• Must be at least 18 years old

• Must be able to volunteer for a minimum of 3 hours per week on an assigned shift (no drop-ins) and commit to coming regularly each week

• Must have previous dog handling experience

• Must attend FMAR training sessions before being assigned to a weekly volunteer shift

• Must have patience with overactive dogs

• Must be able to handle large and/or untrained dogs

Volunteer Coordinator, FMAR Dog Trainer, and Shift Leader

New volunteers will attend an orientation with the FMAR Volunteer Coordinator where they will be given written materials and videos to study, as well as a tour of our facility. After the volunteer completes the preparation (above), they will be partnered with an experienced volunteer for training. During the training period (a minimum of 3 sessions), the trainee must demonstrate that they are responsible, reliable and able to communicate effectively with their trainer and other volunteers/staff.

After the trainee successfully completes all the training provided, they will be assigned to a regular weekly shift where they will be supervised by an FMAR Shift Leader.

• Remove dog from kennel with the least distress to other canines

• Provide an ample supply of water before, during, and after training

• Positive rewarding of good behavior

• Socialization of the canines, including brushing and fun time

• Look for signs of distress/illness in the animals

• Cleaning kennel