CASE STUDY 'C'
Breed: Collie X Gender: Female
Age: Young
Length of stay: Short-term
INFORMATIVE STATEMENT
Throughout the day, I surveyed and documented Case Study 'C's behaviour within a kennel environment, followed by when relocated into a more natural environment, away from the shelter. Delegated to walking the dogs, I was able to obtain personal one-to-one observation with the selected Case Studies.
To ensure accuracy of my results, I visited my Case Studies throughout the duration of the day in two hour intervals. Despite trying to remain at a distance as to not disrupt their natural behaviour within their environment, due to the linear and systematic layout, it proved extremely difficult to undertake observations without making my presence known to the animals. Nonetheless, my presence did not cause any additional distress, and in some cases appeared to implement comfort and reassurance. Similarly, I feel it did not directly affect my results.
RESULTS In-Kennel
Short-visit one (10.20am): Sitting by the kennel door, peering out to see who was coming. I tried to remain as far away as I could, but in order to view her I was within her eye-sight. Her ears were back and body language was very still, and watching. Short-visit two (12.20pm): Originally away from the kennel door, but as I approached the kennel further she stood by the kennel door, still and watching me once again.
Short-visit three (2.20pm): Originally away from the kennel door, but as I approached the kennel further she stood by the kennel door, still and watching me once again. This time I approached closer and her bodily langauge frozen, eyes widened and let off a muffled bark, warning me off. - Entering her kennel to take her for a walk, I approached with caution. Initially she was very nervous, beginning to shake in her bed area. After calming her in a soothing voice, she began to show submission and cuddle up to me for comfort, hiding her head between my side and arm. Her body was trembling.
- Whilst sitting in with her, another volunteer entered the block. As her kennel was located quite far along, she did not have immediate visual access to see who it was approaching. This made her snap from a calm, content dog to a suddenly being very dominant, ears up, eyes wide. Once she saw them, her eyes focused intently and as he approached too close to the caging she exerting a seemingly aggressive short warning bark. She seemed very unsure of his presence.
Out-of-Kennel
Throughout the walk, she appeared very jumpy and extremely responsive to any sudden movements I made. Her overall mentailty was a lot more relaxed, wagging her tail and she had no fear in her eyes. Nonetheless, she was very jumpy and submissive to any sudden noise or accidental tug on the lead. Walking back to the kennel facility, she was slightly calmer walking back into the kennel block, even past the other dogs as I kept her on the furthest side.
EVALUATIVE THOUGHTS
For Case Study 'C', I believe that she, likewise to Case Study 'B' is very nervous and unsure in a kennel environment. The environment is very overwhelming for her. The location of her kennel holding the inability to see who is coming along the kennel block pathway until they are within close proximity to her specifically makes her very anxious and scared, showing subtle signs of protective warning barks. Once you become acquainted with her and prove you are not a threat, she is very affectionate and forcefully cuddles into you for physical reassurance in such an environment. Once you have achieved this bond with her, she whimpers when you are gesturing to leave and focuses on you intently as you walk away. I feel she is a key example of a shelter dog displaying intense emotional attachment to a substitute carer, potentially caused by a collaboration of loss of pack leader (owner) and seeking comfort in an unsettling environment.
Once removed from the kennel environment, coupled with calming reassurance, she begins to relax physically and partially mentally when given the option to explore the surroundings. Nonetheless, a part of her focus remained on my movements as we were walking - any sudden movement and she would slightly panic. This expresses to me that even outside of the kennel environment, she has a very obsessive mentality potentially through emotional attachment and dependence on human attention. A kennel environment I feel must prove emotionally deteriorative for her specifically because of this lack of constant socialisation, which is interesting as to why she is very wary and guarded when strangers approach her kennel.