Assessing Behavior

The pups are seven weeks old today and last night they underwent a behavior assessment. A behavior assessment is standard procedure for all animals we foster for the Champaign County Humane Society.

For the dogs we foster the assessment doesn’t determine whether or not the animal is adoptable. That goes without saying except in very rare, exceptional cases (see my post about our dog Bella). The purpose of the assessment is to help the Shelter staff make better matches. The evaluation can yield information regarding a dog’s energy requirements, play styles, tractability, trainability, as well as reaction to children, other pets, and household activities.

We very much want the first adopter of our foster dogs to be the last, i.e., keep the dog for life. However, when most people go to a Shelter to pick out a new companion they will spend a relatively short time, maybe a half hour or less, with that animal before they decide to adopt it into their home. Many people make their decision based solely on color or breed. The behavior assessment provides additional information to help the adopter make a more informed decision.

For example, some people want a high drive, high energy dog that will play dog sports, go running, or in other ways lead a very active lifestyle. Other people want a quiet companion around the house who’s happy to sit on the couch and watch TV. Some families have small children or other pets, other don’t. Some people enjoy the challenges of dog training and advanced classes, others not so much.

The problem is that the first, and often only, meeting many adopters have with the prospective pet is a few minutes in a “Get Acquainted Room” at a shelter. Emotions run high on both sides. The people, especially children if they are involved, are excited to meet the new puppy. The puppy is excited, and probably a bit nervous, about meeting with new people. If there are children involved and it’s one of our fosters, it may the the first time the pup has seen a little kid. It’s almost impossible to judge the “normal” behavior of the dog under these circumstances.

But the  behavior assessment has been done based on our living with the puppy over a multi-week period. We know how active they are, if they ever rest, what they like to play with, how trainable they are, how they are with new people, etc. The assessment form guides us through answering questions about these things and more. It gives the shelter staff and potential adopter more information than they can get under typical conditions at the shelter.