Behaviour assessment of individual shelter dogs provides a more accurate and welfare-appropriate basis for adoption matching than breed-based assumptions.
Shelter dog assessment matters for welfare because inaccurate assessment results in mismatched adoptions that fail — returning dogs to the shelter or, worse, keeping poorly matched dogs in situations that compromise their welfare. Moving from breed-based assumptions to individual behaviour assessment improves both adoption success rates and dog welfare. Recognising the limitations of shelter-based assessment — where stress alters behaviour — and supplementing with foster trials produces the most accurate picture of individual dog personality.