Color Coding System for the Shelter Dogs
Do you ever have trouble deciding which dogs to walk? Have you ever started to take a
dog out, only to discover that you had gotten in over your head and had trouble
controlling the dog? Have you limited your involvement in walking the dogs because
you don’t feel confident with them?
Color-coding allows volunteers and potential adoptive families to make quick and safe decisions
about what dogs to walk. While the color code is not a guarantee of the dog’s behavior, it gives
you a better idea what to expect.
Each volunteer will be given a lanyard that will be green, orange, or red colored. The animal
cage cards that match with the lanyard colors are the animals that volunteers are able to take out
for walks. As you become more experienced and comfortable, you can move up to the next level.
Every volunteer will start out at the green level.
What is Color Coding?
Color-coding is simply about how easy or difficult a dog is for a volunteer to walk. It says
nothing about how nice a dog is or whether he would make a good pet. Things that
influence how easy a dog is to handle include:
_ Pulling on leash
_ Jumping up
_ Ease of getting on and off leash
_ Aggression towards other dogs
_ Shyness with people
A dog who displays any of the behaviors of a Red or Orange dog will be classified as
Red or Orange, even if in every other way the dog is very easy.
A dog’s color-code is not a permanent marker. As we all have seen, some dogs improve
dramatically while at the shelter while others go downhill (become aggressive with other
dogs, for instance.) Volunteers are encouraged to leave notes when they believe a dog’s
code should be changed.
Green Dogs:
_ Easy to leash
_ Easy to walk past other dogs in their runs
_ Jumping up: Big dogs – minimal or gentle; Little dogs – minimal to moderate
_ Pulling on leash: A small person of average strength and little experience could control
Orange Dogs:
_ More difficult to leash because they are never still OR is hesitant about being leashed
_ Tries to get at other dogs, is hard to get out of kennel
_ Jumping up: Big dogs – moderate – is uncomfortable and hard to control, but won’t
knock you over; small dogs – very insistent and bouncy
_ Pulling on leash: Requires strength and skill to walk, but won’t pull a person of
average size and strength off their feet
Red Dogs:
_ Difficult to leash: Bites at leash, tries to evade leash by jumping, pawing, escaping
OR won’t approach front of run and must be noosed
_ Very difficult to keep from approaching other dogs (sometimes in an antagonizing way) when
taking out
_ Jumping up: Is very forceful, could injure or knock over an unprepared person
_ Pulling on leash: person of average size and strength could be knocked over
Uncoded Dogs:
Dogs that have not yet been evaluated, are not yet up for adoption (seven day hold) or are
under quarantine. Also dogs that have been evaluated, but are not safe for volunteers to
handle (aggressive or feral dogs, for instance) or cannot be leashed or walked due to
injury.
How to Walk a Shelter Dog
Taking a dog for a walk might seem as simple a task as tying your shoelaces, but giving shelter
dogs a little exercise involves more than just grabbing a leash and running out the nearest door.
As a volunteer you'll need to do a few things to ensure your safety, the safety of the
animals, and the safety of shelter workers and visitors.
1: First Things First
If you're a volunteer dog walker, please check in at the front desk as soon as you arrive, so that
the staff knows you will be in the kennels. You will be required to show your lanyard at check
in.
Every time you take a
dog for a stroll, you're
teaching him how to
respond to his caretakers
and his environment. If
you can spend a few
moments teaching an
unruly, overanxious dog
how to behave, you'll not
only make future walks
go more smoothly but
also increase that dog's
chances of finding a
lifelong home
2: Select the Proper Attire
Sometimes things at the shelter can get messy so dress appropriately! Please wear closed toe
shoes, blue jeans, and clothes that you wouldn’t mind getting dirty. When you are ready to take a
dog out for a walk, please use the leashes provided at the front counter. Loop the leash around
the dog’s neck the way that was shown in the volunteer training orientation.
3: Don't Let 'Em Walk All Over You
Before you open the kennel, have the leash ready and be sure you know how to work the
latch. You can take a few moments to practice on an empty cage until you feel comfortable; the
ability to quickly open and close a cage door will be important when you are placing the animal
back in the kennel. Before you and your companion exit the kennels, look out for other
dog walkers and members of the public, and wait until the coast is clear.
4. Mind your manners!
While out with a dog, please do not place the dog in a pen with another animal. If you are
walking a dog and another volunteer walking a dog approaches, please shorten the leash and be
alert of the dog until they pass by. Dog fights are rare at the shelter, but they do happen, so it is
important to be diligent and alert.
5. When in doubt, ask!
If you see something that needs to be done, please visit the front desk and ask for a supervisor.
The shelter utilizes prisoners (trustys) on work release to handle all feeding and cleaning of the
animals. Do not socialize with the trustys, or provide any contraband. If you see something that
needs attending to, go directly to the front desk to notify a supervisor or staff member.
ALWAYS MAKE SURE THAT THE DOG’S COLOR CODE MATCHES YOUR LANYARD!
Guidelines For Dog Walkers
All dogs will have a colored sticker on their cage card. The color of the sticker MUST match
your lanyard in order to take the dog outside. (Green lanyards can only walk dogs who cage card
has a green color sticker).
Leashes are located by the front desk. We will go over the exact location of leashes, and how to
leash a dog, after the class.
When you are walking a dog, you may only walk one dog at a time. Also, only one dog per pen
is allowed. IF you walk multiple dogs or place multiple dogs in the pen without
administration permission, you may be asked to no longer volunteer at the shelter. Our first
priority is public safety, and volunteers must follow the guidelines that will keep them and the
animals safe.
If you are under 18 (but at least 12 years of age), you must have a parent/guardian walk the dogs.
Stray animals (red cage cards) cannot leave the kennel, under any circumstances.
If you see an animal that you think the vet staff should evaluate, but is a non-emergency, there is
a white board by the vet office you can write the animals’ ID number and a brief description of
the problem. We will go over this after the class.
Trustys (prisoners on work release) work at the shelter and provide cleanup and food to all
animals. DO NOT interact with the trustys, and absolutely no contraband.
Volunteers are imperative to the successful placement of our animals. We need volunteers to
help keep the dogs exercised and social. Volunteers my come to walk dogs anytime the shelter is
open. Below are our business hours:
Monday- 10am-6pm
Tuesday- 10am-5pm
Wednesday- 10am-5pm
Thursday-10am-5pm
Friday-10am-6pm
Saturday-10am-4pm
Dear Volunteer,
Thank you so much for choosing to participate in our shelter volunteer program.
We could not do what we do without dedicated and caring people like you, who
help keep our animals happy.
There are many roles aside from dog walking that volunteers can fill at the shelter.
If you are interested in learning more, please check out our volunteer page on the
website (www.oakgov.com/petadoption) or feel free to contact Mark Christopher
at christopherm@oakgov.com
Once you have taken the training, if you would like more training, we can pair you
with one of our longtime volunteers for a hands-on experience. We want every
person who volunteers at the shelter to feel comfortable and safe; volunteering is
fun and we want to make sure you are having lots of fun!
Please review the paperwork that you are given in class. It is important that you
understand and follow the policies of the shelter. These policies are to protect you
and our animals, which will keep everyone happy and safe.
Thank you again for choosing to work with our shelter animals. I look forward to
seeing you around the shelter!
Kind regards,
Alexis Shull
Public Relations Coordinator