Are you suspicious of "pity adoptions"? People who are determined to
"make up for all the abuse they've suffered", even when there often
hasn't been any? Not every animal in a shelter has been abused, and
that attitude can lead to mindless pampering.
OTOH, there are genuine cases and appropriate handling. One of my
favorites is Lexi, a Boxer whose previous owner hit her in the face with
a 2x4, resulting in a permanently malformed jaw. Her present owners
treat her sensibly, and the best handler in the family is the 10yo
daughter. Do you sometimes suspect "dog-sense" is genetic?