Do Shelter Dogs Get Behavior Tests Before Adoption?

Adopting a dog is a big deal, so finding a compatible pup can feel nerve-wracking. That’s why temperament testing sounds like a smart option to help predict how a pup will act once they settle in. But here’s the thing — temperament testing for shelter dogs doesn’t actually work.

They attempt to measure everything from fear and shyness to anxiety and aggression to stability and friendliness, but stress, an unfamiliar shelter environment, and the speed of these tests often lead to misleading results. And though these controversial tests were once widely used, they’re not very good predictors of a dog’s future behaviors.

A dog who shuts down in a chaotic kennel might be playful and confident once at home, while one who reacts to a stuffed hand on a stick may never show aggression in real life. Read on to learn more about how temperament tests work, why they’re used, and why they might not be worth relying on.

How dog temperament testing works

It’s easy to understand the appeal of dog temperament and behavior testing. Rescues or shelters could use a dog temperament test to boost a dog’s adoption chances. This might mean identifying specific behavioral triggers to better pair a pet parent with a dog or to fill in the blanks when they don’t have much information on a dog’s background. (Doggie daycares and kennels may also use these tests to determine if a pup has the proper temperament to get along with other dogs in the facility’s care.)

What happens in a dog behavior assessment?

Some of the tests used by shelters include SAFER, Match-Up II, and Assess-a-Pet. The tests attempt to assess a dog’s reaction to stimuli around them — and isolate the potential problems this could cause. Many of these tests are performed in under 15 minutes, with the idea of gathering a better understanding of how a pup would react to children, other animals, unfamiliar humans, and other possible stressors.

During the test, an assessor might do things such as use a rubber hand to poke a dog’s food or face while they eat, squeeze their paws or the spaces between their toe pads, or put on a large hat and coat, knock on the door, and then walk toward the dog — making eye contact before reaching for them (which, honestly, who wouldn’t find that a little stressful?). And in some cases, they’ll use a stuffed dog to test dog reactivity.

Reading behavior assessment results

But leaning on the tests for quick, clear insight into a pet is wishful thinking. Temperament testing is predictive, and this is where its effectiveness becomes hazy: Testing is typically built around the belief that an isolated, provoked behavior under controlled circumstances gives us an accurate window into a dog’s temperament at home or in the world at large.

One study — led by Erin Hecht, an assistant professor of human evolutionary biology at Harvard University and director of their Canine Brains Project — found that dogs’ neocortexes have grown bigger as they’ve evolved. This points towards them developing “behavioral flexibility,” or a heightened ability to adapt to diverse environments. This suggests one controlled test over a few minutes isn’t exactly the best measure of a dog’s temperament.

Temperament testing: pushback and controversy

One of the biggest discussions surrounding temperament tests is their impact on dogs’ lives at shelters. In the past, if a shelter pup failed temperament testing, they would have probably been deemed unadoptable and thus euthanized. This is significant when you consider that each year roughly 390,000 dogs are euthanized, according to the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA).

A paper from The Journal of Veterinary Behavior studied more than 25 years of published research and found that behavior evaluation is unreliable and should, in fact, not be used in shelter environments.

Behavior tests capture only one moment in time.

That criticism is rooted in scientific research. “We cannot measure psychological traits directly. Instead, we can measure only behavioral and physiological responses and then infer their meaning,” a paper in Frontiers in Veterinary Science reported. “One of the drawbacks to behavioral testing is that it is susceptible to being influenced by state effects (transient variations in behavior) as well as other confounding factors, as opposed to purely measuring the trait or behavior of interest.” 

Translation: Finding flaws in a dog due to a staged “gotcha” moment isn’t a fair or accurate reading of their temperament.

The National Canine Research Council writes, “The very premise that the provocations used at a single time during a dog’s stressful experience in a shelter will predict future behavior at a different time and place may be fatally flawed.”  

Behavior tests are only one part of the equation.

In the ASPCA’s statement on temperament testing, they write, “Behavior assessments have not proven highly accurate or precise when used to predict aggression after adoption.” That’s why the ASPCA says euthanasia shouldn’t be based only on a dog’s behavior in a test.

“Shelters are not doing much more than flipping a coin when they use an assessment to decide whether a dog will be put on the adoption floor or, potentially, euthanized,” Dr. Jessica Hekman, a veterinarian, told Kinship, in response to this crusade. 

Alternatives to dog temperament testing

Rescue dogs are living in shelters, a space already known for stoking stress and anxiety. Those heightened emotions typically soften over time after a dog is adopted into a forever home, where they finally feel safe and secure. Until they get home, the best that animal shelters and rescues can do is get a better sense of a dog’s personality and behavioral tendencies through ongoing observations. The ASPCA suggests a few methods for assessing a dog’s temperament without relying on formal temperament tests.

1. Shelters ask the surrenderer questions: Organizations encourage pet parents to give them a clear understanding of why they are surrendering a dog. In cases where a dog has been found, the Good Samaritan can offer insights into what they’ve initially learned about the dog between finding them and bringing them to the shelter. 

2. Shelter staff make observations: The shelter medical team, staff, volunteers, and fosters note down any helpful observations about the pup — especially how they begin to let their guard down during one-on-one interactions at the shelter.

3. Foster and volunteer observations: Foster homes or doggy day out volunteers can observe signs of the dog in a more relaxed state. Does the dog enjoy being petted? Do they seek reassurance from people? Is the dog happy just to spend time with someone?

4. Social observations: Shelter staff can glean insights into a dog’s temperament based on how they react during walks or while playing with other pups in playgroups. These observations over time can provide some insight into a dog’s level of confidence with new objects, animals, and people and their ability to recover from the stress (of the kennel).

Commonly asked questions

Are dog temperament tests accurate?

No, dog temperament tests are not accurate for dogs. Research has proven that temperament tests are not accurate representations of a dog’s personality, especially so when it applies to shelter and rescue dogs.

At what age can you tell a dog’s temperament?

The age at which you can tell a dog’s temperament will differ from dog to dog. However, testers usually start assessing a puppy’s personality around seven to eight weeks of age. Meanwhile, studies have shown that a dog’s personality will evolve with age.

Does a dog’s breed determine their temperament?

No, a dog’s breed does not determine their temperament. Dogs of the same breed may share some traits, but research shows that temperaments will vary among dogs of the same breed. 

How can you test if a dog is good with kids?

When you’re ready to adopt a dog, ask the rescue if you can specifically meet dogs who are good with kids. When you are ready to adopt, make sure any children understand how to treat the dog (i.e., not tugging on their tails or playing too roughly with them). Once you bring the dog home, calmly introduce the new dog to the kids and, abiding by the 3-3-3 rule, increase more interaction with the pup as appropriate. 

References

Carroll, Linda. “Old Dog, Same Tricks? How Your Dog’s Personality Changes as They Age.” NBC News, www.nbcnews.com/health/health-news/your-dog-s-personality-changes-age-study-finds-here-s-n1243233.

Coleman, Becky. “What Shapes Your Dog’s Personality.” Harvard Gazette, 21 Nov. 2023, news.harvard.edu/gazette/story/2023/11/what-shapes-your-dogs-personality.

‌“Is This Dog Dangerous? Shelters Struggle with Live-Or-Die Tests.” The New York Times, 31 July 2017, www.nytimes.com/2017/07/31/science/dogs-shelters-adoption-behavior-tests.html.

Karpiński, Mirosław, et al. “Temperament Assessment Algorithm in Dogs.” Animals, vol. 12, no. 5, 2 Mar. 2022, p. 634, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8908977, https://doi.org/10.3390/ani12050634. Accessed 25 July 2022.

Moser, Ariella Y, et al. “Methods of Behavioral Testing in Dogs: A Scoping Review and Analysis of Test Stimuli.” Frontiers in Veterinary Science, vol. 11, 16 Oct. 2024, https://doi.org/10.3389/fvets.2024.1455574. Accessed 18 Dec. 2024.

Patronek, Gary J., et al. “What Is the Evidence for Reliability and Validity of Behavior Evaluations for Shelter Dogs? A Prequel to “No Better than Flipping a Coin.” Journal of Veterinary Behavior, vol. 31, May 2019, pp. 43–58, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jveb.2019.03.001.

“Temperament Tests for Dog Daycare.” Gingrapp.com, 2024, www.gingrapp.com/blog/temperament-tests-for-dog-daycare. Accessed 22 Dec. 2024.

“Unvalidated, Unreliable, and Unnecessary: Evidence for the Case against Formal Behavior Evaluations for Shelter Dogs - National Canine Research Council.” National Canine Research Council, 22 Mar. 2019, www.nationalcanineresearchcouncil.com/unvalidated-unreliable-and-unnecessary-evidence-for-the-case-against-formal-behavior-evaluations-for-shelter-dogs. Accessed 22 Dec. 2024.