Training Coordinator
Your main responsibility is making sure your FP dog is developing the skills they need to succeed in their forever home.
You are working with your FP dog regularly to build the skills that will help them succeed in their new home. You are committed to your dog's success and willing to recruit other volunteers to help you work on those skills. You have completed at least one round of TOP Dog classes, or are currently enrolled in one. You are interested in staying current with and abiding by the Behavior Team's approach to training and specifically their training plan for your dog. You are willing to discuss with Behavior Team any alternative techniques you think might benefit your FP dog before you implement them.
How to advocate for your Flight Paths dog
When you need the Flight Paths Managers to take action on behalf of your dog, use submit a Flight Paths Action Request form. For example, does your dog need a Training Plan? Send in a request! Does your team need help with a marketing plan? Send in a request! You can also use the form to submit pictures, videos, or other documents.
Training Pathway - goals and deadlines for your dog's pathway outta here
Every dog is unique and so are their training needs. The Behavior Team assesses every Pathway Level 2 and Level 3 dog to develop a training plan for them. Learn more about the Training Care Pathway here.
Training Care Pathway Goals / Milestones
By Day 7 - Playgroup assessment and handling gear assigned
By day 15 - Level 3 dogs should have a Training Plan created by Behavior Team
By day 30 - Level 2 and Level 3 dogs should have a CGC/TOP Trainer; Level 2 dogs have a Training Plan created by FC Training Coordinator; Level 3 dogs eligible for a Canine Coach
By Day 45 - Start of monthly training progress check/review for Level 2 and 3 dogs
By Day 60 - Level 1 dogs should have CGC/TOP Trainer
By Day 60 - Level 3 dogs who need B-Mod plans get them
Adoption & Follow Up - all dogs will be eligible for Dog Behavior Follow Up Team support, and all dogs that need it will come with pre-adopt/pre-foster training
Behavior/Training Dashboard
Here's a Data Studio dashboard to provide quick access to behavior and training information about your FP dog.
What you are committing to
As Flight Crew Training Coordinator, you must be a volunteer Dog Walker trained up to your FP dog's handling level ("collar color"). You must also have completed or be currently enrolled in APA!'s TOP Dog course.
You will do your best to:
Ensure your dog has all of its required training needs met on time according to the Training Pathway.
Ensure you or someone on your training team takes your FP dog through the TOP Dog course all the way to completion;
Ensure your FP dog passes the TOP Dog test offered at the end of each course to achieve "TOP Dog Ready" status. (Not all dogs will pass on your first time through the course. Your FP dog should go through the course at least once, and then just keep working with you until they do pass.)
Ensure you or someone on your team is regularly addressing everything on your FP dog's staff-created Training Plan;
Ensure your FP dog maintains learned skills and acquires new skills and tricks throughout their shelter stay (This is also enrichment!);
Commit to your own continued learning/growth in the areas of training and behavior modification;
Check in with your Flow Coordinator weekly; and,
Report on your FP dog's training progress monthly.
As Training Coordinator, you can delegate as much or as little of the effort as you wish, but you will be the dog's point person for all efforts. While there can be only one Training Coordinator, you can have as many people as you wish on your training team. For example, if your dog's Training List (a staff-created list of training your dog needs) includes Muzzle Desensitization and you know a volunteer that LOVES to do that, you can enlist that person to work with your dog. Then all you have to do is check in with them weekly and report on their progress!
Training Classes - Get Trained to Train!
The training needs of each dog varies greatly and Austin Pets Alive! has several helpful classes and programs to help you and your FP dog progress along this pathway.
TAILS classes are offered on occasion and are a fun opportunity to build a training relationship with your FP dog by teaching them tricks and learning some basic training techniques.
The TOP Dog Training course asks you to attend each of the 8 consecutive classes offered in the course. If you have to miss a class, you can schedule a makeup with the staff program lead, Thomas Brown.
Canine Coaches convene with staff once a week to work with dogs in need of more advanced skills, sharing knowledge and techniques.
For information about or to sign up for any of these classes, email Thomas Brown.
Community and Resources
The Canine Coaches are a group of volunteers that regularly work with and train our Level 3 dogs. They are friendly and a great resource if you have training questions, want to shadow someone to learn a new skill or meet a new dog, or just hang out with, really. If you need help meeting them (introducing yourself can be hard for some of us), just reach out to a Flight Path Manager and we'll get it done!
There is a Facebook group where we all geek out about Training that you are welcome to join called APA! Dog Training. but we also encourage you to show off your progress and talk about whatever you'd like on all of our Facebook pages - this helps get your dog even more attention!
Check out the Flight Path Manager Library for actual behavior and care staff-approved books that you can borrow on everything from dog body language to enrichment ideas to behavior modification.
Want to be on this dog's Training team, but not lead it? Read on!
If there is a Training Coordinator for this FP dog, you can join their Training team. If this FP dog does not yet have a Training Coordinator, then you'll need to wait until there is one before you can join the team. To be on your Flight Crew's Training Team, you must:
Be trained up to the handling level of your FP dog ("collar color"); and,
Have taken or be currently taking APA!'s TAILS and/or TOP Dog classes .