On Leash All the Time: Your foster pup should always be on leash when outside, including when walking to and from the car. The only exception is if you have a secure physical fence that has been approved by ARL.

No Dog Parks: Dog parks can be problematic and dangerous for multiple reasons. Your foster pup may have a hard time reading other dogs, plus we don’t know the vaccination/health status of dogs at the dog park. We simply cannot take the risk with our dogs. Similarly, please avoid doing dog introductions unless they are at the shelter.

Use Positive Reinforcement: There is a lot of misinformation about dominance. Domestic dogs are not pack animals and do not utilize a hierarchy structure. Do not utilize aversive methods such as yelling, holding down, punishing, etc. These methods only create confusion and could lead to emotional trauma and even a bite.

Remember: never punish a dog for growling, this is the clearest form of communication for a dog!

Do Not Bother Your Dog While it is Eating: Just like you would be annoyed if someone stuck their hands in your food, a dog will find it offensive too! When your pup is eating, leave them be! Putting your hands in their food can create resource guarding behaviors.

If You Need to Take Something From Your Foster: Trade for something else! For example, if your foster steals a sock, calmly get their attention and toss some really tasty treats away from them, and pick up the object while they are busy.

Be Aware of Body Language: Check out the graphics below by Lili Chin and Dr. Sophia Yin. You can also check out the video from fear free happy homes!