* © 2011 aspca ®. all rights reserved. * let ‘em eat! emily weiss, ph.d., caab vice president of...

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© 2011 ASPCA®. All Rights Reserved.

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Let ‘Em Eat!

Emily Weiss, Ph.D., CAABVice President of Shelter Research and Development

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It all started with Bobbi....

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What is happening with food guarders in shelters?

•ASPCA nationwide survey 2006

•Responses 77 shelters, 26 states

•Questions based around guarding behaviors observed in-shelter.

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Survey of Shelters

•Shelters reported food guarding was one of top reasons dogs were not eligible for adoption•14% of dogs in shelters show food guarding behavior during an assessment

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Survey of Shelters•92% of shelters assess for food aggression

•Only 34% attempted behavior modification

•51% made no attempt to place food guarders in adoption

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Could it just be about the VALUE of the resource?

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Getting ready for adoption

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In adoption

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For the Adopter

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Adopter protocoloMealtime is not an event; avoid conflict

around bowl

oSit before bowl goes down

oSmall amounts in bowl at time- then adding more

oDropping high value food treat into food bowl

oTrading toys

oForaging device daily

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Adopt without b-mod!

o Don’t have qualified staff/volunteers, time, or foster available?

o Some dogs can be placed in adoption if adopters given support

o Recent publication in ANIMALS (Aug 2012)

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o Wisconsin Humane Society (2004)

o Followed 96 dogs with food guarding during assessment

o No aggression on all other SAFER items (1&2’s)

Food Aggression Research

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o Scores of 3-5 around food bowl during assessment were included:

o Stiffening or freezing

o Gulping

o Growling or other vocalizations

o Biting the fake hand

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o Exclusions from study:

o Under 6 months of age

o Placed body between assessor and bowl

o Multiple bites up fake hand

o Aggression to toys or non-food items

o Bully breeds

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o In-shelter:

o Free fed

o Enrichment

o No b-mod sessions involving a food bowl

o 96 dogs sent home on food program

o Phone survey follow up 3 days, 3 weeks, 3 months

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Results

o Six adopters (6%) reported guarding first 3 weeks, only 1 to food bowl

o By 3 months those dogs not guarding

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ResultsDog 3 day 3 week 3 month

Dog 1

Dog 2

Dog 3

Dog 4

Dog 5

Dog 6

Growl when rawhide taken

Guards food, toy, & objects: returned

Growl when a tennis ball or rawhide takenUnable to reach adopter

No guarding

No guarding

Growl when rawhide taken

n/a

Growl when a tennis ball taken

Growl when plastic bone was takenGrowled once over a rubber toy

No guarding

No guarding

n/a

No guarding

Unable to reach adopter

Some separation anxiety: no guarding

Growl when rawhide taken away

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Video

o 3 month follow-up: asked adopters to video the dogs during meal time

o Ensured they were not missing signs of aggression

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Nate in Shelter

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Nate at home

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Other Resultso At 3 months, 1 new case of guarding

rawhide (but not food bowl)

o Bonded! Returns were 5% (9% for dogs not in study)

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Conclusion:

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Resources!Behavior modification http://www.aspcapro.org/behavior-modification.php

Food program videos http://www.aspcapro.org/behavior-modification-in-action.php

Publication http://www.aspcapro.org/food-guarding-a-very-modifiable-behavior.php

http://www.aspcapro.org/behavior-modification-in-action.php

http://www.aspcapro.org/behavior-modification-in-action.php

http://www.aspcapro.org/food-guarding-a-very-modifiable-behavior.php

http://www.aspcapro.org/food-guarding-a-very-modifiable-behavior.php

* © 2011 aspca ®. all rights reserved. * let ‘em eat! emily weiss, ph.d., caab vice president of...

Documents

assessment o

results o

video o

o free fed o enrichment

vocalizations o

o stiffening

o dont

bowl o sit