Kennel stress and barrier aggression

One of the things I have learned since becoming involved in animal welfare is there are many people involved and most are not educated on animal behavior. If a dog is not calmly sitting in a kennel, wagging their tail, they believe the animal is not adoptable and should be euthanized. How wrong these people are.
Many shelters today include behavior assessments and have protocols for dogs due to several issues these animals may have upon entering a kennel.
The most serious of these issues is kennel stress. Any dog can become a victim of kennel stress. Some become depressed and lose weight while others become hyperactive and start exhibiting extreme behaviors. Kennel stress can produce obsessive-compulsive behaviors including circling and whirling and bouncing repetitively off kennel walls. They retain a glazed look in their eyes and can pace back and forth, back and forth for hours. In most cases, unless a home can be found quickly, they never recover. They may cease the behavior while in human company, but then begin again the moment they are left alone.
Barrier aggression on the other hand, is something totally different and very much controllable. You must look at a shelter from a dog's point of view. Their life as they know it has ceased to exist. They are then thrust in a kennel, which sometimes has little room, are surrounded by other barking dogs and smells which they cannot see or identify. This is their new home. They do not understand the many feet walking by, or what will happen to them next. Is this someone they know? Is this someone who will hurt them? Are these feet going to take their food or bed away?
Shelter dogs who exhibit this behavior do not behave this way with humans they know. If they see you with frequency, whether you are responsible for feeding, walking, medicating or socializing with them, they will wag their tails because their comfort level is good.
On the other hand, if you are a virtual stranger to them, the barking, growling and sometimes charging the door can occur.
This behavior can be modified simply and quickly by having humans who are not familiar with the dog walking by their kennel and throwing in a high quality treat. Don't stop, don't stare, don't speak but simply walk by and toss the treat in the kennel.
The dog will eventually associate high quality food treats with people passing by. In the dog's view, the threat will be diminished and the behavior will subside.
It sure beats euthanizing a dog for protecting their home.

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