How Data From Match-Up II Can Help you Save Lives
So you’ve just finished evaluating that goofy, brown, mixed breed dog named Charlie who entered your shelter three days ago, after he was picked up by Animal Control. You’ve completed all sections of the Match-Up II Shelter Rehoming Dog Program, including the online behavior evaluation.
You and your fellow evaluator entered the behaviors observed on each sub-test online, as the evaluation was performed. Later, after reviewing Charlie’s intake file, you complete the Behavioral History section of the Match-Up II Program by indicating there is no information about his behavior in a home.
Using information about his behavior in the shelter, you then complete the Shelter Behavior section. Charlie can be full of energy, often jumping on staff and volunteers when they enter his kennel to take him for a walk, bounding ahead of them and yanking them forward when going for walks, and every once in awhile, soft mouthing an arm in his excitement. All of this goes into the Shelter Behavior section of the Match-Up II Program, to be considered along with his behavior evaluation results.
In the end, you are not surprised to see that Charlie received 11 triage points, indicating some concerning behaviors picked up by the program. In other words, the 11 triage points immediately tell any staff working with Charlie that he has some problem behaviors that need to be considered when matching him to a new home. As you scan his results, you see that all of the triage points came from his jumping or soft mouthing behavior, except for the three points which were accrued when a shelter doesn’t have information about a dog’s behavioral history. In fact, when you examine his personality scores, you see a very friendly, playful dog who is full of energy. He scored very high on friendliness and low on fearfulness and aggression. The Match-Up II Triage report classifies Charlie as a likely “Jumpy Mouthy” dog. Since your shelter regularly works with and places dogs like Charlie, you can use the Center for Shelter Dog’s Jumpy Mouthy behavior modification program to help manage Charlie’s behavior in the shelter. You can also use a special adoption program to inform his new owners about his behavior and how to manage it in the home.
Using a behavior assessment program like the Match-Up II Program can provide a lot of information about a dog like Charlie. The program provides a comprehensive view of a dog so you are able to get a better understanding of each dog as an individual and determine what his or her individual needs are…because every dog is different. How are you using the Match-Up II Program? Share your story with us!