With dog overpopulation an ever-increasing problem in GA, most families looking to add a new dog to their family will go to their local Animal Control facility to adopt a new pet.
Local Animal Shelters are bursting at the seams with dogs waiting adoption. Adopting a dog from Animal control usually means there is little or no background history on the dogs. In this article, we will outline how to minimize the risk in adopting a dog and give you pointers in picking a wonderful, social, safe family dog.
There are a few things you should have in mind when you arrive at the pound.
Firstly, to no fault of the Animal Control facility, the environment is extremely stressful, the enclosures are usually overcrowded, and the amount of human interaction and contact is minimal. Animal Control is merely dealing with the hemorrhaging problem of pet overpopulation.
The most difficult but important thing to do when selecting a new dog is to put aside looks and gender as search criteria! Go in with an open mind and look for a dog that will be your best friend, be safe around your family and the community, and love interacting with adults and kids alike! Who cares what they look like; it’s what’s inside that matters anyway!! Some of the nicest, sweetest, safest dogs I have encountered at the shelters are non-descript black pit mixes.
Sociable dogs that have been starved of human interaction will seek out human affection regardless of the amount of stress they are under or the environment they are in. This is probably the most important fact to keep in mind when selecting a new dog from the pound. So what does a sociable dog look like and what does it not look like.
A sociable dog will, without prompting approach a kennel door and seek out petting and attention from a passer by. A sociable dog will not recoil away from a kennel door or hide in a corner. A sociable dog will most likely put their front feet up on the chain link and try lick at the human interacting with them. At no point will a sociable dog try and scratch at a human or apply pressure when mouthing. A sociable dog might lick at hands and mouth very gently.
Things to look for that indicate a sociable dog. When a sociable dog approaches a kennel door, they will not maintain eye contact with the human. There will be lots of brief glancing and looking away and their ears will be held back softly against their head. A sociable dog will also find it very difficult to approach straight on, and will “wiggle” their whole body from side to side often turning sideways when getting up to the kennel door to present their body at an angle to the human.
In most cases, dogs are in runs with other dogs, so there will be an element of competition between the dogs. Take note of which dogs demand attention by “bulldozing” other dogs out of the way or dogs that get more and more insistent on attention by scratching or mouthing at you, and which dogs seek out interaction in a more gentle yet excited manner.
Once you have narrowed down your list, it is time to take the dogs out of the kennel.
Keep in mind the dog has had little to no human contact and petting and probably no outdoor time. A sociable dog will turn its attention to the human despite the new exciting outdoor environment! This is difficult to comprehend, but it is a very important fact. Of all the things a dog in the shelter has been missing, a sociable dog will have missed human contact the most, more than outdoor time and sniffing!
I suggest walking straight out the kennel at a brisk pace, out to a fairly open space or holding area. Once there and keeping the dog on a leash, stand still and upright in a relaxed manner, without talking or touching the dog and wait a full 60 seconds. A sociable dog will approach you without being prompted or coaxed! They will be trying to get your attention and affection without you offering it first! You are looking for the same things here as you were looking for in the kennel. Jumping up is fine, but it should be soft and gentle.
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From here, if you have found the dog to be excited, yet gentle in their interaction, bend down, or sit down on a chair and follow the same procedure, but this time offering brief, gentle affection.
At no point do you want a dog jumping towards your face, even if it appears to be in playful excitement. Gentle nuzzling, or crawling towards a face might be acceptable, but a dog that jumps towards your face repeatedly is a dog that will be at higher risk of biting as that dog feels comfortable to direct it’s attention forcefully on the most defining area of a perfect stranger. Think of it as if a server you had never met threw their arms around you in a lingering hug as you walk in the restaurant door. Just a little creepy in the familiarity!
Sociability is possibly the most important factor in finding a sweet, affectionate and safe dog for you and your family. If you are interested in learning more about a full Temperament assessment, or want help in selecting a new dog, give us a call; we would love to help you find your new best friend!
Jabula offers full Temperament assessments for dogs brought to the Training School as well as a service where we go with families to local Atlanta area Shelters to assess and help select a family dog.
A sociable dog will not claw or scratch at you and jump incessantly, particularly at your face. A sociable dog might jump up, but they would not claw or scratch, they would gently jump up and usually from the side as to be non-confrontational. Here too, like in jumping up in the kennel, they will not maintain eye contact with the human. There will be lots of brief glancing and looking away and their ears will be held back softly against their head. A sociable dog will also find it very difficult to approach straight on, and will “wiggle” their whole body from side to side often turning sideways when jump up to present their body at an angle to the human.
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