[liberty427]

Greytmate, on 19th Aug 2007 - 01:16 PM, said:

What a good post Schmoo.

There is one part that I would question

"Temperament assessments are always advised before taking on a rescue dog and it is strongly advised you do this YOURSELF to make sure YOU are satisfied with the dog and are 100% positive you can provide care for the term of fostering."

If you are aiming your post at an audience that is new to rescue or foster care, then that person may not have the knowledge or experience to conduct an appropriate behaviour test. To say that a dog has been temperament tested, when it has not been tested by somebody qualified to test could have unpleasant ramifications.

I am not saying that formal qualifications are needed, but the person needs to have a clear idea of what they are testing for, what constitutes a pass or fail, and the limits of the testing. I believe that a pre-foster assessment should not be referred to as a temperament test, it is only a behaviour test.

My suggested amendment to your post would be

"Pre-foster behaviour assessments are always advised before taking on a rescue dog and it is strongly advised that the test result is properly documented and fully understood by you, so that you can satisfy yourself that you are able to provide the neccessary care and management of the dog for the term of fostering."


I don't mean to sound picky, because I think that the work you are doing is brilliant, will help countless dogs find their way into loving new homes, and make foster caring a worthwhile and enjoyable reality for many who would otherwise be too daunted to try. I do want a copy of your book please.

I tend to agree with you Greytmate... and personally would go even further in your pre-foster behaviour assessments to say that it may also help to see if people that are familiar with the breeds needing assessment are possibly the people to do this...

I believe that all too often opinions are made of dogs that may be solely based on personal preference and in many cases this may be to the detriment of the animal being assessed. Before volunteering to assess an animal.. or before seeking someone to do an assessment for you .. please consider asking someone that is familiar with the breed.. or with like dogs.. and that there will not be any personal opinion in the resultant report of the dog's behaviour.

I believe that I have seen instances of this first hand where a dog's fate has been all but sealed due to what i can only deem to be ignorance of the breed that is being assessed.

And when I think of the cases where this has happened all i can think is god help these people if they are ever to have children and get one that has a personality contrary to the one they deem they should have...

Sorry if this is offensive to anyone.. but sadly these 'assessments' are NOT being conducted correctly (and i am not saying i am any sort of expert or even have a clue as to 'how' they should be done), but if the people who are taking the dogs are aware of the breed and the sometimes (considered) undesirable behaviour... then they might be in more of a position to say yes or no to helping them out. I guess what i am saying here is .. if you want someone to look at a cattledog or a kelpie or mix thereof... I will give you an unbiased opinion of the animal based on the 4 i have owned (for up to the last 15yrs), the many i have known, and the many i have helped out of pounds and helped to rehome through kennels etc. BUT... ask me to assess a staffy, rottweiler, greyhound or any SWF's... and i couldn't tell you that the opinion you would get from me would not be tainted by personal opinion.. cos i can only base assessments of behaviours of dogs on the breeds i know... (which in all seriousness would probably make these seem like pussycats..). By the same token.. you could hardly expect someone who is used to owning layback pussycat type dogs to assess the crazy kids i have without percieving them as having a 'problem'...

as i said before .. i see this EVERYDAY.. and it is killing dogs that given the chance could find the homes they need, want and crave... where they can make their owners glad that they gave these dogs the chance they needed. My opinion if i voiced it here of my likes and dislikes in dogs.. would cause an uproar.. cos i don't find all dogs as appealing as the next .. as i am sure other's don't ... and out of fairness to the dogs.. i will never meet and deem that i have 'assessed' a dog of a breed that i don't know..

pxx

[Greytmate]

Good point Liberty.

Poor Schmoo, every time she touches on an important topic, it opens up another range of complex issues to take into consideration.

Has your book reached encyclopedia size yet Schmoo?

[shmoo]

Greytmate, on 19th Aug 2007 - 02:21 PM, said:

Good point Liberty.

Poor Schmoo, every time she touches on an important topic, it opens up another range of complex issues to take into consideration.

Has your book reached encyclopedia size yet Schmoo?

Pretty much! Everytime I finish a subject, It opens up a whole bunch of new ones!

What I wrote isn't part of the book. Only something I wrote for DOL. The book goes alot more into detail.

I'm going to sound I bit full of myself, but I do strongly recommend that any new person does get a copy of my book. It's going to explain everything.
Hopefully it will be published by the end of the year.

[imouttahere]

I'm so glad I don't foster care anymore. Seeing some of the stuff that goes on between groups is enough to make me run a mile.

It's all so complicated now. Almost need a degree for it, or a course in temperment testing.

Your stuff looks good though Schmoo

[Cordelia]

Quote

Almost need a degree for it, or a course in temperment testing.

There should be. It would prevent people looking at a photo and getting it stuck in their head that the dog is just wonderful yet misunderstood.

Too many people look at photo of a sad dog and get sucked in because it "looks like such a lovely dog".. what the?? A photo tells you NOTHING of a dog.

Too often dogs are rescued with an assessment that is so heavily based on emotions instead of actual knowledge... especially the people expected to foster the dog..... when homechecks are NOT done and transport people or foster carers are given completely false information (or completely fluffed up information in order to get them to take the dog) it is TOTALLY unacceptable. Fosters should NEVER be put in the situation of feeling bad about a dog they can't handle or contain (when fences have never been checked or if they have little kids, work full time etc) and transport people should NEVER be held responsible for having to make a decision to take a dog back to the pound because of the stuff ups and lies passed on by the people who organise a release.

Good post Shmoo!

[imouttahere]

Cordelia, on 19th Aug 2007 - 03:09 PM, said:

Quote

Almost need a degree for it, or a course in temperment testing.

There should be. It would prevent people looking at a photo and getting it stuck in their head that the dog is just wonderful yet misunderstood.

Too many people look at photo of a sad dog and get sucked in because it "looks like such a lovely dog".. what the?? A photo tells you NOTHING of a dog.

Too often dogs are rescued with an assessment that is so heavily based on emotions instead of actual knowledge... especially the people expected to foster the dog..... when homechecks are NOT done and transport people or foster carers are given completely false information (or completely fluffed up information in order to get them to take the dog) it is TOTALLY unacceptable. Fosters should NEVER be put in the situation of feeling bad about a dog they can't handle or contain (when fences have never been checked or if they have little kids, work full time etc) and transport people should NEVER be held responsible for having to make a decision to take a dog back to the pound because of the stuff ups and lies passed on by the people who organise a release.

Good post Shmoo!

hear hear

[Greytmate]

ryally, on 19th Aug 2007 - 02:57 PM, said:

I'm so glad I don't foster care anymore. Seeing some of the stuff that goes on between groups is enough to make me run a mile.

It's all so complicated now. Almost need a degree for it, or a course in temperment testing.

Your stuff looks good though Schmoo

Not everyone that fosters needs to know about how to test a dog. But every organisation needs to have people that do know how to do it, and there needs to be good communication between those people and the foster carers.

I would hate for anyone to be put off foster caring by your post. Foster caring may not be for everyone, but we have plenty of carers that find it really enjoyable and worthwhile. Having the correct procedures in place (to prevent the horrible things happenning that Cordelia mentions), actually make things a whole lot less complicated than groups taking short cuts and not following procedures.

You don't need any special skills to be a foster carer when you are with a group that will give you the right support.

[imouttahere]

Greytmate, on 19th Aug 2007 - 03:55 PM, said:

ryally, on 19th Aug 2007 - 02:57 PM, said:

I'm so glad I don't foster care anymore. Seeing some of the stuff that goes on between groups is enough to make me run a mile.

It's all so complicated now. Almost need a degree for it, or a course in temperment testing.

Your stuff looks good though Schmoo

Not everyone that fosters needs to know about how to test a dog. But every organisation needs to have people that do know how to do it, and there needs to be good communication between those people and the foster carers.

I would hate for anyone to be put off foster caring by your post. Foster caring may not be for everyone, but we have plenty of carers that find it really enjoyable and worthwhile. Having the correct procedures in place (to prevent the horrible things happenning that Cordelia mentions), actually make things a whole lot less complicated than groups taking short cuts and not following procedures.

You don't need any special skills to be a foster carer when you are with a group that will give you the right support.

I don't think I was with the right groups then To those prospective foster carers reading this thread, don't let my post put you off, just research the Rescue Groups you're interested in first and ask questions. If answers aren't forthcoming and/or you get the impression you are being treated like a Mushroom, get the hell out of there. It is a big pain in the butt and the hip pocket to get used and then cut off for reasons you'll never be told.

(The above does not relate to anything or anyone I have been involved with or been a part of in the last six months)

This post has been edited by ryally: 19 August 2007 - 04:34 PM

[shmoo]

Greytmate, on 19th Aug 2007 - 03:55 PM, said:

You don't need any special skills to be a foster carer when you are with a group that will give you the right support.

That's exactly right. But unfortunately there are many groups out there who do not offer enough or the right type of support.

[Danny's Darling]

"I believe that I have seen instances of this first hand where a dog's fate has been all but sealed due to what I can only deem to be ignorance of the breed that is being assessed. "

Unfortunately this happens even when people are supposed to be the experts. At a pound where I was a volunteer dog walker, we had the most beautiful big black Newfoundland X. She was a gorgeous dog, but was rehomed inappropriately, jumped a fence and attacked another dog. She was returned and euthanised because, according to one of the vets, she was "kennel crazy" because she chased the flashing reflection caused by the sun catching one of the walker's watch. . How many happily homed, totally sane and much loved dogs chase reflections?

As one poster said, it can be very difficult to assess a dog's temperament in a pound situation, but of course it has to be attempted.

The main thing, which has been stressed again and again, is that a rescue group must be able to support and guide a foster carer and both the foster carer and the rescue group should have a good understanding of what is required from both parties.

[Tatelina]

What book?? *ears perk up*

[musik]

shmoo, on 19th Aug 2007 - 12:14 AM, said:

There have been some incidents recently that have really highlighted to me just how disordered and muddled rescue can be. The bombardment of appeals never lets up and keeps many rescuers in a constant state of emergency, rushing to retrieve dogs and rushing to place them, in a frantic effort to keep pace.

Here a some important points to remember:

Great post shmoo. I've been thinking of doing foster caring once our fences get sorted out, I'd also like a copy of your book as there is so much to know. Much like fostering a human I suspect!

What would be your recommendations on finding a reputable rescue group to get involved with?

[dogbesotted]

shmoo... how is the book coming along?

Cheers

H

[shmoo]

dogbesotted, on 15th Jan 2008 - 07:34 PM, said:

shmoo... how is the book coming along?

Cheers

H

um slow basically ive got everything written down, i just have to read over it, edit and chuck a few things in, throw some things out.

[Tatelina]

Kaz, on 19th Aug 2007 - 06:58 AM, said:

I would just like to add that if you are considering becoming a foster carer for a dog. PLEASE JOIN A RESCUE GROUP NOW!!!!

Quoted for emphasis.