png Lawless off LEASH Blog - Dog Body Language Guide: What to Look for During Intake, Daily Rounds, and Playgroups - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6351517cccf8d74f1ff2ac34/eaa05b25-b6dd-4a22-9a97-7cf649b69d30/Screenshot+2025-08-07+at+12.42.58%E2%80%AFPM.png Lawless off LEASH Blog - Dog Body Language Guide: What to Look for During Intake, Daily Rounds, and Playgroups - Make it stand out Piloerection (AKA “raised hackles”) is usually associated with aggression, but that’s not always the case. Piloerection can be caused by good or bad stimulus, and other bodily cues can be used to clarify its meaning. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6351517cccf8d74f1ff2ac34/83ce054c-9766-4264-befd-b80f45f5d3ca/Screenshot+2025-08-07+at+12.45.52%E2%80%AFPM.png Lawless off LEASH Blog - Dog Body Language Guide: What to Look for During Intake, Daily Rounds, and Playgroups - Make it stand out By being intentional about the way we talk to dogs, we form deeper connections built on trust and clear communication. https://laurielawless.com/blog/animal-shelter-fundraising monthly 0.5 2025-07-28 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6351517cccf8d74f1ff2ac34/3ce02ca7-3464-47f0-b407-bbe15632973f/markus-winkler-PcKhVNNyEio-unsplash.jpg Lawless off LEASH Blog - Animal Shelter Fundraising: A Deep Dive - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6351517cccf8d74f1ff2ac34/4f94a4c5-6df2-4718-bc1f-b6dd6f616de4/Screenshot+2025-07-18+at+1.46.09%E2%80%AFPM.png Lawless off LEASH Blog - Animal Shelter Fundraising: A Deep Dive - Make it stand out A big part of fundraising involves engaging in your community through adoption events, tabling, and benefit runs. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6351517cccf8d74f1ff2ac34/b484c8d5-658e-4d1d-b93c-34294c3c4b17/marvin-meyer-SYTO3xs06fU-unsplash.jpg Lawless off LEASH Blog - Animal Shelter Fundraising: A Deep Dive - Make it stand out Technology is a powerful fundraising tool, and it’s an essential way to diversify your funding sources. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6351517cccf8d74f1ff2ac34/34dcb8f6-04fe-4d5b-bfe7-ae54c90c34b4/Screenshot+2025-07-18+at+1.53.11%E2%80%AFPM.png Lawless off LEASH Blog - Animal Shelter Fundraising: A Deep Dive - Make it stand out Keep fundraising initiatives specific by tying them to distinct causes. For instance, create funds for specific residents. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6351517cccf8d74f1ff2ac34/281c7e74-592f-4a21-afa7-7bfae2906171/Screenshot+2025-07-18+at+1.56.58%E2%80%AFPM.png Lawless off LEASH Blog - Animal Shelter Fundraising: A Deep Dive - Make it stand out Laurie Lawless is an animal sheltering expert on a mission to transform the sheltering industry, one animal at a time. https://laurielawless.com/blog/planning-a-seamless-pathway-for-shelter-animals monthly 0.5 2025-07-18 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6351517cccf8d74f1ff2ac34/85ad89d9-3cf8-417e-bd87-531c5c2a482d/Screenshot+2025-07-03+at+1.43.42%E2%80%AFPM.jpg Lawless off LEASH Blog - From Intake to Adoption: Planning a Seamless Pathway for Shelter Animals - Why Pathway Planning? Of the nearly 4 million animals euthanized in animal shelters each year, 10-25% are a direct result of overcrowding. Decreased length of stay has a profound impact on shelter staff burnout, sheltering costs, euthanasia rates, and much more. Pathway planning is an integral part of streamlining shelter operations and moving animals efficiently through the system. Let’s talk about how pathway planning can help to lessen the load on your animal shelter. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6351517cccf8d74f1ff2ac34/1668eed4-b047-4271-a716-bc3699a3b100/Screenshot+2025-07-03+at+1.49.07%E2%80%AFPM.png Lawless off LEASH Blog - From Intake to Adoption: Planning a Seamless Pathway for Shelter Animals - Determining Capacity for Care In order to fully serve the animals in their care, every shelter needs to ensure that they are always operating within their capacity for care. That means constantly evaluating whether your shelter has the space, equipment, staff, and money to meet your animals’ physical and behavioral needs. Pathway planning allows you to predict the resources needed for each animal at intake, which will give you frequent opportunities to evaluate your capacity for care. For instance, an injured dog who is a bite risk will require more medical and behavioral resources, and will likely have a longer length of stay, than a young cat with no medical or behavioral struggles. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6351517cccf8d74f1ff2ac34/3de57ee8-fc4f-4e83-963e-6641287f6565/Screenshot+2025-07-07+at+11.04.33%E2%80%AFAM.png Lawless off LEASH Blog - From Intake to Adoption: Planning a Seamless Pathway for Shelter Animals - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6351517cccf8d74f1ff2ac34/11284981-d292-40b6-bd73-1f27120d2d33/Screenshot+2025-07-03+at+1.55.43%E2%80%AFPM.png Lawless off LEASH Blog - From Intake to Adoption: Planning a Seamless Pathway for Shelter Animals - Make it stand out During intake, each animal should be carefully evaluated to determine their physical and behavioral needs. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6351517cccf8d74f1ff2ac34/6048fa1d-aa08-418d-a4e1-feafd4b1b753/IMG_1727+Large.jpeg Lawless off LEASH Blog - From Intake to Adoption: Planning a Seamless Pathway for Shelter Animals - Make it stand out Laurie Lawless offers an integrative, personalized approach to her work with shelters, developing a partnership with staff and management. https://laurielawless.com/blog/shelter-animal-care-meetings monthly 0.5 2025-07-18 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6351517cccf8d74f1ff2ac34/4398e66a-8171-4630-994f-fea373cb8abc/Screenshot+2025-02-26+at+1.03.12%E2%80%AFPM.png Lawless off LEASH Blog - Shelter Animal Care Meetings - We talk a lot about what goes into running a shelter, like building budgets, forecasting funds, hiring staff, and collecting data. But what about the tedious, day-to-day tasks that are every bit as important as big-picture thinking? Care meetings, also known as population rounds, are one of the foundational bricks that lay the framework for a successful shelter. Proactive and intentional rounds can help to quickly identify medical and behavioral needs, decrease length of stay, and keep staff on the same page, thereby improving animal welfare and reducing staff burnout. Animal care meetings are an essential part of a well-functioning shelter, and it’s worth it to get them right. Let’s talk about how to build animal rounds into your shelter. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6351517cccf8d74f1ff2ac34/991c1bb1-8573-432c-9286-87ee72dafe25/Screenshot+2025-05-16+at+11.05.55%E2%80%AFAM.png Lawless off LEASH Blog - Shelter Animal Care Meetings - Make it stand out During playgroups, you get to observe a dog’s play style, temperament, and tolerance to other dogs. Similarly, daily rounds provide a wealth of information about how a dog behaves when they’re alone. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6351517cccf8d74f1ff2ac34/a7e6ac21-3735-440d-992a-af4e2de499f7/Screenshot+2025-05-16+at+11.08.12%E2%80%AFAM.png Lawless off LEASH Blog - Shelter Animal Care Meetings - Make it stand out White boards, signage, and other tools can be useful for conducting animal care meetings and/or communicating amongst staff. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6351517cccf8d74f1ff2ac34/43ff4525-19c1-451d-9700-65cb8105908b/Screenshot+2025-05-16+at+11.12.03%E2%80%AFAM.png Lawless off LEASH Blog - Shelter Animal Care Meetings - Make it stand out I provide hands-on support to all of my clients and the animals in their care. https://laurielawless.com/blog/documenting-behavior-observations monthly 0.5 2025-06-09 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6351517cccf8d74f1ff2ac34/9518a2e1-4193-4d38-86fe-45a3839d552b/Screenshot+2025-05-12+at+11.57.12%E2%80%AFAM.png Lawless off LEASH Blog - Documenting Behavior Observations - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6351517cccf8d74f1ff2ac34/5ebee76d-8c27-4628-a7b8-ed88f8585ff2/Screenshot+2025-05-12+at+12.00.35%E2%80%AFPM.png Lawless off LEASH Blog - Documenting Behavior Observations - Make it stand out It’s easy to get caught up doing other stuff–like running playgroups and spending time with the animals in your care–but it’s worth it to stay on top of documentation to improve the lives of everyone in your shelter. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6351517cccf8d74f1ff2ac34/fa25d793-ce16-405a-b6ad-99aba0981620/Screenshot+2025-05-12+at+12.04.32%E2%80%AFPM.png Lawless off LEASH Blog - Documenting Behavior Observations - Make it stand out Looking for hands-on support? Laurie’s here to grant your wishes. https://laurielawless.com/blog/animal-shelter-financial-forecasting monthly 0.5 2025-05-19 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6351517cccf8d74f1ff2ac34/b679832d-dab9-4928-acb4-e3a1babcc804/milles-studio-8JWh8N22Gz8-unsplash.jpg Lawless off LEASH Blog - Planning for the Future: A Guide to Animal Shelter Financial Forecasting - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6351517cccf8d74f1ff2ac34/e9a49439-e552-4829-82c4-443bf5f19d43/Screenshot+2025-04-21+at+11.39.43%E2%80%AFAM.png Lawless off LEASH Blog - Planning for the Future: A Guide to Animal Shelter Financial Forecasting - Make it stand out When creating your financial forecast, you’ll need to find out the cost of expenses, like enrichment equipment. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6351517cccf8d74f1ff2ac34/1f1a65d0-c1e8-4819-99e5-f7aaf7b893ea/Screenshot+2025-04-21+at+11.42.38%E2%80%AFAM.png Lawless off LEASH Blog - Planning for the Future: A Guide to Animal Shelter Financial Forecasting - Make it stand out It’s helpful to estimate your shelter’s average yearly animal intake, keeping in mind how seasonal changes might affect intake rate. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6351517cccf8d74f1ff2ac34/14ba3173-30da-4f35-8be5-d212e9121649/Copy+of+20211007_154443.jpg Lawless off LEASH Blog - Planning for the Future: A Guide to Animal Shelter Financial Forecasting - Make it stand out Facilities, transportation, and equipment are all up-front costs that need to be factored into the financial forecast for new shelters. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6351517cccf8d74f1ff2ac34/1a10af75-012d-4725-9168-c1b68637e3ee/Screenshot+2025-04-21+at+11.49.07%E2%80%AFAM.png Lawless off LEASH Blog - Planning for the Future: A Guide to Animal Shelter Financial Forecasting - Make it stand out Running a shelter takes blood, sweat, tears… and a whole lot of teamwork. Don’t be afraid to ask for help. https://laurielawless.com/blog/animal-shelter-data-collection-and-reporting monthly 0.5 2025-05-05 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6351517cccf8d74f1ff2ac34/904f222c-cef2-4367-852b-01bc294b7791/getty-images-2XVRFkASDvw-unsplash.jpg Lawless off LEASH Blog - 5 Best Practices for Animal Shelter Data Collection and Reporting - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6351517cccf8d74f1ff2ac34/1d797f30-d501-4d07-aebd-5ade82ea45f5/Screenshot+2025-04-21+at+12.01.10%E2%80%AFPM.png Lawless off LEASH Blog - 5 Best Practices for Animal Shelter Data Collection and Reporting - Make it stand out All field staff and volunteers should be trained in data collection, and this training should be built into your on-boarding process. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6351517cccf8d74f1ff2ac34/a6376b34-1b5f-4157-80db-97177fb94114/Screenshot+2025-04-21+at+12.05.14%E2%80%AFPM.png Lawless off LEASH Blog - 5 Best Practices for Animal Shelter Data Collection and Reporting - Make it stand out Laurie Lawless offers hands-on support with remote– and in-person services. https://laurielawless.com/blog/burnout-compassion-fatigue-animal-shelter-staff monthly 0.5 2025-04-21 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6351517cccf8d74f1ff2ac34/4b61402d-4a39-4f1c-8b18-528e111ea13c/madeline-bowen-O3L9n7_QI70-unsplash.jpg Lawless off LEASH Blog - Burnout & Compassion Fatigue in Animal Shelter Staff - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6351517cccf8d74f1ff2ac34/72e75a5d-1b0f-4233-b469-c8a36054f631/20240308_082928.jpg Lawless off LEASH Blog - Burnout & Compassion Fatigue in Animal Shelter Staff - Make it stand out Animal shelter staff and volunteers spend hours bonding with the dogs and cats in their care, giving so much of themselves to animals whose futures are uncertian. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6351517cccf8d74f1ff2ac34/0112bcb2-82d6-4402-8821-493a71f19474/Training+Class+-+Ursula+Hoburg-+HARP.jpg Lawless off LEASH Blog - Burnout & Compassion Fatigue in Animal Shelter Staff - Make it stand out With the right support, staff can balance the natural strains of animal sheltering work with the joys of working to help animals in need. https://laurielawless.com/blog/animal-shelter-budgeting monthly 0.5 2025-04-07 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6351517cccf8d74f1ff2ac34/f926a07b-9d20-495f-b686-4cc86eeb590f/Wayside+Waifs.jpg Lawless off LEASH Blog - Planning for the Future: A Guide to Animal Shelter Budgeting - Make it stand out Creating a business plan will help you get clear on your mission, sort out your finances, and provide purpose for your staff. Here’s Laurie with the team at Wayside Waifs in Kansas City. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6351517cccf8d74f1ff2ac34/778c9bd4-6c9e-4eed-9db3-0c6b13567f66/adoptable+4.jpg Lawless off LEASH Blog - Planning for the Future: A Guide to Animal Shelter Budgeting - Make it stand out Before beginning to draft your budget, it can also help to get clear on what it costs to care for the animals housed in your shelter. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6351517cccf8d74f1ff2ac34/6decf2e2-a8e4-4478-a1d1-2e521c3e5976/getty-images-zejCfjPWP2E-unsplash.jpg Lawless off LEASH Blog - Planning for the Future: A Guide to Animal Shelter Budgeting - Make it stand out Keep track of funds raised in fundraisers and community events. This helps to build your budget, but can also inform future fundraising endeavors. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6351517cccf8d74f1ff2ac34/8ed07be0-3d50-45b6-82f6-57129cea9189/Screenshot+2025-03-26+at+1.27.48%E2%80%AFPM.png Lawless off LEASH Blog - Planning for the Future: A Guide to Animal Shelter Budgeting - Make it stand out Laurie Lawless, founder of SBI, does it all. Between staff training, admin support, playgroup intensives, and more, she has the solution that your shelter needs. https://laurielawless.com/blog/3-quick-tips-for-shelter-dog-playgroups monthly 0.5 2025-09-20 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6351517cccf8d74f1ff2ac34/5e34b06c-b32b-4780-b4a3-deda5591691d/Screenshot+2025-03-24+at+12.11.31%E2%80%AFPM.png Lawless off LEASH Blog - 3 Quick Tips for Shelter Dog Playgroups - Make it stand out All playgroup staff should have a firm foundation of training and hands-on experience with dog behavior. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6351517cccf8d74f1ff2ac34/b666e6ab-49b5-409a-a5e9-20cffc9ec8b6/Screenshot+2025-03-24+at+12.11.43%E2%80%AFPM.png Lawless off LEASH Blog - 3 Quick Tips for Shelter Dog Playgroups - Make it stand out When you work with Laurie, you get it all: hands-on support, educational resources, and remote follow up. https://laurielawless.com/blog/half-year-check-ins-and-data-collection monthly 0.5 2025-09-20 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6351517cccf8d74f1ff2ac34/566eb19f-d719-425b-a350-77009d66628b/Screenshot+2025-03-06+at+11.37.34%E2%80%AFAM.png Lawless off LEASH Blog - Our Guide to Half-Year Check-Ins and Data Collection - Make it stand out In addition to streamlining shelter operations, half-year check-ins ensure that shelter animals are happy, healthy, and well-adjusted. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6351517cccf8d74f1ff2ac34/f6fa9e88-68da-4822-b9f6-7229a2353d18/Screenshot+2025-03-06+at+11.43.46%E2%80%AFAM.png Lawless off LEASH Blog - Our Guide to Half-Year Check-Ins and Data Collection - Make it stand out Data should be regularly brought up in staff meetings and used as a resource in staff training efforts. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6351517cccf8d74f1ff2ac34/b3dd98bc-b620-4749-8408-68568879b3f9/Screenshot+2025-03-06+at+11.48.03%E2%80%AFAM.png Lawless off LEASH Blog - Our Guide to Half-Year Check-Ins and Data Collection - Make it stand out Laurie Lawless, founder of Shelter Behavior Innovations, takes a hands-on approach to support shelter staff and leadership toward more animal-centered operations. https://laurielawless.com/blog/building-a-behavior-team-best-practices-for-hiring-training-amp-retention-3m8s6 monthly 0.5 2025-05-05 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6351517cccf8d74f1ff2ac34/1f3d312c-a0a5-4a03-b1f5-69a8e1e6ae16/ASPCA+team.jpg Lawless off LEASH Blog - Building a Behavior Team: Best Practices for Hiring, Training, & Retention - What is an Animal Shelter Behavior Team? A behavior team is a dedicated group of animal shelter staff members who are responsible for assessing, managing, and improving behavioral health among your shelter population. In contrast with other staff and volunteers, who might have less training or hands-on animal behavior experience, this team should be made up of trained professionals with robust and varying backgrounds in animal behavior, training, and shelter management practices. Some common duties of an animal shelter behavior team include: Conducting behavioral evaluations Developing enrichment programs Implementing training programs Developing rehabilitation programs Providing support to adopters and fosters https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6351517cccf8d74f1ff2ac34/cce873bf-b525-494f-a0a4-79a81797950f/Messenger_creation_701d991d-a3b9-428a-9cff-533f81c97802.jpg Lawless off LEASH Blog - Building a Behavior Team: Best Practices for Hiring, Training, & Retention - Training Your Behavior Team Your animal shelter behavior team will likely have a variety of unique backgrounds, experience, expertise, and ideally certifications in learning theory and applied positive reinforcement skills. Further training is a way to ensure that your staff is on the same page, giving them a foundation of knowledge to fulfill their duties in ways that align with your shelter’s culture and best practices. Staff should undergo a standardized on-boarding process that includes training on topics like: Shelter history and culture: Background on your shelter’s history, culture, and values. Foundational knowledge: Animal behavior, stress signals, and safe handling practices utilized in your shelter. Health and safety protocols: First aid, recognizing common illnesses, and understanding vaccination requirements to maintain a healthy animal shelter. Behavior modification techniques: Humane training methods that are consistent with your shelter’s best practices to address behavior issues and improve adaptability. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6351517cccf8d74f1ff2ac34/66f5b284-de85-4e72-830e-8b7d5fed1311/caleb+%281%29.jpg Lawless off LEASH Blog - Building a Behavior Team: Best Practices for Hiring, Training, & Retention - Reduce Burnout in Your Behavior Team Proper training ensures that your team is set up for success. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6351517cccf8d74f1ff2ac34/73a2f25a-7128-47e6-a798-ec27c28454c5/s-well-oj0zeY2Ltk4-unsplash.jpg Lawless off LEASH Blog - Building a Behavior Team: Best Practices for Hiring, Training, & Retention - Encourage Work-Life Balance Make sure that your staff has plenty of time for vacations, and encourage them to completely unplug from shelter life while they’re gone. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6351517cccf8d74f1ff2ac34/b48523bc-bbe3-42cf-8ca4-06fa40e8aa93/Screenshot+2025-02-26+at+1.19.09%E2%80%AFPM.png Lawless off LEASH Blog - Building a Behavior Team: Best Practices for Hiring, Training, & Retention - Make it stand out Laurie Lawless has 17 years of experience working in shelters, and she created Shelter Behavior Integrations to empower shelters to center animal behavior in their practices. https://laurielawless.com/blog/how-playgroups-benefit-shelter-dogs monthly 0.5 2025-09-20 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6351517cccf8d74f1ff2ac34/70d37e5b-4c28-4682-8cda-3b4ffa4b528f/adnan-puzic--Z7-TKd6ufE-unsplash.jpg Lawless off LEASH Blog - How Playgroups Benefit Shelter Dogs - Make it stand out Playgroups give shelter dogs opportunities to learn valuable socialization skills with other dogs, broadening their adoption opportunities. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6351517cccf8d74f1ff2ac34/8f881673-41cd-4d7c-b290-9d3a0305ede0/staff+plays+with+adoptable+dog.jpg Lawless off LEASH Blog - How Playgroups Benefit Shelter Dogs - Make it stand out Burnout is common among shelter staff, and playgroups give staff and volunteers opportunities to experience the infectious joy of dogs at play. https://laurielawless.com/blog/stop-with-the-labels monthly 0.5 2024-11-24 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6351517cccf8d74f1ff2ac34/3b49a1f4-cf17-4468-8a09-a9dc18cdae2d/17903523_10211697594783104_1364273373366974428_n.jpg Lawless off LEASH Blog - Are You Limiting Adoptions with Labels? - Make it stand out This is my dog Moose. He would likely be labeled as “dog selective,” but what does that really mean?? https://laurielawless.com/blog/animal-shelter-best-practices-why-we-dont-use-punishment monthly 0.5 2023-03-25 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6351517cccf8d74f1ff2ac34/ede95abd-c056-4153-ab23-9b282e7ab7dc/justin-veenema-NH1d0xX6Ldk-unsplash.jpg Lawless off LEASH Blog - Animal Shelter Best Practices: Why We Don’t Use Punishment - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6351517cccf8d74f1ff2ac34/576a6a9f-03e5-47e7-8b39-608e3a7dfeef/IMG_0993.jpg Lawless off LEASH Blog - Animal Shelter Best Practices: Why We Don’t Use Punishment - The Alternative: Positive Reinforcement Do you think it’s possible to consistently meet the three conditions listed above? I think it’d be pretty tough. But what should you do instead? Laurie Lawless, animal behavior expert and founder of Lawless Shelter Behavior, recommends that shelter employees use positive reinforcement methods instead of punishment. If punishment teaches dogs what they shouldn’t do, positive reinforcement teaches them what they should do by using positive stimuli, like treats or praise, to reward a dog when they perform a desirable behavior. This is less stressful for the animal, and there is less potential for behavioral fall out now or down the road. https://laurielawless.com/blog/learn-about-dogs-and-cats-d4mex monthly 0.5 2025-05-05 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6351517cccf8d74f1ff2ac34/d67dead6-0642-4db2-96b2-d96d2261fc7b/anna-dudkova-urs_y9NwFcc-unsplash.jpg Lawless off LEASH Blog - Shelter Dog Series: Enrichment 101 99% of veterinary professionals think that increased enrichment could improve pets’ health. Pet parents often struggle to implement enrichment, even though it helps to decrease stress, thereby enhancing health outcomes. In fact, 43% of vets report that half of their dog patients need more enrichment. Shelter environments tend to be crowded and chaotic, with limited budgets and overwhelming need, so it goes without saying that rescue dogs are an inherently stressed population. Stressed dogs are more susceptible to behavioral and health struggles, making them less adoptable. If you’re working with rescue dogs, it’s worth it to learn about how to implement enrichment. Let’s talk about what enrichment is and how it can be utilized in a shelter environment. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6351517cccf8d74f1ff2ac34/56014296-aa64-45b2-b3ea-521360ff2325/anthony-duran-ae9ahsZJmx0-unsplash.jpg Lawless off LEASH Blog - Shelter Dog Series: Enrichment 101 - Make it stand out Dogs are hard-wired to engage in their innate behaviors, so regular chances to run, jump, and chase things helps them to use their instincts. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6351517cccf8d74f1ff2ac34/17fc0884-843f-4cf9-9482-60fbf5b023b0/andrew-schultz-DTSDD968Mpw-unsplash.jpg Lawless off LEASH Blog - Shelter Dog Series: Enrichment 101 - Planning Because every dog has unique enrichment needs, adequate planning is one of the most important steps when implementing enrichment for shelter dogs. Shelter staff should take what they know of each dog’s breed, age, health, and individual personality to develop a goal-oriented plan. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6351517cccf8d74f1ff2ac34/89898ad6-5139-404c-ad1c-89f0e49fbfbe/mathew-coulton-ZnHEa8mHOxw-unsplash.jpg Lawless off LEASH Blog - Shelter Dog Series: Enrichment 101 - Make it stand out Toys are a great way to provide stimulation for bored dogs. Chew toys, puzzle toys, and perpetual motion toys are all good options to meet enrichment needs. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6351517cccf8d74f1ff2ac34/a53a51fd-e514-48c3-998f-442e078300d2/reed-shepherd-r1q76Rut5t8-unsplash.jpg Lawless off LEASH Blog - Shelter Dog Series: Enrichment 101 - Make it stand out Regular obedience training is also a great way to provide mental and social stimulation all at once. https://laurielawless.com/blog/five-ways-to-love-your-dog monthly 0.5 2025-02-10 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6351517cccf8d74f1ff2ac34/1f49cb01-01ef-49aa-b610-76c3dd46ed42/pontus-wellgraf-Kr29K3_c28A-unsplash.jpg Lawless off LEASH Blog - Adopter Series: 5 Ways to Show Your Dog Some Love This Valentine's Season - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6351517cccf8d74f1ff2ac34/311bac7c-769c-423c-83b4-b74bebad78b9/oskar-kadaksoo-1Vg-PKmvbEY-unsplash.jpg Lawless off LEASH Blog - Adopter Series: 5 Ways to Show Your Dog Some Love This Valentine's Season - Make it stand out A daily game of fetch is a great way to show your dog you love them while meeting their need for enrichment. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6351517cccf8d74f1ff2ac34/fee60e6f-ca80-4a09-a51c-1cd4a5068dca/wade-austin-ellis-FtuJIuBbUhI-unsplash.jpg Lawless off LEASH Blog - Adopter Series: 5 Ways to Show Your Dog Some Love This Valentine's Season - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://laurielawless.com/blog/designing-cat-cages monthly 0.5 2025-05-05 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6351517cccf8d74f1ff2ac34/17a11039-279f-43da-92d5-3b8714131c07/thomas-park-On6bRQRn5lY-unsplash.jpg Lawless off LEASH Blog - Shelter Cat Series: Designing Cat Cages - Meeting Rescue Cats’ Needs According to the ASPCA’s Five Freedoms of Animal Welfare, rescue cats are entitled to these five freedoms: Freedom from hunger and thirst Freedom from discomfort Freedom from pain, injury, or disease Freedom from fear and distress Freedom to express normal behavior It may seem like it’d be simple to meet these needs, but cats are complex, multidimensional beings, so you need to understand the unique needs of the cats in your care. What is distressing to one cat might be stimulating to another, and one cat’s “normal behavior” might be concerning for another. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6351517cccf8d74f1ff2ac34/4f801dcf-b338-4454-8827-3132ede7775b/alisa-matthews-GL86LFEIUHk-unsplash.jpg Lawless off LEASH Blog - Shelter Cat Series: Designing Cat Cages Double-Compartment Units Double-compartment cat cages are made up of two separate areas that are connected by a pass through, like a doorway or a portal, which can be retrofitted into the side of two individual cages to make them double-compartment. They should be at least 11 square feet in size, with one compartment containing food, water, and bedding while the other houses the litter box. This allows for the cats to have separation between their resting/feeding space and litter box, to have more space to spread out, and to avoid being handled unnecessarily during routine cleaning. Up-to-Down or Side-to-Side? Portals can be installed either on the top/bottom of connecting cages, creating an upstairs/downstairs unit, or on the sides of connecting cages, creating a side-to-side unit. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6351517cccf8d74f1ff2ac34/d57f0dd1-8f54-4188-90af-5c635a5baea7/20240813_141240.jpg Lawless off LEASH Blog - Shelter Cat Series: Designing Cat Cages Outdoor space is great for cat enrichment. It allows for more space to watch birds, play, and bask in the sunlight. https://laurielawless.com/blog/dog-harness-slip-lead monthly 0.5 2024-11-24 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6351517cccf8d74f1ff2ac34/39592d5c-3541-40bf-8ee9-d2c59afac27d/2pointsofcontact.jpg Lawless off LEASH Blog - Dog Harness vs. Slip Lead: When to Use Which Tool - Dog Harnesses and Slip Leads: the Difference In a survey of dog owners in Ireland and the U.K., 82.7% of owners reported that their dog pulled on the lead. In fact, lead pulling is one of the most commonly reported struggles that owners face post-adoption. When using a slip lead, leash pulling can be dangerous, so it’s best to carefully consider when a slip lead is and isn’t appropriate. A slip lead is a type of dog leash, often made of nylon rope or fabric, that has two loops on either end. One loop is held by the handler while the other loop slips over the dog’s head like a collar. Slip leads are able to be tightened to fit any given dog’s neck size, which is quick and convenient for short-term use. However, slip leads will tighten indefinitely when pulled, so they have the potential to cause pain and injury when used improperly. Dog harnesses, on the other hand, are strapped to a dog’s torso and attached to a leash on either the front or back. Harnesses cover a large surface area, so any force exerted on the lead is evenly distributed throughout the chest area. This even distribution of force makes dog harnesses more comfortable and less likely to cause injury. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6351517cccf8d74f1ff2ac34/5fd08744-e2e0-4ceb-b4de-24bcd4788be0/cierra-voelkl-KIDGMmVXsB8-unsplash.jpg Lawless off LEASH Blog - Dog Harness vs. Slip Lead: When to Use Which Tool Use of slip leads should be avoided on dogs who pull on the lead. Slip leads, when used in conjunction with strong pulling can cut off oxygen and damage the trachea. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6351517cccf8d74f1ff2ac34/a11c4bd6-20f7-41d4-a976-f78c45cb1867/IMG_0435.jpg Lawless off LEASH Blog - Dog Harness vs. Slip Lead: When to Use Which Tool Dog Harness Pros When properly sized, pressure is evenly distributed throughout the chest and body More comfortable for the dog, following Five Freedoms guidelines Decreased likelihood of injury and back pain When clipped in the front, dog harnesses may decrease pulling Dog Harness Cons More difficult to put on and take off, especially for dogs with handling sensitives May require more physical strength from handlers When improperly sized, dog harnesses may pose a risk of escape and/or be painful When clipped in the back, dog harnesses may encourage pulling if not paired with training https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6351517cccf8d74f1ff2ac34/e36645bb-c5f3-4daa-aa68-1435366c6856/20220720_095528.jpg Lawless off LEASH Blog - Dog Harness vs. Slip Lead: When to Use Which Tool - Make it stand out Slip lead wraps should only be used in special circumstances. This dog was pulling very strongly on leash when being walked at an emergency shelter. The handler (Laurie) combined two slip leads to make a make-shift harness and take pressure off the dog’s neck, by wrapping the leash around the chest, distributing the pressure. While the slip lead being used as a harness can relieve pressure around the neck, it does ass pressure to the rib cage. Handlers must use discretion and properly fitted equipment, when available, should always be prioritized. https://laurielawless.com/blog/learn-about-dogs-and-cats monthly 0.5 2024-08-23 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6351517cccf8d74f1ff2ac34/1672433643326-UVL0DJLVECN26A02RCBQ/andrew-s-ouo1hbizWwo-unsplash.jpg Lawless off LEASH Blog - 3 Ways to Learn More About Dogs and Cats This New Year This year, one of my New Year’s resolutions is to continue learning more about the furry creatures that live rent-free in my house. I’ve found that reading books, listening to podcasts, and following experts on TikTok in my free time helps me to deepen my knowledge and to be more intentional in my interactions with my pets. There are tons of reasons why you might be looking to learn more about cats and dogs. Maybe you’ve found yourself working in a shelter environment; maybe you’re an avid dog enthusiast or cat aficionado; or maybe you’re just looking to learn a bit more about your furry family members. Whatever your reasons, you’ve found the right place. Read on and join me in my mission to learn about our most loyal companions. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6351517cccf8d74f1ff2ac34/adac02b4-ba79-40b5-b161-e1fab129b89a/sereja-ris-g3B53PbBfwU-unsplash.jpg Lawless off LEASH Blog - 3 Ways to Learn More About Dogs and Cats This New Year - Make it stand out If you’re looking to learn more about dogs and cats, you can always surf the web like this little guy. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6351517cccf8d74f1ff2ac34/6ee9ff98-1447-4ab7-921b-f0314f1447c5/2photo-pots-X1RQ3b6ZhUs-unsplash.jpg Lawless off LEASH Blog - 3 Ways to Learn More About Dogs and Cats This New Year - #2: Crack Open a Book If you prefer to do things the old fashioned way, there are a lot of great books out there. I’ve included a list of books below. Full disclosure: I’ve read some of these, but some are still on my TBR list. My Top 3 Dog Books The Other End of the Leash by Patricia B. McConnell How to Speak Dog: Mastering the Art of Dog-Human Communication by Stanley Coren The Culture Clash by Jean Donaldson My Top 3 Cat Books Cat Sense: The Feline Enigma Revealed by John Bradshaw The Inner Life of Cats: The Science and Secrets of Our Mysterious Feline Companions by Thomas McNamee Decoding Your Cat: The Ultimate Experts Explain Common Cat Behaviors and Reveal How to Prevent or Change Unwanted Ones by the American College of Veterinary Behaviorists Caption: If you’re not the “web surfing” type, you can always get cozy with a book by one of the many dog and cat experts out there. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6351517cccf8d74f1ff2ac34/63393bcd-7883-4e11-9bd6-108b673c5ff1/cierra-voelkl-KIDGMmVXsB8-unsplash.jpg Lawless off LEASH Blog - 3 Ways to Learn More About Dogs and Cats This New Year - Make it stand out Animal behavior consultants, like Laurie Lawless, can help shelter staff to enhance the lives of the animals in their care. https://laurielawless.com/blog/shelter-cat-enrichment monthly 0.5 2024-12-11 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6351517cccf8d74f1ff2ac34/b0059dcd-0580-498d-bcb9-cce58acceba1/furkids-com-tw-QsFCDa-G4a8-unsplash.jpg Lawless off LEASH Blog - Shelter Cat Series: Enrichment 101 Despite making up over half of the ~920,000 shelter animals who are euthanized each year, cats are often overlooked in conversations about animal welfare. Maybe it’s because cats habitually hide their stress and are therefore less needy, or maybe it’s because cats are thoroughly misunderstood by more people, but it needs to change. I’m inviting you to be a part of the work to ensure that shelter cats are less stressed. Well-adjusted cats have better health outcomes and are more likely to be adopted, thereby minimizing the number of needless euthanizations in shelters. By teaching you how to identify stress in cats, evaluating the do’s and don’ts of cat enrichment, and learning to implement some simple enrichment techniques, I hope to give you the tools to better meet the needs of the cats in your care. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6351517cccf8d74f1ff2ac34/466492ae-b447-4014-a91f-43cc4ca999da/IMG_4223.JPG Lawless off LEASH Blog - Shelter Cat Series: Enrichment 101 - Cats and Stress This cat is acting on the “predator” part of their instincts, stalking something across the yard. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6351517cccf8d74f1ff2ac34/15c66e64-4b88-4856-8faa-e7bdf2a22569/Screenshot+2024-08-30+at+6.55.06%E2%80%AFAM.png Lawless off LEASH Blog - Shelter Cat Series: Enrichment 101 - Identifying Stress in Cats In order to provide stress-reducing interventions, you must be able to recognize when cats are stressed out. Some telltale behaviors to look out for when assessing stress in cats (from least to most obvious) are: Fear and aggression Loss of appetite Panting Avoidance Repetitive behaviors Increased grooming Because cats are so good at hiding stress, it often takes a well-trained eye to recognize the more subtle signs. For instance, cats who feel unsafe in their environment will often engage in “absent resting,” where they appear to be resting but are sitting stiffly, remaining hypervigilant. Even increased affection and purring, both attempts to self-soothe, can be signs of stress or pain in cats. A great tool for identifying stress in cats is the Fear Free FAS (Fear, Anxiety and Stress) Scale which provides examples of body language to assess different levels of stress. Print it out and hang it somewhere visible so staff members can use it as a benchmark for evaluating the comfort of the cats under their care. You can take the Fear Free Shelters course for free! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6351517cccf8d74f1ff2ac34/bb007b19-e861-4f7d-84b2-2fc77719073f/IMG_0105.jpg Lawless off LEASH Blog - Shelter Cat Series: Enrichment 101 - The Do’s and Don’ts of Cat Enrichment Ideally, enrichment efforts will simulate what a cat might encounter in “the wild.” Doesn’t the plant the kitten’s playing with sort of remind you of some common cat toys on the market? https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6351517cccf8d74f1ff2ac34/7efc9e0a-7d41-4c1f-b07a-c76d4b4d1aba/Screenshot+2024-12-11+at+2.56.26%E2%80%AFPM.png Lawless off LEASH Blog - Shelter Cat Series: Enrichment 101 - Enrichment Techniques Ideally, enrichment should target all of the cats’ 5 senses: sight, sound, smell, taste, and touch. Carrollton Texas Animal Services has created a great resource on their website, I encourage you to check out! I’ve organized the suggested techniques by which sense they target. Ideally, you’ll implement a handful of methods that target each sense at any given time, rotating on a predictable schedule to provide novelty. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6351517cccf8d74f1ff2ac34/9ed4b186-cc07-4990-8c8a-3a585d0ef9e9/tong-nguyen-van-3hvmrZJTfJU-unsplash.jpg Lawless off LEASH Blog - Shelter Cat Series: Enrichment 101 - Consent with Cats When working with really fearful cats, like the one in the picture above, be sure that you’re meeting them where they’re at and not where you want them to be. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6351517cccf8d74f1ff2ac34/9cd964cc-924a-4a5d-9037-874f558b53af/20240830_094202.jpg Lawless off LEASH Blog - Shelter Cat Series: Enrichment 101 - To Conclude Earning a cat’s love is easily one of the most fulfilling pursuits in life. https://laurielawless.com/blog/please-dont-go-to-the-dog-park monthly 0.5 2024-08-23 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6351517cccf8d74f1ff2ac34/54d7f781-cff7-47f7-b1ba-69908d41a8d3/bella-pisani-i_iCSOIpDao-unsplash.jpg Lawless off LEASH Blog - Adopter Series: Please, Don’t Go to the Dog Park Try typing “dog parks” into the Google search bar. Odds are, you’ll get tons of suggestions for parks near you. In 2013, there were an estimated 1,200 dog parks in operation around the US, and that number is only rising, with an increase of nearly 40% between then and 2020. Dog parks are widely accepted as positive places for dogs to exercise, socialize, and bond with their owners. So, it might surprise you to learn that Laurie – along with various other dog behavior experts – doesn’t recommend bringing your pup to the dog park. Many pet owners don’t understand the risks that come with dog parks, so let’s talk about why we don’t like dog parks and how you can find other ways to enrich your dog’s life. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6351517cccf8d74f1ff2ac34/017ac70c-a120-4129-af18-f6e98bc75c01/guillaume-de-germain-3BwoPWguMic-unsplash.jpg Lawless off LEASH Blog - Adopter Series: Please, Don’t Go to the Dog Park - Make it stand out It can be hard to tell when playing between dogs goes too far. Some pet parents may not notice the way these two dogs have stiff tails and bodies, are baring their teeth, and how the brown dog has his muzzle wrinkled and his commissures pushed forward in an agonistic pucker. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6351517cccf8d74f1ff2ac34/9249982c-568e-4faf-918b-f2312e431d11/patrick-hendry-m3TjnLvnGyQ-unsplash.jpg Lawless off LEASH Blog - Adopter Series: Please, Don’t Go to the Dog Park - Make it stand out While dog parks can be great for the small population of dog social pups, like the ones shown here, they’re not the best environment for the other three types of dogs. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6351517cccf8d74f1ff2ac34/de43236c-36bf-483f-a2d0-781f354ae011/patrick-hendry-jd0hS7Vhn_A-unsplash.jpg Lawless off LEASH Blog - Adopter Series: Please, Don’t Go to the Dog Park - Make it stand out You don’t have to brave treacherous hikes to spend quality time with your pup (but if that’s your thing, more power to you!). There’s tons of ways to provide enrichment from home or in your neighborhood. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6351517cccf8d74f1ff2ac34/0a42ce14-8a6d-4f64-8683-4e3c5dddbd0c/pinto-art-4WsxPLCNr9U-unsplash.jpg Lawless off LEASH Blog - Adopter Series: Please, Don’t Go to the Dog Park - Make it stand out You can strengthen your relationship outside the confines of a dog park, and your dog will thank you for it in the long run. https://laurielawless.com/blog/holiday-dog-introductions monthly 0.5 2024-08-23 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6351517cccf8d74f1ff2ac34/1672431913079-KVDWQQHAZ2JOMSSNP8TR/rodolfo-sanches-carvalho-6yOg6cEHmgs-unsplash.jpg Lawless off LEASH Blog - Adopter Series: Holiday Dog Introductions Did you know that Thanksgiving is the busiest time of year for dog trainers? During a season where everybody is planning elaborate meals and preparing for Black Friday shopping, we don’t consider our dogs’ reaction to new people in our homes. When we don’t plan for proper introductions, accidents can happen. Guests might get bitten by a scared, defensive pup or end up in the crossfires of a dog fight. That’s where we come into the picture. Learn how to avoid this common Thanksgiving mishap by intentionally introducing your pup to new guests – animal and human alike. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6351517cccf8d74f1ff2ac34/a6883f5e-13ca-4f40-8869-7a78efd1f9ef/eric-ward-ISg37AI2A-s-unsplash.jpg Lawless off LEASH Blog - Adopter Series: Holiday Dog Introductions - Make it stand out Your pup might tolerate your hugs and kisses, but they might not respond well if Aunt Linda goes straight for a hug before properly introducing herself. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6351517cccf8d74f1ff2ac34/45670a0e-cdd2-49bc-ba79-ee9d9c63ee68/bundo-kim-NIKl5WwL-RE-unsplash.jpg Lawless off LEASH Blog - Adopter Series: Holiday Dog Introductions - Make it stand out When introducing dogs on-leash, try to avoid the dogs approaching each other face-to-face. This could cause tension and conflict. 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