Wednesday: 5/18/05

snip excessive cross-posting
In rec.pets.dogs.behavior Harmonica Lover wrote:

I want to make sure our understanding of 'agitated' is synonymous. When
I see the term 'agitated' I think of getting upset or mad. Behaviors
such as growling or a menacing bark. Behaviors such as barking, high
pitched barking, circling in their kennels, or jumping up on their
kennel gates excitedly, I don't consider as being agitated. Is this
also the way you see things?

The behavior you describe, which you don't consider being agitated,
indicates a high level of anxiety. It is very stressful and is typically
the first step to attitude deterioration. It significantly reduces the
adoptability of a dog.

The ability to see all that stimulating activity, but not to participate
in it, is often very frustrating to a dog. I'm sorry that the situation
exists. Kennel design that is good for the dog is often seen as more
difficult/expensive.

Not that there is much that I can do about this because the kennel
assignments are made by the shelter manager or director. I could
request a dog be reassigned to a kennel with less traffic in front of
it. But typical of municipal entities, the folks there have a lot to
do, and very little time for niceties of preferred kenneling assignments.

Yes, making the dogs adoptable is often not even on the radar of many
municipal entities. For many the focus is animal control, period. Some
public involvement, such as you seem to be engaged in, can nudge in a
little concern for animal welfare.

--
Diane Blackman
http://dog-play.com/
http://dogplay.com/Shop/