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“Proven Lifesaving Strategies for Big Dogs” is the title of a Training Playbook from Best Friends Animal Society (version 2, May 2022). It is written for animal shelters, not for pet owners. Its aim is to help shelters shorten large dogs’ length of stay, support their mental health and improve save rates. The core approach is to treat every dog as an individual and begin enrichment on day one. The shelter should keep watching for stress, and it should use play groups, outings, fostering and honest marketing when it can do so safely.
This guide summarizes the playbook’s strategies and shows how to weigh them against your own resources. A short section at the end covers separate owner-side safety guidance for big dogs, which is not part of the playbook.
What the playbook is, and what it is not
The playbook says large dogs can face longer shelter stays and the stress that goes with them. It offers programs as options and building blocks rather than a single protocol, and it acknowledges that facility design, staffing and volunteer resources differ from one organization to the next. It is not a home obedience manual and not a pet first-aid guide. The playbook gives no save-rate figures for its programs, so no specific outcome improvement can be claimed from it.
The strategies, in the order a shelter would use them
1. Assess each dog as an individual
- Review how your shelter assesses behavior and how those assessments feed into a dog’s outcome path.
- Collect more information about each dog’s personality, needs, likes and dislikes, including through updated intake forms.
- The playbook points readers to an ASPCA webinar on behavior assessment for further guidance.
2. Start enrichment on arrival and keep it going
The playbook describes the first 24 to 48 hours in a shelter as crucial for a dog’s adjustment. That is the playbook’s guidance, not an independently established threshold. It recommends starting enrichment when a dog enters and continuing physical and mental stimulation for the whole stay. Familiar comforts count, such as a blanket that carries the dog’s scent. Enrichment does not have to be expensive or complicated.
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3. Use play groups where suitable
Dog-to-dog play can provide stimulation and also teach staff about a dog’s behavior. The playbook names Dogs Playing for Life as a resource for implementing playtime. It does not say every dog belongs in a group. Each dog needs assessing first, and the shelter needs appropriate practices and trained handlers.
4. Offer outings or sleepovers when you can do so safely
Time away from the kennel gives a dog a break. It also shows staff how the dog behaves in the world outside the shelter, and that information can help match the dog with an adopter.
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5. Market with accurate, objective information
- Write useful biographies that describe the dog honestly.
- Use good-quality photos, and include out-of-shelter images or video where appropriate.
- The playbook mentions Hearts Speak as a marketing resource.
6. Watch for stress and tailor the response
Include the staff who handle daily care in rounds. When someone notices a change in a dog’s stress, that can trigger extra enrichment or a marketing push. Where a foster program exists, fostering gives a stressed dog a break. The playbook notes that behavior in a shelter can differ substantially from behavior in a home.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Choosing which programs to adopt
Because the playbook treats programs as options, compare them on the factors it says vary between agencies:
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- Book: the big book of tricks for the best dog ever: a step-by-step guide to 118 amazing tricks and stunts
- Language: english
- Binding: paperback
| Factor | Question to ask |
|---|---|
| Staffing and volunteers | Who can run it consistently, and with what training? |
| Facility setup | Do you have space and layout for play yards, quiet areas or outings? |
| Dog-level suitability | Which dogs can safely take part, based on assessment? |
| Enrichment value | What does the dog gain from it? |
| Stress-monitoring capacity | Can you notice and respond to changes in a dog? |
| Safety and supervision | What rules and oversight keep dogs and people safe? |
| Sustainability | Can you keep it going after the first enthusiastic month? |
The playbook’s resource list includes Best Friends Canine Care and Enrichment materials, a Length of Stay Manual, enrichment webinars and guides, Dogs Playing for Life materials and extra marketing tips. Confirm that each is still available before you build a plan around it.
Quick Recap
Separate from the playbook: owner-side safety for big dogs
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