Reconciling the in-building roster before closing

Reconcile the in-building roster by walking the groups and ticking each dog off against the check-in board, then comparing the two lists line by line before you close. The goal is a single agreed list: every dog physically present matches a check-in, and every check-in matches a dog present.

The walk-and-tick

Print or write the current in-building list, one dog per line, grouped by play area. Walk each area with the list and a pen. Tick each dog you see. Do not tick from memory; look at the dog. When you finish an area, note the time at the top of that section.

A sample line:

• [x] Biscuit — small group — seen 16:10
• [ ] Marlow — small group — not seen

The comparison

Back at the desk, read the check-in board against the ticked list. Sort the mismatches into two piles: dogs ticked but not on the board, and dogs on the board but not ticked. Handle each pile before closing.

Resolving a mismatch

For a dog ticked but not on the board, find the check-in record or the owner's message. For a dog on the board but not ticked, check the pickup log first — the dog may already be home. If neither explains it, ask the group leader before you close.

When the walk is interrupted

If a walk is cut short, do not mark the unvisited area as complete. Write not walked beside it and finish it before closing, or hand the unfinished area to the next shift with the time noted.

Take a Tuesday close. The board listed nine dogs. The walk ticked eight and left Marlow unticked. The pickup log showed Marlow collected at 15:50, but the check-in board had not been updated. The desk marked Marlow home on the board and noted the time. The visible change: the closing list and the board both showed eight dogs in the building, and the discrepancy was explained in writing rather than left as a silent gap.

Related: Dog Daycare Manager features.