The APDT Chronicle of the Dog Summer 2018 | Page 30

FEATURE | OBEDIENCE VS. STRESS RELIEF
Obedience vs. Stress Relief
Training efforts aimed at reducing stress and increasing engagement rather than obedience may improve
the adoptability of shelter dogs
By Cindy Ludwig, MA, RN, KPA-CTP, CPDT-KA
D
ogs who have had the misfortune, or fortune, depending
on how you look at it, to end up in shelters have needs
that are not unlike those of the dogs that trainers have
in group class or private lessons. What differs is the specific
environmental factors that impact their behavior. In addition
to being in a state of transition, these dogs are subjected to
constant noise, close confinement, limited mobility and exer-
cise, loss of a familiar environment, and uncertainty. On top
of this, many, though certainly not all, have experienced life as
a stray, abuse, neglect, and starvation. Their reactions to stress
vary from repetitive and stereotypic behaviors such as circling,
spinning, pacing, and “wall bouncing,” 1 to withdrawal. 2 To help
make these dogs more adoptable through training efforts, we
should consider their needs and research findings, rather than
making our focus basic obedience. who turned their faces when potential adopters walked by were
overlooked and stayed longer at the shelter. Barking and jumping
had no effect on adoption, but dogs that paced or leaned against
the kennel stayed longer at the shelter. 8
Training, owner surrender, and adoption
Ninety-six percent of the dogs in shelters have had no training. 3
To the casual observer it might seem training would help these
dogs get adopted. While one of the reasons people surrender
dogs is a lack of training and an inability to manage behavior
problems, research is inconclusive about whether training
programs decrease length of time in the shelter or increase
adoption rates. 4, 5, 6 Equipped with this information, shelter employees and volunteers
are in a better position to help dogs get adopted through targeted
training and behavior modification techniques aimed at reducing
stress and fearfulness, and increasing attentiveness, confidence,
friendliness, and playfulness.
Researchers Christina Siettou, Iain Fraser and Rob Fraser (2014)
found in their review of 2,037 dogs adopted from Dogs Trust in
the United Kingdom, those who were friendly to children, other
dogs, and other pets were more likely to be adopted, and those
needing training, or having behavioral problems were less likely
to be adopted. In other research, Alexandra Protopopova et al.
(2012) found dogs that had been trained to gaze into the eyes of
people were not significantly more likely to be adopted, but dogs
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Building Better Trainers Through Education
Responsiveness as a predictor of adoption
In an article in the Journal of Applied Animal Behavior Science,
Protopopova and Clive D.L. Wynne (2014) reported two
factors stood out as predictors of adoption: the dog’s response
to initiation of play, and the dog lying down near the potential
adopter’s feet. Dogs that ignored invitations to play were very
unlikely to be adopted, and dogs that lay down by the potential
adopter’s feet were approximately 14 times more likely to be
adopted. The researchers reported the two most common reasons
for not adopting were the dog was inattentive and “too active.” 9
What follows is a discussion of my experience working with dogs
in several shelters in south-central Missouri during the past six
months. Rather than focusing on training basic behaviors such
as sit, I focused on each dog as an individual and just being fully
present, patient, and quiet with the dog. If the dog wanted to
play, I played. If not, I waited until the dog was ready.
Goals to increase animal welfare and adoptability
I believed if I could form a bond with these dogs and establish a
reinforcement and safety history with them, I could decrease their
stress level while gradually building confidence through clicker