Canine Behavior Supervisor

Full-time, 40 hours per week. Reports to the Dog and Small Animal Care Manager.

About the role

The Canine Behavior Supervisor evaluates shelter dogs and makes recommendations for placement, foster, rescue, or behavior euthanasia when appropriate. This role monitors the shelter dog population to ensure individual needs are met, implements behavior modification, training, and enrichment plans, and creates individualized support plans for dogs in long-term care. The supervisor also provides training and support for the canine care team and volunteers.

Responsibilities

• Oversee Canine Population Management (30%)
  • Monitor emotional and physical needs through daily rounds
  • Develop partnerships with rescue groups
  • Assist the Dog Foster Care Coordinator with foster placements or in-home behavior support
  • Enter behavior information in the shelter database
• Oversee Canine Behavior Assessments and Intake Screening Process (20%)
  • Assign color codes to dogs to align with volunteer roles
  • Interact with dogs in kennel areas and exercise yards
  • Review staff and volunteer comments on dog interactions for placement, training, and enrichment adjustments
  • Make recommendations for placement, foster, rescue, or euthanasia as appropriate
• Develop Behavior Modification and Enrichment Plans for Shelter Dogs (40%)
  • Identify dogs needing additional behavior support
  • Create individualized plans for each dog
  • Facilitate and schedule out-of-kennel enrichment opportunities, including:
    • Dog-dog play dates or small group play
    • Parallel walks
    • Play yard enrichment sessions
  • Assist with training and support of canine behavior modification volunteers
  • Track and record individual dog progress
  • Ensure monthly dog behavior reports are completed and communicated with the team
• Assist with Consultations (10%)
  • Provide foster parent counseling and hands-on support
  • Offer adoption counseling and 90-day post-adoption support
  • Support dog surrender screening and counseling

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in an animal behavior field preferred
• Minimum of three years of experience in canine training and positive reinforcement, force-free behavior modification techniques
• National certification from Karen Pryor Academy or Victoria Stillwell Academy (force-free and positive training) a plus
• Thorough understanding of canine behavior, body language, and learning theory
• Well-developed written and verbal communication skills
• Friendly, energetic, and adaptable to a fast-paced environment
• Dedication to the philosophies of animal welfare at Faithful Friends Animal Society
• Strong computer skills
• Ability to teach employees, volunteers, and customers and promote teamwork