What kind of home is right for that dog in your shelter? Is it safe to adopt him into a home with children, cats, other dogs? Is he a dog who might display aggression toward people?
Answering these questions for shelter dogs can be difficult, and research on the effectiveness of various behavior evaluation programs to accurately describe canine behavior is limited.
In a 2011 study published in Applied Animal Behaviour Science, researchers examined the ability of one such test, the Match-Up Behavior Evaluation, to detect behavioral traits of dogs in shelters. They analyzed the results of 668 dogs over a 30-month time period, and successfully identified the traits of fearfulness, friendliness, aggression, and interest.
The first three components reflect a common understanding of the behavioral tendencies of dogs and are consistent with previous research. The fourth component, interest, was unique and seemed to reflect a neutral or anticipatory state, perhaps related to the testing situation.
The results of the study provide evidence that Match-Up Behavior Evaluation does indeed detect elements of canine personality. This may enable a better understanding of a shelter dog’s behavior and need for behavioral modification, as well as facilitate successful matches between dog and adopter.
Dowling-Guyer S, Marder A, D’Arpino S. Behavioral traits detected in shelter dogs by a behavior evaluation. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 2011;130(3-4):107-114.
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