Developing Dog Play Groups

Play groups are a great way to spread the word about your shelter and its adoptable dogs. Marissa Martino, CTC, CPDTA-KA, behavior manager for Dumb Friends League in Denver, Colorado, and Andrew Mathias, CBCC-KA, canine care specialist for Multnomah County Animal Services in Troutdale, Oregon, talk about the steps they take when developing play groups for dogs.

The most important thing to remember when developing play groups is to make sure your staff is properly trained. Staff members or volunteers need to be trained to look at the body language of the dogs and how they are interacting with one another in the play group.