First of all I think we need to remember that this test, if used, is only ONE in an array of exercises to determine the suitability of the dog for rehoming.

Secondly, IME with a number of kennels including breeding, boarding and rescue, there is not ONE way but some tried and tested methods which are good indicators.

can anyone say they have not owned a dog who could possibly bite

But that is the whole point of risk assessment (which is what is being carried out). NOTHING in life is risk free and MOST things are POSSIBLE.

Risk Assessments determine the PROBABILITY of something occurring. For example it is POSSIBLE that I will win the lottery this week but not PROBABLE.

It is POSSIBLE that one of my dogs may bite you, BUT, based on her behaviour over 11 years very IMPROBABLE.

And obviously putting potential owners at risk by asking them to "test" what might happen if they put their arms in a bowl, would lead not only to possible harm but the probability of the rescue home and staff facing an enquiry of some sort!

Soooo smaller rescues have no place in society, how typical of you to single them out. Let us not forget that many "small" rescues are in fact "breed" rescues run by people who "know" their breed inside out & not someone like you who generalises. Thank god they DO exist. Get your facts straight before condemning others who do darn good work in their own time 24x7 !!

I cannot see anywhere in my post where I said that "smaller rescues have no place in society" perhaps you could point me towards the post where I made that exact statement?

I think I am FAIRLY familiar with Breed Rescues as I assess dogs for TWO of them and also potential homes! I too know my breed "inside out"!

So I cannot see where I have "generalised", but again perhaps you could point me to the post where I have?

I also cannot see where I have condemned others "who do darn good work in their own time 24/7" (especially as I TOO do what I consider "good work" in MY OWN TIME )ie I do not get PAID for it, it is not my EMPLOYMENT and I do not get any EXPENSES for my time, fuel etc etc.

So I would be condemning myself would I not?

But again perhaps you could point me towards where I apparently HAVE made these condemning statements?

As I have PERSONAL experience of working for BREED RESCUE and PERSONAL experience of dealing with the FALLOUT of " SOME of those small rescue homes run by MISGUIDED individuals " I feel that I can state categorically that there ARE some individuals out there who are not doing their breed, dogs or people any favours whatsoever.

This is a very SPECIFIC statement and NOT a generalisation.

Because I can and do differentiate between the good and the bad which exist in ALL sectors, including rescue.

What I found upsetting from watching the behaviourist staff perform this test on dogs from shelters on the "Animal Cops" tv programme, is that at times they perform this test on very malnourished, underweight dogs. I don't think this is fair as wouldn't this be sure to make a difference to the dog's behaviour? If it hasn't had enough to eat for so long it is unreasonable to not expect it to be "guardy" about its food.

I understand how you feel but hard as it may seem we have to realise that there is only a limited amount of time available to them to conduct the initial assessment.

They cannot wait until the dogs get fed, there is not sufficient resource as I said before.

Really it is the UNDERLYING causes of this that need to be addressed; by the time they get to the shelter and have to be assessed the "system" has fallen down numerous times.

By focusing on fallout, it means we take our eyes off the origin.

There are no easy answers I am afraid. ;(

Glad to see you now acknowledge small rescues do good work

Glad to see you NOW can understand my posts!

Can see where you are coming from however these rescues have taken time to treat the dog on a medical point & in most cases get the dog's weight back up. Then on the basis of one hand test the dog is PTS.

*From a training point of view you know that food aggression can be worked with. *Yes i understand that time & resources come into play however theyve already spent time & resources getting the dog healthy & back up weight wise. It ponders the question if some rescues can do it, why cant others. What of rescues that dont do the test at all?

I didnt say that - i got what i intended, made you think

Not all rescues DO give medical attention to all dogs that come in, using the TRIAGE approach.]

Neither are they necessarily kept long enough to get their weight up.

They are NOT PTS AFTER this on the basis of ONE test, as this test will, as already has been said, be conducted whilst the dog is still emaciated etc so that resources are not "wasted" for want of a better term.

They do not have the time, facilities, food, money to run on all dogs.

Not all rescues have the funding to do what others can. That is a fact of life.