Predicting the behaviour of rescue dogs : It’s difficult to compare a shelter to a sofa!

Are you thinking about adopting a rescue dog from a shelter? Or perhaps, like all my dogs and cats, you already have a shelter pet. Are you worried that they may have behaviour problems? New research has provided insight into the predicting the behaviour of shelter dogs and any behaviour problems they may have.

When I speak to people about the possibility of adopting shelter pets, they are often concerned that they may end up with a dog or cat who has behavioural issues. Indeed, we often hear that behaviour problems are the number one reason pets are surrendered to shelters and pounds. Very few owners want a pet with problems! In fact, some studies have shown that one-third of people believed that adult shelter dogs have behaviour problems.

Behaviour assessments predicting the behaviour of rescue dogs

If predicting the behaviour of rescue dogs was possible, this may make life a lot easier, or at least predictable. And this is exactly what many shelters have been doing for years now. Standardised behaviour assessments are conducted on incoming dogs. Some cats too.

The information gathered from behaviour assessments is then used to identify dogs suitable for adoption and match them with suitable adopters. For instance, a behavioural assessment might show that a particular dog is very friendly to people but does not like being left alone. When new owners adopt this dog, they can be forearmed with knowledge and useful strategies to help the dog cope in their new life.

But do the same behaviours continue in their new home? Does a dog with separation anxiety in a shelter still have the same issue within a home? A new study has looked at the behaviour of 123 dogs, assessed in a shelter environment and then one month post-adoption. Did the same behaviours arise in the home as were discovered in the shelter?

Which dog behaviours were tested?

Behaviour assessments looked at behaviours including:
Room exploration
Behaviour when on a leash
Sociability
Tolerance
Play behaviour with toys
Tag (run and freeze)
Possessive behaviours
Toddler and stranger interaction
Time alone
Social interactions with other dogs
Response to a fake cat

Behaviour assessment results

One month after adoption, the dogs’ new owners were interviewed by telephone and the frequency of socialisation to owners and children, and behaviour with run and freeze play, an unfamiliar person, unfamiliar children, an existing dog, an unfamiliar dog, and interactions with cats was rated.

Behaviour assessments, as with previous studies, were found to be useful as a tool in providing an overall measure of dog behaviour, particularly in regard to friendly, fearful and anxious behaviour. Behaviour problems, such as aggression, food guarding and separation-related behaviours, however, were not reliably predicted by the standardised behaviour assessment.

So, some behaviours are predictable, some are not. We cannot predict if the dog with separation anxiety in the shelter will have the same behavioural trait in their new home. A friendly dog in the shelter will likely be friendly in their new home.

Since we know that a dog’s environment can greatly impact their communication behaviours, it is very likely that the effect of the owner’s behaviour or personality, and other animals in the household, will influence/affect the dog’s behaviour post-adoption, making it more difficult to determine the on-going behaviour issues or changes in the behaviour of dogs post-adoption.

So, what does this mean for behaviour assessments? What does this mean for dogs? Can we get more reliable indicators of future behaviour?

The future of canine behaviour assessments

The authors of the study advocate that shelters must look for an approach that allows an improved ability to identify behaviour problems in a more stable environment. A foster care system, for example, which is common in many shelters, especially for those dogs that cope better in a home environment.

The use of behaviour consultants could identify behaviour problems within this environment, who then recommend ongoing behaviour modification, including training with dog trainers. Identifying problems within a home environment, albeit a foster one, may be more accurate in predicting future behaviours problems in the dog’s new home.

Although such testing may be resource-heavy for poorly funded shelters, other forms of monitoring canine behaviour and any potential problems are also valuable. Staff and volunteer observations and veterinary examinations are also vital in providing much-needed information about each dog awaiting adoption.

For those shelters that continue to only use one behaviour assessment within the shelter environment prior to adoption, great care should be taken to ensure that the dog is suitable – and remains suitable – for adoption. Continuous research and training in shelters, together with ongoing support, may help gain a better understanding of canine behaviour.

Best future for rescue pets

Dogs who are surrendered to shelters should undergo a preliminary assessment within the shelter, to determine their suitability for adoption. This could weed out those that exhibit unmodifiable health or aggression issues (this will always be contentious).

Then, where possible, dogs are fostered to homes where further assessment may be conducted in this more realistic home environment. Any potential ongoing problems would be worked on by behaviourists, trainers and foster carers. Surely this would give the dog the best chance at a future life without behaviour problems, with still maintaining the safety of all concerned.

Predicting the behaviour of rescue dogs may never be an exact science but we can keep learning.

What’s your experience of adopting a rescue dog? Did they have any behavioural problems? And how did you cope with them?