TT test sample for rescuers/shelter workers

Postby Maryellen » May 15th, 2006, 10:26 am

This is just a sample of what kind of tests can be done to evaluate dogs at shelters and owner surrenders.. its not written in stone so you can add or remove items to your discretion.


Please inform the owner/caretaker that the evaluation will take approximately 1 hour. Please do not "rush through" this very important preliminary test. If at anytime you do not trust the dog, stop the evaluation and do not proceed.
Part A
Pound / shelter ________________________________________
Address _________________________________________________
Phone __________________________________________________
Contact person _________________________________________
How did they acquire the dog?
Are there any known bite incidents? ____________________
Dogs inpound # ____________ Intake date _______________
Dogs sex and age ________________________________________
Does dog have a time limit? _____________________________
Does dog require second eval? ( new evaluator, male over 12 months, etc.) __________________________
Is this the first or second eval? _______________________
If dog is removed from kennel upon arrival, walk up, cheerfully greet ACO and shake hands, note dogs reaction.
If dog is in kennel before removing the dog, Stare, open eyes wide and stare at dog. Follow it's eyes with yours. Lean forward slightly. Do not speak. Reaction: Friendly? Fearful? Submissive? Aggressive (offensively comes towards you)? Defensive(aggressively backs away)? If the dog is riled by this, proceed with caution.
Once dog is removed from cage or doorway, stand motionless with dog on lead for two minutes. What is dog's reaction? Does dog initiate contact? What is the dog's response to your responding to contact? Is this contact appropriate (leaning, hand kissing, jumping up, mouthing) for a dog who has just met a total stranger?
Does dog appear to need you? Want you? Like you?
Is this dog people-focused or environment-focused?
Stroke dog from top of head to base of tail firmly, three times. What is dog's reaction? Does dog want more attention?
What is dog's general appearance? (size, conformation) Any physical deformities? (entropion, ectropion?)
What is dog's physical condition (weight, coat, eyes, gait)
Be aware of the dog every second of these tests. Some of these tests may provoke an aggressive reaction from the dog. Pay attention to the dogs eyes (bulgy), if ears are back, or if their body is posturing. Tell the ACO or your helper to be ready to take action! Do not proceed with these tests unless you feel 100% comfortable with the dog.
Part B
Does dog sit for you willingly? (OK to use treats)
Does dog down for you willingly?
Does dog come to you willingly and with confidence?
Will dog allow you to pat top of its head?
Will dog allow you to comb him (with your fingers) lightly?
Will dog allow you to hug him? Do not do this unless you feel absolutely safe. Do not let dog near your face. Be ready to act!
Hug dog for 20 seconds, wrap one arm around neck of dog with your face towards his rear, keep one hand on collar incase dog becomes agitated and tries to snap.
Complies/holds: 20 Sec? Happy?
Less than 20 Sec/ Struggled? Growl/snap? Not at all?
Will dog allow you to examine him? (ears, eyes, paws)
Examine mouth and teeth by opening dog's mouth. Does dog refuse to let you examine teeth by pulling and avoiding your hands?
Physical handling: Rate Good, Fair or Poor: Ears, Mouth, Front and Back feet, Torso, Genitals. List details of behavior with each area if noteworthy.
Touch the collar of the dog. Stand the dog using the collar. Attempt to lead the dog by the collar. Walk dog by collar for at least 30 steps, making one left turn and one right turn. Watch for any reactions. Reward good behavior with your voice. Reaction: Dog moves along happily? Dog moves with reservation? Dog refused to be lead by the collar? Aggressive? Shy/fearful/defensive?
Step on dog's toes to appear accidental (as if you were a child). What is dog's reaction? (Aggressive, Painful, Startled, Nothing?) Pinch dog's flank. Reaction?
Does dog appear to have a dominant character? If yes, can s/he be worked with and is s/he willing to relinquish his status easily?
Is dog calm/hyper?
Have a helper drop a large noisy object (i.e. a metal pan) a short distance from the dog. What is the dogs reaction? (you can try slamming the door, raising your voice as if cheering good news, etc.)
Feed dog using bowl, using some dry and wet food mixed. Start with stroking the dogs back, you can talk nicely to them. If dog is riled just by you touching the back, proceed with caution. Next, easily and calmly push dog as if to trying to get them to move from the dish, note reaction. Next, with fake hand, pull dogs dish, about a foot to one side, then move food in bowl around with fake hand. Does dog comply and maintain a happy manner? Does dog stiffen and growl, but never leaves bowl and calms as you talk to him? Does dog stop eating and growl and try snapping? Does dog bite and become totally agitated by you being there?
Give dog a higher valued item (pig's ear, hoof), and hold firmly while dog chews on it. Will dog let you take the item back? What is his reaction to your removing it? Swap a cookie for pigs ear, then give the pigs ear back and see if the dog gives it back willingly without a treat?
Take dog for a walk. Place either another collar on them or a choke, note reaction. Does dog walk well on lead? Does dog go with you willingly?
Is dog is attached to ACO, is the dog controllable without ACO present?

Is dog is attached to ACO, is the dog controllable without ACO present?
Part C
Have helper hold dog out of sight on a loose leash or you may put them on a fence with a leash. You run across the dog's path about 10-20 feet in front. Reaction: Disinterested in you? Interested but does not attempt to chase you? Attempts to chase playfully? Attempts to chase aggressively?
If you have children in the area or with you, have the children run around making noise like they normally would in a home setting. What is dog's reaction? Will dog allow children to approach and pat him?
Test dogs arousal and recovery. Move your hands in front of the dogs face, jump up and down, get loud and crazy, flick your hands above the dogs head, tease dog with the leash, you are trying here to get the dog to engage in inappropriate play. Keep charade up for 30 seconds, please tie dog out or have helper hold the lead, incase dog becomes overly aroused. Is dog not aroused by this? Dog becomes mildly aroused, but calms easily? Is dog very aroused and slow to calm? Does dog get scared, growls, or tries to bite you?
Should this dog be placed with children?
Have helper bring a calmer, predictable dog into the presence of the dog being evaluated. What is dog's reaction to new dog? Is there anything about either dog that would warrant a negative reaction?(i.e. dog is in heat, both dogs are intact males) Does dog initiate play, or do the dogs just share the same space?
Dog/Dog Aggression: Have helper hold dog out of sight on a loose leash or you may tie leash to a fence. Run across the dog's path with an on-leash neutral dog. Reaction: Note whether the dog is coming for you or the other dog in any chase attempt.
Prey/Dog Aggression: Have helper hold dog out of sight on a loose leash. Run across the dog's path with a stuffed animal on-leash. Reaction: Note whether the dog is coming for you or the stuffed animal in any chase attempt. Drop stuffed animal, and let dog investigate. How does the dog respond to the toy? (i.e. picks it up and kills it; sniffs it and walks away; acts like it's a toy; carries it around?)
Walk through the small animal area, if possible. What is dog's reaction to them?
Should this dog be placed with other pets?
Take dog for ride, if possible, how does dog like vehicle?
Is this a dog you would like to own? (A canine good citizen?) If no, why not?
What type of home would best suit this dog?
Is this dog trainable? If no, why?
Is this dog placeable? If no, why? Remember that most of the homes that come to us are not experienced, just because you could take this dog home, does not mean most our homes can. Unfortunately, you must use your head here and not your heart.
Would you feel comfortable enough with this dog to physically make the dog roll over and go belly up for you? If not, why? During this eval has the dog rolled over for a belly rub?
Any special considerations for this dog?
Date:


Comments (Please be as specific as possible)
Maryellen
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Posts: 5971

Postby turtle » May 15th, 2006, 4:35 pm

LOL, I had a nice reply all typed up and when I tried to post it, the whole PBT went down!

Here goes again... I used the PBRC Temperament Test linked below when I picked my dog from the TJO'Connor shelter in MA:

http://www.pbrc.net/temperament.html

I found it easy to use and simple and it gave a pretty good idea what the dogs were like. We did it on a few dogs and found out that some were shy while walked on a leash near traffic and other things which are not readily seen when a dog is in a kennel run.

ME, your test is very good and well detailed, it would be more useful for a shelter employee to check which dogs should go up for adoption.

Anyone have any more???
-------------------------------------------------------

I may be slow but I get there - a turtle's motto
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Postby Maryellen » May 15th, 2006, 6:14 pm

i know, i use it to test dogs at the shelter up here.. the pbrc one is good too.. if anyone else has any testing stuff please please post it here
Maryellen
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Posts: 5971

Postby LindsaySF » May 21st, 2006, 11:31 am

I appreciate this thread and I found it very interesting. :)

A few things I would add though:

In my experience at the municipal shelter where I used to volunteer, when many of the dogs (especially pit bulls) are first taken out of the kennel, they are so hyper they are INSANE. The dogs at this shelter were pretty much never walked, except by me. They spent so much time in their kennels that they developed cage aggression, innappropriate excitement behaviors when they saw people (urinating, mounting, mouthing, jumping), very poor leash manners even though I know they walked well on leash when I was last there, etc. I had to let them run around the outside pen for at least 15 minutes before I could really assess their true temperament.

I notice that this test appears to begin right after taking the dogs out of the kennel. Every dog at the shelter I was at would fail this test miserably if that were the case. Should dogs be allowed to "calm down" before beginning the test? And if so, for how long?

As for the PBRC test, I like that one as well. But I have noticed that dogs that don't get out of their kennels much, or dogs that are new to the shelter, will show "Aggressive", "Shy/Nervous", or "Independent" reactions. But if I take the dog out more, and return the next week and the next, the reactions fall into the "Responsive" category more and more. Maybe this is just me, but do you give a dog a 'second chance' for circumstances such as this, or should the dog be responsive no matter what? (And I'm not talking about human aggression here, but dogs that are more environment-oriented or who jump up and mount a lot, etc).


Another question I have is about the accuracy of the prey drive test. I tried the same things at the shelter and the dogs only saw the toy as a toy. They got excited, but not as excited as when they were brought into the actual cat room. My foster Brutus is a good example of this. He often shows no interest in stuffed toys, and even when he does, he is very gentle with them and just carries them around. But put him in the presence of a real cat, and he loses his mind. Maybe I didn't have the toy make enough cat noises? :D



~Lindsay~
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Postby Maryellen » May 21st, 2006, 12:23 pm

its up to the individual to exercise the dogs out of the kennel or not..i exercise them first.. its just a basic sample, i am sure there are many others.... everyone should add what they use too..
Maryellen
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Posts: 5971

Postby clutch billups » February 26th, 2007, 7:32 pm

walk your new friend for at least an hour dogs bond through travel so in my opinon your test is good but only after you let the dog releive some stress from being in an uncertian environment and i wouldnt stare him down first thing couse thats a challenge and well i spose everyones got different methods but definetly walk first before anything :P
you will all know me as the one that dedicated his life to pit bulls and there rights (or lack there of ) we can beat ignorance
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