Testing a Dog's Temperament

It’s easy to lose your heart at an animal shelter. There are so many adorable animals vying for your attention that you may find yourself wanting to take them all home. Of course, all the animals deserve good homes. But how do you find that special companion animal that’s the best fit for you?

Dog temperament-testing tips

Check out all the dogs.
You may be tempted to stop looking after seeing only a few, but you owe it to the dogs to see them all. Some shelters put their most adoptable dogs further back in the kennels to give the less adoptable ones a better chance at being seen.

Find out how long a dog has been at the shelter.
Dogs need at least two to three days to adjust to their new environment. New arrivals will probably still be searching for their owners. If the dog has been there for a week and still seems distracted, it may be a bit unfocused and may require more time to train.

Determine whether the dog is friendly.
To find a friendly and sociable canine, use the "hand and talk" test used by animal behaviorists. First, put your hand out to see if the dog will sniff or lick it. Then talk to the dog. Social dogs will respond quickly by coming to you and even rubbing their bodies up against you. You want a dog that seeks out people and wants contact.

Meet with the dog in a quiet indoor environment.
When you find a dog that you would like to know better, ask the staff where you can visit quietly with the animal. To see if the dog is interested in people, spend a few minutes ignoring him or her. A very social dog will soon try to solicit your attention.

Test the dog’s touch tolerance.
Pet the dog about 15 times. Does the animal want you to continue or does it pull away? This tells how much physical contact the dog is willing to tolerate.

Test the dog’s arousal.
Jump around and make squeaking noises for about 15 seconds. See how excited the dog gets and how long it takes for it to calm down. Some dogs may require extra effort and patience to quiet themselves.

Test the dog for separation anxiety.
Walk out of the room and leave the dog alone for a few minutes. When you re-enter the room, check its reaction. Does the dog seem stressed or out of breath? These signs may indicate the dog suffers from separation anxiety.

Walk the dog (if the shelter allows it).
At this point, the dog may be more interested in the smells and sights of the great outdoors than you. The dog will also pull on the leash, but that has no bearing on future training. What you want to know is how the dog reacts to noise and traffic and whether the dog is prone to chasing moving objects, like cars or feet.

Test the dog’s motivation.
An animal motivated by a ball or a treat is much easier to train.

Determine if the dog is child-friendly.
It’s always a good sign when a dog goes to children first. In homes with children under 7 years of age, it’s important that the dog prefers the children to the adults. If the dog has no tolerance buffer to begin with, it may immediately react to the handling and behavior of children.
 
 
Used with the permission of the American Humane Association.