Behavior Assessment Assistant – Help Us Understand the Dogs in Our Care
Support the behavior team in evaluating shelter dogs to ensure their best path forward.
Every dog has a story, but not every dog knows how to tell it. As a Behavior Assessment Assistant, you’ll help give them a voice. By working closely with staff to conduct structured behavior evaluations, you’ll gather critical insights that help us make safe, informed decisions about each dog’s care, enrichment, and placement options. Your time and observations have the power to change the outcome for our most behaviorally complex residents.
Who We’re Looking For
Ideal volunteers for this role are:
Detail-oriented and observant
Comfortable working around medium to large dogs with varied temperaments
Interested in canine behavior, body language, and enrichment
Team-oriented and able to follow protocols and direction from staff
Open to learning new techniques and participating in ongoing training
Calm, focused, and committed to safety — for both dogs and humans
Responsibilities
Assist staff with conducting structured behavior assessments using approved tools and techniques
Observe and record dogs’ reactions to various stimuli (e.g., strangers, handling, noise, other animals)
Assess traits such as sociability, fear, energy level, reactivity, and coping skills
Accurately document and email your observations to the Volunteer Coordinator
Maintain organized, detailed notes for each dog evaluated
Provide feedback to support staff decision-making on placement, enrichment, or training
Follow strict safety and handling protocols during all evaluations
Do not handle Red Sticker animals
Participate in behavior training sessions or workshops to stay current on best practices
The Impact
The information you help collect plays a vital role in how we manage, promote, and place dogs — especially those with behavioral concerns or unknown histories. Thorough assessments help increase adoption success, reduce returns, and ensure dogs receive the right match in terms of training, environment, and family. You’re helping dogs be seen for who they really are — and find the homes that understand them.
What you need to get started:
Specific One-on-One Training with Volunteer Coordinators
Animal Health Training - Animal Health
Animal Handling - Animal Handling
Animal Behavior Training - Animal Behavior
Volunteer duties, access and privileges are only valid for the duration of the assigned shift in which they have chosen on the on-line volunteer scheduling system. There is a 15-minute grace period before and after each shift so that the volunteer may prepare and/or end their volunteer assignments.
