Building Trust with Dogs Who Aren't Ready to Come Out of the Kennel

Some dogs arrive at the shelter struggling to cope with fear, anxiety and stress, and may not be ready to accept handling or leave their kennel for a walk. These dogs may benefit from Social Time: low-pressure, positive interactions that build trust from outside the kennel. The positive association built through Social Time can then serve as the foundation for a trusting relationship that may eventually help the dog accept more handling, go out for walks and cope better with the shelter environment. Through a series of videos, this quick course presents three Social Time activities along with automated forms to help you collect behavioral information. 

This course was authored by Kristen Brown, CPDT-KA, VSA-CDT, Lifesaving Programs Specialist, Lynchburg Humane Society.