Behavior Assessments in Shelters: Building Better Outcomes for Dogs (On Demand)
Recorded On: 06/25/2026
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This course is part of Maddie's Monthly Behavior Connection, monthly webcasts about pet behavior - supporting pets in our community and animal shelters.
This webinar is for anyone working in or around animals in shelters.
Many organizations struggle with developing a structured system to get to know the dogs in their care - Vanly has developed a program for SICSA that is working really well.
About the session:
Structured dog behavior assessments help shelters shift from reacting to behavior concerns after they escalate to proactively identifying needs early in a dog’s shelter stay. Although walks, enrichment, playgroups, and quiet time are important parts of daily care, some dogs need more individualized support to reduce stress, improve quality of life, and increase their likelihood of successful placement into homes. Using real shelter dog examples, behavior rating tools, action items, and outcome data, attendees will learn how early assessments can create consistency across staff and volunteers, support safer, more effective care, and identify concerns early, before they become significant barriers to adoption.
Speaker:
Vanly Griffith, Dog Behavior Coordinator at SICSA Pet Adoption and Wellness Center near Dayton, OH
This webinar has been pre-approved for 1.0 Certified Animal Welfare Administrator continuing education credits by The Association for Animal Welfare Advancement and by the National Animal Care & Control Association.
Visit Maddie's Pet Forum to comment, access the resources, follow a discussion or ask questions: https://maddies.fund/BehaviorConnectionJune2026
keywords Maddie's Monthly Behavior Connection, Vanly Griffith, animal behavior assessments, behavior assessment in animal shelters
Vanly Griffith
Dog Behavior Coordinator
SICSA
Vanly Griffith is a Certified Professional Dog Trainer-Knowledge Assessed (CPDT-KA) serving as the Dog Behavior Coordinator at SICSA Pet Adoption & Wellness Center. In this role, she conducts behavior assessments, facilitates dog-dog introductions and playgroups, maintains behavior documentation, and develops individualized training, enrichment, and handling plans for shelter dogs. She works closely with trained behavior staff and volunteers to create individualized training plans, enrichment strategies, and handling recommendations to support dogs both in the shelter and in foster care, while also helping prepare them for successful transitions into adoptive homes. In addition to her hands-on training and behavior work, Vanly designed and implemented SICSA’s proactive canine behavior assessment process. This program ensures that every dog receives an early behavioral evaluation at intake to determine the level of intervention and support needed, allowing for individualized behavior plans that maximize positive live outcomes and improve each dog’s pathway through the shelter system.
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