The 3-3-3 Rule for Dogs: A Shelter Director on a Rescue's First 3 Months

Chris NobleHi, Sandy.

SandyHello.

Chris NobleThank you so much for joining us today.

SandyThank you for having me.

Chris NobleSo I would love it if you introduced yourself.

SandyYes, my name is Sandy. I'm the Director of Shelter Services for Santa Barbara Humane.

Chris NobleAwesome. So we're here to learn everything about what you do and how you treat the dogs and learn a little bit more about the mission overall. So what's Santa Barbara humane to you?

SandyTo me, it's a sense of community, and I know it brings the community together in a different way. So through our medical services, through our adoption services, through owner surrenders, through every aspect of what we do, we touch a different member of this community. And we also do a lot of things to try to keep animals within their home through training and, again, those medical services. And we're able to reduce animals coming in. To the shelter through those services and really just provide a full kind of assess or help, a full service of help.

Chris NobleWhat's the most impactful thing that you can do for a family to help that dog integrate better?

SandyFor if they're adopting from us then we do like to the training aspects we do discuss something called a three three three rule and that's the first three days the first three weeks in the first three months and we really do see a shift in a dog during that period and so to give them that time to adjust and not expect a perfect critter straight away and just being patient with them during that time frame and then training because you're going to need potty training and all those fun things that go with that.

Chris NobleI love that approach, because I guess you need some time to warm up to each other, because it's still like bringing a person into your home. You need to get to know each other, and there shouldn't be that automatic expectation of immediate comfort.

SandyYes, and sometimes we do have to remind people of that, because they may have had a dog that was similar, and they have the same expectations, and we have to remind them that they need to give this dog a chance to get to know them and vice versa and see what they like and don't like and what makes them happy.

Cameron MainSo we were, just off camera, we were talking a little bit about the regulation, I guess in the US, but also in California. What it is to rescue and the different steps and how you guys are, I guess, very different to animal services. Can you tell us a little bit about the differences and how, I guess you could, you maybe are more efficient or you complement each other in what regard?

SandyFor us, so we get a lot of our animals through transfers from overcrowded shelters or owner surrenders, and then we do take in stray animals as well. For a municipal shelter, such as County Animal Services, they're going to take animals through some owner surrenders, but mostly strays and through their animal control officers in the field. So for us, we try to help alleviate the overcrowding that's happening in a lot of shelters and just give them a different kind of outlook or different audience, which really does help. But the transfers have been amazing to really bring in. I think it's been over 600 transfer animals this year. And that kind of goes to the adoptions too. We've been doing really good at getting dogs and cats adopted into the community and just alleviating the stress on other shelters and then being able to find them great homes.

Chris NobleWhat's the secret behind being able to rehome dogs so quickly?

SandyIt's really the team, everybody from our clinic staff to our behavior team to animal care. Puts everything into it. So they're doing behavior work on trying to teach basic manners so they're not going into a home completely blank slate. Any kind of behavioral things that come up, we work through. We have behavior plans. Our fear-free methods of handling and interacting, even in our clinic, have really been beneficial. And I think it's just the care that everybody gives. They truly care about each animal that comes in here, and it shows in just how the animals interact with the staff, and then they're new. Homes as well

Cameron MainThere certainly seems to be a real I mean totally shared belief and vision from every single person we speak to here and it doesn't matter if it's the first person we see walking through the front door uh whether it's management every single person is very very aligned and what the mission is and everyone seems to care so so much And it's quite an impressive, I guess, feat. How do you go about organizing that and how do you keep such a morale and just that general spirit amongst your team?

SandyIt's definitely the culture here. We have Carrie, our CEO, she kind of embodies everything and she leads by example. And so she's out there walking through the kennels and interacting with dogs and working with our shy dogs and just being amazing. Everybody from every department goes through and interacts with dogs and just loves what they do. And so I think when we're all leading by example and working alongside each other and supporting and motivating, it's really where it comes from. And it's truly a team that cares about animals and wants the best for them and making sure that they just have the training and knowledge to continue that and want to be here and Everybody really does seem to enjoy their day-to-day work, even when we're running a little behind on things. If somebody's out sick, things are still getting done, and everybody's doing so with a smile. And it's really uncommon to hear, I think, and especially in this industry. But because we're so supported on every level, I think there's nothing to be upset about.

Cameron MainYeah, it seems like that. There's no, this is not my job or whatever. Everyone just wants to help or maybe even do more than what they should be doing. It's really a remarkable atmosphere for us to arrive and we recognised it straight away, like from the second we arrived.

Chris NobleYeah, it's enjoyable to spend time in. I feel like it's quite healing for us as well to come down and be around dogs who are in that shelter environment but so happy and living a really good life.

SandyYeah, we really take the time to get to know them. And we do conversational-based adoptions. We don't have a paper you're filling out. So since we know the dog so well, we can communicate with people and really match them up and do meet and greets in different ways. We did have one recently where a dog wasn't comfortable here, and we knew that. So we did an off-site visit, and she was a completely different dog, and the family fell in love and was able to adopt her. But had they not known her and just walked by a kennel, she could have been overlooked. So taking the time to really get to know them and communicate who they are to people has really been a great tool as well.

Cameron MainIt's real tact when it comes to it. And it's like Chris said a little bit. Certainly whenever I would go to a shelter back home, for me it was a bit of a, I don't want to say traumatic experience, but definitely some, it's one that I would leave very, very sad, maybe in tears from. And we tried to rescue a dog once and unfortunately it didn't work out, so we brought him back. But I mean, it was the entirety of it was generally not an easy process. What do you think is the secret to the magic here? Why is it not a sad place?

SandyIt's truly the work the staff puts in. So giving the dogs their daily enrichment. So something new every day that keeps their brain stimulated. It's getting them out. Our volunteers that come and walk them or staff that walks them and interacts with them. It really just is the time that's spent, um, there's a term capacity for care and that's where you kind of have the animals that you can properly care for so enrichment getting them clean walking them those things and that's a really big passion of mine and so we are never at a place where we're not giving them their their needs they're not sitting in a kennel feeling stressed or not interacted with because we didn't have the time and so I think it's just truly the amount of time that's dedicated to them and It's just been, it really is nice to see dogs that come back to say hi to us and are excited to be here. They're not hesitant to come in. So I think it really just is a testament to that line staff that's out there with them every day and the volunteers.

Chris NobleYou mentioned the conversational adoption process. What are some of the most important things for families considering either adopting a dog or getting a new dog when it comes to breed or personality?

SandyFor me, my biggest question to ask is what does a day in your life with your new dog look like? Because if you say, I want to Netflix and chill, then I'm not going to give you a high energy dog that wants to go on five mile runs a day. If you're a hiker, then we're going to kind of match you up more accordingly with a dog that's going to be more active and want to be doing those things with you. So it's really just figuring out what their daily life looks like and if they're wanting to be more active a dog that's going to encourage that so it's really just it is taking the time to get to know them what they're looking for and then matching that appropriately and it's been worked really, really well. And I think the papers just, you lose a lot of information in there. And so being able to just talk to somebody and see, and puppies, how much time are you going to be at home and potty training and all those fun things. So there's a lot that goes into each conversation. And figuring out somebody might come in thinking they want a puppy. And then we talk to them and they say, no, actually, I don't want a newborn. I would like something a little more established. And so we can kind of help them navigate through it a bit as well.

Cameron MainIs there a way that you're able to, I guess, go around opening someone's mind who maybe has a real idea that I want this dog, I must have this breed, I must have this age of dog. Is there a way that you are able to open them up and really consider maybe this is actually not what you were looking for? Maybe this is going to be really, really what suits your lifestyle?

SandyYeah, I think it is just kind of through that. And sometimes it's them interacting with that specific dog that they think that they may want and letting them see the difference, having them walk the dog. The energy behind it and those kind of things, really getting them in there. Because I think a lot of people can kind of find the appearance of something that they really like and it doesn't align with what they're looking for. And so giving them the opportunity to experience it themselves is a really big tool as well. Then it's not us telling them and it's them kind of making that decision on their own. Subtly guiding.

Chris NobleWhat kind of personality quirks do you see with dogs? Because I guess that's a lot of the breed specific stuff. But I imagine there must be a personality match as well.

SandyWe, you know, obviously our huskies are our talkers and the high energy and sometimes picky to eat and need encouragement to eat. And, you know, so those kind of things come up with them. They like to be the center of attention. And so they have big personalities. So if you're looking for a dog with a big personality, that's a good option. You know, we have chihuahuas who can be spicy sometimes. You know, they're very big dog and small dog body. And you know so it's just really it is fun you do see some specifics of each breed that can have different variations so it's really it's always fun to see when they come in what they're going to show us

Chris NobleAwesome. And then I guess on the other side of that, what you said when dogs come in, what's the general experience for a dog coming into the shelter and what kind of checks do you have to do to make sure they're OK and get them to that level of being able to be adopted?

SandySo it varies. So if it's an owner surrender, we understand those come in and their whole world has been just flipped upside down. And we have a dog right now named Jojo who came in and had been with his owner his whole life. And he's a senior dog, so he hasn't known anything. And he was really kind of shut down at the beginning, didn't really want to go on walks, didn't want to interact with anybody. And then we were patient. We just spent time with him. We took him on walks. He's been able to be at our front desk area and just get all the attention. And so now that's shifted and he's vivacious. He's very, you know, just comfortable with himself. And so we just are patient. And just do what we can to make them as comfortable and feel as loved and secure in this environment. And we know that it is a big change. We do have dogs that transfer in from other shelters. We don't know all about what their history was that got them to that shelter. So it's just showing them that this shelter is a safe place for them. And here we're thankful because if you go out there, you don't hear the barking and there's different reasons for that. But It's a calmer environment for dogs. So they can come and normally just generally get time to decompress and relax. And the staff is very patient with them. We don't push them. We don't ever push them beyond what they're comfortable with. We let them set the pace when they're nervous. But there's just a lot of different emotions that they go through that we try to respect.

Chris NobleWhat have they taught you?

SandyProbably more empathy and compassion than anything. Seeing them go through different things in their life and still be so resilient, too. It's just something you can't really learn in other ways. They are the most forgiving creatures and open hearts. They don't ever judge you. You can have your worst day appearance-wise or whatever's going on in your life, and they're not going to judge you for that. They're going to just want to... Snuggle up with you and make it better and just give you the reason to get up and go and keep moving forward and seeing things in a more positive light.

Cameron MainYou've got a few dogs of your own.

SandyI do.

Cameron MainCan you tell us a little bit about them?

SandyYes, I have Bug. She's my almost 12-year-old Australian Shepherd mix. I got her when I was working in San Diego. I have Kuma. He's my 10-year-old border collie, and he is very much a border collie. And then I have Journey. She was rescued from an Oakland shelter. And then Izzy, my little Chihuahua girl who I got from here.

Chris NobleThat's such a mix.

SandyAnd the Chihuahua, of course, runs the whole house.

Cameron MainI thought the collie would be herding them together.

SandyNope, she does.

Cameron MainA lot of power.

SandyYes, it's a fun mix, fun dynamic.

Cameron MainAre you able to take them to work with you or do they stay home?

SandyI do, yeah. The Chihuahua comes the most often. She enjoys it the most.

Cameron MainSo what does the morning ritual look like for you with your dogs?

SandyUm, waking up and being followed everywhere that I go, being stared at awkwardly and then, um, you know, making sure they have their needs before I go to work. So breakfast and their potty time and their yard time and playing and just interactions and then getting them set for me to leave if I'm leaving. Otherwise they are definitely Netflix and show kind of dogs. They want to get in bed and snuggle and just be there for the day.

Chris NobleI imagine you must work a lot here and you spend your days caring for the wellbeing of tons of other dogs. What do you do to make sure your own dogs are okay? And what do you do to look after them?

SandyIt's kind of almost self-care for me as well to care for them. And it's a good, at the end of the day, kind of stress reliever or they can just snuggle up with me and relax and lay next to me. And it's letting a lot of things kind of go from that day for me as well. And just making sure they are still my priority. And these ones here. Have a different connection because they don't have anyone else other than us at this time. And so it does take, I think, a lot of an emotional kind of toll in its own way. But being able to go home with my dogs and just enjoy them and have fun with them really balances that out. And knowing these dogs will have that experience as well.

Chris NobleThat sounds so healing.

SandyIt really is. I think animals have more of a healing power than people realize.

Chris NobleI'd love to learn more about your perspective on the well-being of dogs overall and their whole life from nutrition to, I guess, their mental health and just looking after them in the right way. You've touched on lifestyle and making sure there's a lifestyle fit. What else do you think is important for people to know that they maybe don't know or want to know more about?

SandyI think owning an animal has a lot of different levels to it. You might get the unexpected vet bill and need to get them in and get proper care. And thankfully, we do have an amazing clinic that does so much of those things. But nutrition is obviously a huge part of it. Finding a good food or the ability to balance some of that. If you're someone who likes a certain food that doesn't have all the nutrition in it, being able to do that But enrichment at home and in their life, using a food product is always good. Dogs are so food motivated. Anything you want them to do, you have a treat and they will normally do it. Some don't enjoy food as much, but I think just having that ability to do enrichment to give them the proper resources helps their mental health as well. So it kind of goes back to if you have a high energy dog and you're not a high energy person, something is going to be missed on their part. And what does that do to them? Having a backyard only dog has a huge detriment to their overall well-being. We have seen dogs come in that look older than they are because they were just outdoors. And I feel like that toll on them, they're social creatures. They want to be a part of a family. And when they're just having to watch through a window, what that does to their world and their hearts is really kind of a sad thing to look at. And so I think just understanding that you really are bringing a family member into the home. So you want to care about every aspect of their life.

Chris NobleI think one of the biggest insights that you can probably give people, given your role and experience here and your previous life in animal welfare, is advice for people who are thinking about adopting a dog. You've talked about lifestyle fit, making sure that that's the number one thing, people reflecting on how they live their life and how that dog would integrate. What else do you think people are shocked by or don't know about?

SandyI think a lot of it is how much time, how much responsibility. It is really like having a child, especially if you're getting a puppy. They require everything from you. You have to teach them routine and what it is to be a part of your family. And it's not one where you can just take it home and let it go and not do anything with them because they want structure as well. They want to know what's right and what's wrong. So it's really a big time commitment from the second you take them home, having a plan, knowing what you need. Do you have a crate? Do you have your food already? Do you have bowls? All those things that you need to have to have a dog and doing your research on breeds. Because again, you may think you want something and then you start reading the key traits and they're pretty much there even in a mixed breed. So figuring that aspect out and really diving into animal ownership. And finding a really good veterinarian for those things that come up and just kind of understanding it really is a family member and not a pet or just an animal that you can not integrate.

Chris NobleHow do you think things have changed over the past 20, 50, 100 years?

SandyThey have really become part of the family. So I know a long time ago, it used to be your dog was outside all day and maybe come inside at night, but most of the time would be outdoor dogs. That was kind of the theme. You would leave them at home. You wouldn't take them places. Now they're inside, they're sleeping in people's beds or, you know, nearby. They're going on vacations. They're going to the supermarket with them. Whatever the case may be, I think animals are just such a huge part of everybody's day-to-day life when you have one that that shift has been. It's been really nice to see, though. I have seen a difference in just overall dogs' demeanor and happiness, and it's been really nice to see.

Cameron MainWell, maybe you would believe, but the amount of dog strollers that we've seen since being in the U.S. Has definitely shocked us.

SandyI do think there has been a shift for people who maybe aren't able to, haven't decided to have children. There is that outlet, that place you need to put that love and affection, and they can sometimes do that because they need you. So it's kind of nice, but I do think there's definitely been a big... Uptick in dogs and strollers or I have a I have a backpack for my dog

Cameron MainWhat do you think about strollers for dogs

SandyI think they have a purpose especially if your dog can't walk on their own if they've had medical procedure if they don't like other dogs but they want to be out and be safe and every you know if they've had bad experiences with dogs running up to them there's definitely a purpose for them and some people just enjoy it over walking their dog on a leash but I think that if it has a purpose for them, then that works. But yes, there's definitely been an uptick in strollers.

Chris NobleWhat do you think happens next in the pet world?

SandyObviously, we would like to see less unaltered animals. Roaming the streets or not being properly cared for and just seeing more animals in a home. Fortunately for those who love this industry, it's not going anywhere because there still is a population problem and just still a lack of knowledge for people. But I think there's just going to be hopefully a lot more mentally happy, stable dogs that are able to find great homes and people just continuing to support shelters and finding good homes for these dogs.

Chris NobleWhat about for you guys? Cause you have some exciting plans coming up. What's the next step for you?

SandyUm, we are, um, redoing this entire campus here. And so it's been thought through. Um, I think Carrie and everybody involved has really done a great job of taking the animals into consideration. And her big thing is kind of from the paws up and it, It shows in how the yards are set up, how kennels are set up, the cat space, having enrichment, the smells they like outside butterfly gardens. You know, there's going to be so many fun things for every animal that makes their stay here even better. It's their bedroom that they're in, basically. And so we would like it to be as comfortable for them as possible. And it's just exciting to know that we're setting a new standard. And everybody's going to probably want to be a part of that or see that and hopefully take it back and upgrade where they're at as well. But it's really exciting. We can't wait for a new campus and our clinic to be even more amazing and help more people than they already do. So it's just, it's exciting. It's exciting times and fun things ahead.

Cameron MainDo you have a lot of other shelters that come and learn from you guys as well?

SandyWe do have some people who will come and just take a tour and see what we are and who we are and just they like to do that. I know myself if I travel and there's a shelter nearby I like to go in and just see what's done and how it is and it's fun to see the differences and you might get good ideas from other places as well.

Chris NobleThere's a lot of dog lovers who can't have a dog because of their lifestyle or a range of other reasons. Where's the most valuable place that they can give back?

SandyThey can volunteer at their shelter that's nearby. Like I said, we have amazing volunteers that walk our dogs. They help clean up after them and keep everything going. And they get to interact with them and just spend time with them. Sometimes there's fosters needed, so a dog can go home with you for a week or two just to get out of the shelter. So finding what ways you can give back if it is just coming in to be able to walk or it's fostering a dog or cat.

Chris NobleWe heard about a statistic that 30% of dogs are coming through adoption and the remaining 70 are paid for or otherwise. How important is increasing awareness of adoption in the US?

SandyI think... We do a fairly good job of having adoption events and bringing attention to adoptions, but there's still a lack of knowledge of, especially understanding the different type of shelters and what each shelter does and that you can find a lot of variety within shelters. And it's so important to adopt from shelters because not only does it make room for more animals, but it also gives that one that special place that they need as well.

Chris NobleAnd given your background working with the state as well, what's the bigger picture for animal welfare overall?

SandyI think it's knowledge. It's animal ownership and understanding what that does mean and that you do have to consider every aspect of them. And they're not just something to dispose of and not truly care about.

Chris NobleThat's a lovely thought to end on.

Cameron MainYeah, it's very nice. Thank you so much for talking to us.

Chris NobleThat was brilliant.

Transcript edited lightly for readability. Timestamps and captions will follow with the video release.