I am astounded that your animal evaluators still use the old outdated methods of "dominance theory" to assess dogs in your care. Tonight's episode saw a dog that had been rescued being branded "dominant" because he was jumping up and trying to give the evaluators kisses. This was not dominance, but far more like a dog that was trying to please. He was then subjected to a range of "tests" which he was bound to fail because he had already been branded as dominant.

The evaluators gave this dog a pigs ear and then tried to take it from him. The dog growled (a sign that he is saying "please dont take this") and when the evaluator continued he showed his displeasure and gave her a telling off. What I saw was not aggression but simply a dog that was resource guarding.

This is very very common in rescue animals. The reason for this is because many of them have been starved and dont know where their next meal is coming from.

I have 2 rescue dogs and when I took on one of them he was worse than the dog in your episode. He is now the most loving dog who would harm absolutely nobody.

You bring a dog into a strange environment without giving it the opportunity to settle in and to learn to trust. You then put it through a series of "useless" tests to see if it is fit to rehome. Then when it fails, it is put to sleep.

I am sorry. I really think that you need to update your evaluation methods to come into line with the 21st century and get some dog behaviourists who actually keep up to date with dog behaviour science and how it has evolved. Dominance/rank reduction theories are very outdated but they just dont seem to go away. Every day in life I am having to answer somebody's questions regarding dog behaviour and this theory keeps popping up.

I live in the UK. Perhaps dog behaviour has not evolved in the US likeit has in the UK. Although Jean Donaldson is one of the most widely respected dog behaviourists in the world and she is based in the US. I cannot understand this. I wonder just how many dogs lose their lives through this method of behaviour evaluation. Would you be able to give me a figure?

Im glad this method isnt used on children. I wonder how many of them would fail and end up being put to sleep. You cant do that to kids, so why are you doing it to dogs. What is the point of rescuing an animal from a situation and then killing it! I am absolutely disgusted. I am glad that more and more of the rescue centres in the UK are adopting a "no kill" policy. Every dog can find a home. It is simply a case of matching the right home with the right dog. I would happily have rehomed that dog today. I am sure when he was placed in a loving home when he was getting regular meals, love, walks and care he would have been an excellent member of the community. However, nobody will ever get to see that because you have taken his life without even really trying to understand him. What qualifications do your evaluators have?

I look forward to an answer to my questions

Spettadog

I agree with you completely. the evaluators dont take the time or use the proper technics to properly evaluate the animal. I just watched the same episode and i could have saved that poor dog.I challeng the same evaluator to give me a chance with a dog like the one on this show and watch what a different outcome there would be. I also have a rescue dog and was apprehensive with him at first. It takes just a little time to understand them. Even proffessionals at dog behavior make mistakes in missunderstanding what the animal is trying to say. You have just killed a good dog. I would have been honored to take that dog home with me and provided him a good home and freinds for life.hell at least take the time to try to locate an animal like that with someone who would and could be a good master and home and freind to him. you just dont stick your hand in a food bowl of a dog how has been starved and if he tries to protect his food you decide he is a threat and take him out back and kill him. you dont need to save the public you just need to find someone who will take the time to work with that animal.The dog needs to be protected from people like you. Again give me a dog you think is too aggressive and i will show you in a little time a good loyal dog.You have to think and behave just like that dog does. stop thinking like a human cause you will keep making the same mistake.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: mod_kelly,

Suzanne Jackoby- animal 'behaviorist' is the woman who made the decision. Someone needs to step in...this is really inhumane. Something needs to be done. I have the show on tape. The dog gave her kisses, etc. Someone reverse this decision now before this poor dog is killed!

I'm sorry. I don't want the lady to be fired. I just don't want the dog to be put to sleep.

This is posted to multiple threads because it applies to each of them:

First, I want to start off by saying I have been married to an EAMT since the EAMT program began (But I am on the outside looking in). In saying that, I have had so many of the very same questions you all have asked and expressed, and believe me it wasn't a pleasant conversation when I asked them!! But after hearing it from the inside, I have to admit, I did change some of the ways I had been thinking! (Some) In my questions, I asked, well why don't you foster the dog until he or she is ready for adoption, and the reply was on any given day they take in over 120 animals..... IN ONE DAY, EVERY DAY.... when faced with the total number for the year - about 45,000 - I was floored~! FLOORED~!!! The person I talked to explained it to me by saying ok if you have one kennel and two dogs and one shows no aggression at all and the second dog does which dog should you save? I answered with BOTH~! I said I would volunteer and help that animal to get them ready for adoption. He said ok, now, you have 20 more evaluations to do that day. What do you do with all of those dogs? And then what about tomorrow? And the next day? And the next day? The phone got real quiet and I heard him sniffle which I can only interpret as a lump in his throat, he said that, "this is what we all have to deal with on a daily basis!!! And it sucks!" While I started out with many of the same opinions that many of you have, hearing what a large volume of animals the AHS has to deal with on a daily, monthly, and yearly basis, they changed a little. I still would like to have seen that dog get a good home, now I better understand why they are forced to make the decisions they make.

rufus2 "you dont need to save the public you just need to find someone who will take the time to work with that animal."
The problem is the with the numbers that they have to deal with the AHS does not have the room to hold all of these animals until "someone" comes by. They are not perfect, but who of us is, and they do the very best they can. Mistakes are made and tough decisions are made. I said it before, I am glad that they are there for ALL of the 45,000 abused, neglected, and unwanted animals that pass through their doors EVERY YEAR.

Incidentally, since this episode was produced, another 65,000 or so abused, neglected, sick, injured, or unwanted animals have passed through the doors of the AHS.

AHS is recently under new management and no longer does the "dominance theory" to evaluate animals. They now use only the positive reinforcement method. I too have rescued many dogs at pounds who have tried and tried to bite me and 2 days later would come up and snuggle right against my face. Many animals are very scared. I am pleased to announce that the new management has changed their behavioral evaluations. However, the change occurred only a month or so ago, and I don't know when episodes were filmed, so they may no longer reflect this.