Benevolent Sun Dogs

The Canine Behavior Assessment Research Questionnaire (C-BARQ) is a standardized test that has been in use for over twenty years, which helps track behavioral modification goals and progress. It was originally designed to be used for dogs in private homes with behavioral issues to help keep them from being surrendered. However, I love to use it for shelter and foster dogs, as it gives a multi-faceted picture of a dog’s personality, rather than just focusing on the problematic areas.

Here is the assessment I conducted yesterday with the employees and volunteers at UFAR’s shelter facility (United For Animals Rescue) in Margate. Warrior is one of their longest-term residents, and his back legs are paralyzed. We would like to raise awareness for shelter dogs with special needs. If you would like to contribute towards Warrior’s ongoing physical rehabilitation, equipment and training costs, you can donate directly through UFAR’s website:
www.ufarescue.org

C-BARQ Assessment
(Canine Behavioral Assessment and Research Questionnaire):

1. Stranger-directed aggression: hostile/threatening responses toward an unknown person
2. Owner-directed aggression
3. Dog directed aggression against unfamiliar dog(s)
4. Dog directed rivalry, against other dog(s) in the home (resource guarding, bullying, fighting)
5. Stranger-directed fear: anxiety and stressful body language in the presence of unfamiliar people
6. Non-social fear: wary/fearful responses to unexpected noises or other novel stimuli (noise- or neo-phobia)
7. Dog directed fear: wary/fearful responses to unfamiliar dogs
8. Separation-related behavior: observable isolation distress when removed from the owner/primary caretaker
9. Attachment and attention-seeking behavior: while owner/primary caregiver is present
10. Trainability: willingness to work for reinforcement
11. Chasing/prey drive
12. Excitability: measuring arousal levels and ability to disengage from potential triggers
13. Touch sensitivity: measuring cooperation for vet/grooming visits, being touched by unfamiliar person(s)
14. Energy levels: physiology; define the physical exercise requirements

www.benevolentsundogs.com 🌅
Canine Behavior Modification & Training
Broward & Palm Beach Counties
▶️ See more of our videos on our YouTube channel

The Canine Behavior Assessment Research Questionnaire (C-BARQ) is a standardized test that has been in use for over twenty years, which helps track behavioral modification goals and progress. It was originally designed to be used for dogs in private homes with behavioral issues to help keep them from being surrendered. However, I love to use it for shelter and foster dogs, as it gives a multi-faceted picture of a dog’s personality, rather than just focusing on the problematic areas.

Here is the assessment I conducted yesterday with the employees and volunteers at UFAR’s shelter facility (United For Animals Rescue) in Margate. Warrior is one of their longest-term residents, and his back legs are paralyzed. We would like to raise awareness for shelter dogs with special needs. If you would like to contribute towards Warrior’s ongoing physical rehabilitation, equipment and training costs, you can donate directly through UFAR’s website:
www.ufarescue.org

C-BARQ Assessment
(Canine Behavioral Assessment and Research Questionnaire):

1. Stranger-directed aggression: hostile/threatening responses toward an unknown person
2. Owner-directed aggression
3. Dog directed aggression against unfamiliar dog(s)
4. Dog directed rivalry, against other dog(s) in the home (resource guarding, bullying, fighting)
5. Stranger-directed fear: anxiety and stressful body language in the presence of unfamiliar people
6. Non-social fear: wary/fearful responses to unexpected noises or other novel stimuli (noise- or neo-phobia)
7. Dog directed fear: wary/fearful responses to unfamiliar dogs
8. Separation-related behavior: observable isolation distress when removed from the owner/primary caretaker
9. Attachment and attention-seeking behavior: while owner/primary caregiver is present
10. Trainability: willingness to work for reinforcement
11. Chasing/prey drive
12. Excitability: measuring arousal levels and ability to disengage from potential triggers
13. Touch sensitivity: measuring cooperation for vet/grooming visits, being touched by unfamiliar person(s)
14. Energy levels: physiology; define the physical exercise requirements

www.benevolentsundogs.com 🌅
Canine Behavior Modification & Training
Broward & Palm Beach Counties
▶️ See more of our videos on our YouTube channel

😫 Treating reactivity is a specialized field within the dog training profession. It requires many hours devoted to education in the latest scientific research and techniques, studying the top practitioners in the subject, and many hours of practical experience in the field. A competent professional will choose the appropriate protocol(s) which address each client’s individual needs.

😫 In my case, focusing on reactivity also required countless hours of training, shaping, and tailoring several of my own dogs to become “demo” or “decoy” dogs to use in different protocols with clients’ dog-reactive dogs. All six of my dogs that I use are rescues, and with the exception of Brandy, they ALL had reactivity issues of their own at some point or another. (I’m convinced that Brandy was just born with the perfect temperament, although she was pretty neglected by her original owners before I got her at 8 months).

😫 Unfortunately, many dog owners believe that reactivity means their dogs are being disrespectful to them as owners—-if only their dogs could stop trying to be the “alpha” and obey when they’re asked to sit, down, and stay when another dog goes by… But here’s the deal: reactivity is not an obedience issue. REACTIVITY is NOT an OBEDIENCE ISSUE! Your reactive dog is not stubborn, is not misbehaving, is not dumb, and is not executing “revenge” for you going away last weekend.

😫 Reactivity is an emotional issue, and every dog has his own unique history and set of lifestyle/learning circumstances that contributed to his behavior around certain triggers. You cannot “train” reactivity out of a dog (or any learner, for that matter). It takes a qualified professional to get to the emotional root of your dog’s conditioned emotional response. And don’t fall for a “quick fix” promise—-treating reactivity is almost always a long journey, not an immediate destination. A competent, ethical professional will help you realistically manage your expectations and set achievable goals.

www.benevolentsundogs.com 🌅
Canine Behavior Modification & Training
Broward & Palm Beach Counties
▶️ See more of our videos on our YouTube channel