Dog Care in Shelters
- 1. Defensive Handling
- 2. Why to Start a Dog Walking Program
- 3. The Deterioration of a Shelter Dog
- 4. Breaking Up Dog Fights in a Shelter Setting
- 5. Pre-Evaluation Safety S.C.A.N.
- 6. Kennel Cough
- 7. Checklist for Factors in the Assessment of Dangerousness in Perpetrators of Animal Cruelty
- 8. How to Set Up a Comfy Dog Kennel
- 9. Warning Signs for Loss of Quality of Life for Dogs in Shelters
Pre-Evaluation Safety S.C.A.N.
Sue Sternberg
Pre-Evaluation Safety S.C.A.N.
Evaluating the temperament of shelter dogs is a necessary but dangerous process. Hopefully, the dogs that are ready to be behaviorally evaluated will have been sheltered for at least two days, so that they have had some time to adjust to the environment and will have been handled for a physical exam and vaccinations.
Before beginning the temperament evaluating process, do a "Safety S.C.A.N." Dogs with any S.C.A.N. behaviors should be handled with extreme caution, not tested until they have been sheltered longer with more time to adjust to their surroundings, and never evaluated without another tester present. These dogs should NOT yet be up for adoption.
S.C.A.N. stands for:
S -sexually mature
Dogs who are sexually mature (1.5 years or older,and the older
the more potentially dangerous) are more capable of intense or
sever aggression, and more likely to have bitten in the past and
to be quite good at biting.In tact and sexually mature dogs need
to be handled with more caution than juvenile and/or neutered
dogs.
C =Cautious
Dogs who remain uncomfortable with either the tester or their
environment, even after a few minutes of initial contact,
observation in the kennels or while leashed, should not be tested
at this time. The dog should be able to form some bond,start to
show some trust in the tester, even after a few
minutes.
A =Aroused
Dogs who are in a constant state of agitation,arousal or who
appear "hyper", unfocused, reactive should be handled with
extreme caution. Be especially mindful of not confronting these
dogs in any way, not "correcting" or punishing them, as this may
trigger aggression. Signs of stress may or may not be evident:
dilated pupils, wide open mouth panting, veins prominent on face,
etc.
N =No Signs of Friendliness
Dog lacks overt signs of friendliness. Observe the dog and ask
what normal, friendly dog behaviors is the dog NOT showing? The
behaviors a dog is missing is often as significant as the
behaviors he is exhibiting.
Courtesy of
Rondout Valley Kennels, Inc.
suesternberg.com
