General Handling Rules
Handling
When handing off or taking a dog, try to communicate: last potty, current energy level, any tricks working on and any helpful info about the dog. When watching the dog, if they show signs of bad behavior or nervousness, tell the foster! For example, if the dog freaked out around the hand dryers, it’s important that the fosters know so they can communicate that information on weekly reports and so that they know to work on any issues.
Dogs should be in a ‘heel’ on your left side. This is a 4 Paws for Ability rule. If they break the heel to sniff, correct them and put them back into a ‘heel’.
Dogs should be sitting when being pet. If someone starts petting the dog when they are not sitting, politely ask the person to wait a moment, and put the dog in a ‘sit’. ‘Down’ and ‘‘side’ are also okay.
It is our responsibility as handlers to pick up and clean up after our dogs. This includes cleaning up a fur-covered room, accidents (both inside and outside) and picking up after your dog goes potty. If your dog has an accident inside, make sure you clean it as best you can and notify building staff so they can make sure it’s sanitized. If you run out of poop bags, there are ALWAYS some on the door of the office (Armstrong 2021). If you’re out of bags when your dog goes potty, do your best to find a plastic bag nearby (all the markets have plastic bags). You can also send an SOS in the Group Me. We want to maintain our reputation for being responsible for our dogs!
There are different expectations for younger dogs (8 weeks to 4 months) than older dogs. Puppies are just beginning to learn how to be dogs! Make sure you only expect what the puppy can understand and listen to. This means not asking for perfection, but rather working on improving step by step. For example, puppies won’t be able to hold a ‘down’ as long as a 6 month old dog and that’s okay!
All commands have an ‘implied stay’. This means that the dogs should hold a command until you tell them ‘free’. If they break a command, correct and put them back in the command. Then (if you want), tell them ‘free’. For younger dogs and commands the dog is just learning, this means expecting them to hold the command for shorter amounts of time. As dogs grow and learn more, you can push the limits of the ‘implied stay’ more.
TREATS ARE HELPFUL! Kibble seems boring to us, but to them, kibble is EVERYTHING. If the dog is not responding to kibble, try using higher value treats like Pupperoni or Fresh Pet. 99% of the time, kibble does the trick (especially for lab mixes and food motivated breeds).
Make sure you’re giving the dogs water on hot days, after exercise, or if they’re panting a lot.
Most fosters have collapsible bowls in their dog’s bag. If they don’t have one, the to go bowls from Pulley’s and the ice cream bowls from Miami Ice work great!
It’s important to make all new socializations happy and fun for the dog. Using a happy voice and treats can help them overcome nervousness. Sometimes it takes time for them to get used to a new socialization, so be patient! If treats are not helping and they are still showing nervousness, remove the dog from environment and try again another time.
Socializations include: People, Places/Sights, Sounds, & Experiences
Location
Dogs must keep their vests on at all times while in public buildings (i.e. academic buildings, Armstrong Student Center, restaurants).
Dogs are not allowed in dorms. This includes public areas, private rooms and sorority suites. This is a Miami University rule and it is very important to follow.
Dogs are not permitted in any science lab environment. If it is a closed-toe shoe environment or includes hazardous materials, no dogs allowed!
Dogs are allowed to be off leash in enclosed areas on campus (i.e. study rooms, unused classrooms, tennis courts). Dogs must keep their vests on and only four dogs are allowed off leash in a room at a time. At tennis courts, people take priority so please be respectful of their right to use them.
Dogs are not permitted at any bar/party environment including alcohol. You should not be handling a dog when consuming alcohol. Restaurants are okay but always be aware of your surroundings. If you are planning on consuming alcohol, make plans for your dog (i.e. find a sitter, or if its bedtime, kennel them).
Always check with your professors before bringing a dog to class. There is a sample email on the Google Drive. Some professors or classes will dictate you can’t bring a dog to class. Do your best to respect your professors’ wishes.
Younger dogs (8 weeks to ~5 months) are still not fully vaccinated and this limits the locations they can go to. Puppies cannot go on public grass until fully vaccinated (even for going potty). They also cannot go to pet-friendly stores (this includes pet stores, Home Depot, etc.) Puppies also should not be going to full-time classes. It can be a lot to expect them to be still for that amount of time and it’s distracting to continuously take them out to go potty.