Behavior Evaluations
A well-run shelter or rescue group will systematically evaluate the behavior of the animals it’s trying to place. Well-known evaluation procedures, such as the ASPCA’s SAFER, have been developed by shelter professionals. As a general rule, shelter professionals try to assess a dog’s sociability to people and her responses to handling (including slightly unpleasant handling such as might take place in a veterinary exam), to being startled, to the appearance of unknown or strange-looking people, to other animals and to the presence of people around highly desirable items such as tasty food and treats. Many shelters and rescues also try to get a feel for other characteristics – “barkiness,” activity level and the extent to which the dog’s been taught polite manners, for instance. The more such information a shelter or rescue group collects, the better the odds of adoption success.

Behavioral evaluations are far from perfect. A study published in 2006 found, for instance, that they often failed to predict certain kinds of aggressive behavior. And many people have argued that the stress of shelter life may affect a dog’s behavior for the worse, making problems appear that would never show up if the dog were in a home. Other specialists counter this, noting that ordinary life includes plenty of surprises and stressors, too. Should you choose a dog with a known behavior problem? Unless you’re experienced, can hire competent behavior help and the problem is a minor one, the answer is no.

Tip: Read Sue Sternberg’s excellent book Successful Dog Adoption. It offers valuable advice on choosing a shelter dog and walks you through a behavior evaluation that you can do yourself. The section “Interpreting Adoption Ads,” in Chapter 3, decodes some of the euphemisms used by less careful rescue groups.