Behavior Evaluations: A Literature Review
In this literature review, we concern ourselves with the applicability of formal provocative behavior tests used to attempt to predict the behavior of a dog residing in a shelter after he is placed in an adoptive home.
Rethinking dog breed identification in veterinary practice
The purpose of this paper was to explain the shortcomings of visual breed identification and persuade veterinarians and shelter staff to refrain from guessing a dog’s breed based on its appearance.
Is that dog a pit bull? A cross-country comparison of perceptions of shelter workers regarding breed identification.
This is an inter-observer reliability study, the primary goal of which was to determine the level of agreement between shelter workers in the U.S. & U.K. regarding dogs they labeled “pit bulls.”
Inconsistent identification of pit bull-type dogs by shelter staff.
This study explored two aspects of visual breed identification: consistency among experts and validity when compared to DNA analysis.
Comparison of visual and DNA breed identification of dogs and inter-observer reliability
This study examined both inter-rater reliability between experienced canine professionals and validity of visual breed identifications compared to DNA profiles—both were very low.
Comparison of adoption agency breed identification and DNA breed identification of dogs
This study compared adoption agencies’ visual breed identifications of 20 mixed-breed dogs against DNA analysis.