How to Assess a Dog... ?
- Thread starter pitbulliest
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Here's what I look for: Is the the dog outgoing or shy? Can they be handled (feet, ears, tail touched, groomed, etc.)? How do they react to other animals? We also get information from the dog's intake sheet. The sheets say whether a dog is housetrained, good with kids/cats/other dogs, spayed or neutered, any health problems, and there's a little description of the dog and its reason for being at the shelter. Most of the reasons say "stray", "owner moved" or "owner had a baby".
I have not had any formal behavioral training, but I've been around a LOT of dogs and read lots of behavioral books and stuff. There are other volunteers at our rescue shelter that have had formal behavioral training. But we all observe and interact with the dogs and tell each other if there is anything of concern that we have noticed.
I have not had any formal behavioral training, but I've been around a LOT of dogs and read lots of behavioral books and stuff. There are other volunteers at our rescue shelter that have had formal behavioral training. But we all observe and interact with the dogs and tell each other if there is anything of concern that we have noticed.
What I usually do is the same as described above; with Virgo I paid special attention to how she reacted to having her ears and paws handled, since she was going to be going to a home with a kid. Sometimes I'll get a little rough in my handling, just to see how they react.
I'm not trained in any form though...there are specific tests out there.
I'm not trained in any form though...there are specific tests out there.
This is where my personal experience stops, but in my opinion...it depends on how shy the dog is and how they react.
Food aggression is more tricky. I know of a great dog who was slated for euth. because of "Food aggression". Turns out the dog was just REALLY hungry because it's cage-mate was eating both bowls. Once he was receiving regular feedings and put on some weight, his "aggression" disappeared. My friend's 4 year old daughter could hand-feed him without so much as a lip twitch. Not all dogs are like this, of course. There are some that are severly food aggressive...they should either not be adopted out, or only to a home that has had experience in dealing and managing this behavior before.
Food aggression is more tricky. I know of a great dog who was slated for euth. because of "Food aggression". Turns out the dog was just REALLY hungry because it's cage-mate was eating both bowls. Once he was receiving regular feedings and put on some weight, his "aggression" disappeared. My friend's 4 year old daughter could hand-feed him without so much as a lip twitch. Not all dogs are like this, of course. There are some that are severly food aggressive...they should either not be adopted out, or only to a home that has had experience in dealing and managing this behavior before.
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Along with all this, I test for food aggression. If it has food aggression, *I* wouldn't rule the dog out immediately if every other temperament characteristic was fine, but obviously some shelters do.
And lastly I do the "Toe Test". If the dog will let me touch its feet, I pick the back foot up, and pinch in between the dog's toes. Not enough to cause severe pain, but enough that the dog certainly feels it. Ideally you want a dog that just tries to shake its foot away and maybe cries. A dog that puts its mouth around your hand is fine too, but a dog that snaps and and actually bites the hand with force is usually a no.
And lastly I do the "Toe Test". If the dog will let me touch its feet, I pick the back foot up, and pinch in between the dog's toes. Not enough to cause severe pain, but enough that the dog certainly feels it. Ideally you want a dog that just tries to shake its foot away and maybe cries. A dog that puts its mouth around your hand is fine too, but a dog that snaps and and actually bites the hand with force is usually a no.
I don't have any training but I do assessments for shelter dogs on occasion.
I personally approach a dog in its cage first (usually where it is most comfortable) and watch its reaction to my presence. If it slinks off to the back of the cage to avoid me, I just sit down and wait for it to approach me. If it comes right up to me and jumps around, I put a leash on it and take it for a walk, assess the leash manners and any commands it may know. As long as it isn't a massive dog that flails around at the end of the leash, the manners/obedience commands have little to do with whether or not the dog is adoptable.
After it's been walked I take it somewhere quiet and start handling it. I brush it, touch the ears, examine the teeth, pick up the feet and touch in between each toe. If the dog tolerates that, I grab the tail, hold it for a few seconds and drop it; I put both hands on the face and hold it still. I pick it up if it's a small-medium dog. Just basically see how it reacts to all kinds of handling. If it's nervous about any of it, or if it freezes, I don't go any further. I would still consider the dog adoptable if it is uncomfortable with certain things, but like Tessa said, a dog that turns and bites is definitely a "no" until it has been worked with.
I don't really test for food-aggression. I do give the dog a bowl of food and slowly invade its space as it eats. If it continues eating or backs off when I get close, then I just leave it alone. If it freezes or growls as I approach, then I do assume it's posessive of its food. It is SO hard to tell if a dog is food-aggressive in a shelter, so I wouldn't base any concrete decisions on their reaction. I would, however, be more hesitant to place a dog that growls over food with a family with kids. Of course, if the dog has a really severe reaction I wouldn't consider it adoptable unless it gets extensive behavior modification.
Shyness is extremely subjective to the environment. I fostered a GSD that was terrified and distant in the shelter, but confident and Mr. Personality as soon as he got out. I wouldn't consider a severely fear-aggressive dog adoptable, but a shy dog that is distracted/overstimulated or afraid due to the noise is not one that I'd consider a problem. Often times, the softer, more sensitive dogs do have this kind of reaction to shelters. It doesn't mean they'll be shy once they go to new homes.
I personally approach a dog in its cage first (usually where it is most comfortable) and watch its reaction to my presence. If it slinks off to the back of the cage to avoid me, I just sit down and wait for it to approach me. If it comes right up to me and jumps around, I put a leash on it and take it for a walk, assess the leash manners and any commands it may know. As long as it isn't a massive dog that flails around at the end of the leash, the manners/obedience commands have little to do with whether or not the dog is adoptable.
After it's been walked I take it somewhere quiet and start handling it. I brush it, touch the ears, examine the teeth, pick up the feet and touch in between each toe. If the dog tolerates that, I grab the tail, hold it for a few seconds and drop it; I put both hands on the face and hold it still. I pick it up if it's a small-medium dog. Just basically see how it reacts to all kinds of handling. If it's nervous about any of it, or if it freezes, I don't go any further. I would still consider the dog adoptable if it is uncomfortable with certain things, but like Tessa said, a dog that turns and bites is definitely a "no" until it has been worked with.
I don't really test for food-aggression. I do give the dog a bowl of food and slowly invade its space as it eats. If it continues eating or backs off when I get close, then I just leave it alone. If it freezes or growls as I approach, then I do assume it's posessive of its food. It is SO hard to tell if a dog is food-aggressive in a shelter, so I wouldn't base any concrete decisions on their reaction. I would, however, be more hesitant to place a dog that growls over food with a family with kids. Of course, if the dog has a really severe reaction I wouldn't consider it adoptable unless it gets extensive behavior modification.
Shyness is extremely subjective to the environment. I fostered a GSD that was terrified and distant in the shelter, but confident and Mr. Personality as soon as he got out. I wouldn't consider a severely fear-aggressive dog adoptable, but a shy dog that is distracted/overstimulated or afraid due to the noise is not one that I'd consider a problem. Often times, the softer, more sensitive dogs do have this kind of reaction to shelters. It doesn't mean they'll be shy once they go to new homes.
I know her opinions can be somewhat controversial, but Sue Sternberg's book Successful Dog Adoption goes very in-depth with different temperment tests. My friend who rescues does most of those tests, along with a few of her own. Failing one part doesn't automatically mean the dog isn't adopted; it may just mean the dog needs to go to a certain home or needs to stay and be worked with (it is a home environment, not a shelter).
That's what I would assume anyways..even if a dog has certain problems, things like food aggression can be controlled and worked on the for the most part..to rule a dog out for adoption and go as far as euthanasia for food aggression makes no sense to me..
But like others said..there are always exceptions to the rule.
But like others said..there are always exceptions to the rule.